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April 7, 2015Most U.S. 21st Century Population Growth Came in Just 27 Metro Areas By Michael Barone
It's springtime, and the Census Bureau has released its population estimates for counties and metropolitan areas as of July 1, 2014. Initial analysis has focused on year-to-year movements or changes since the 2010 Census -- subjects worthy of attention.
But it's also interesting to take a longer look, to see where population has been booming over the 14 years since 2000, one-seventh of the 21st century. The headline here is that growth has been concentrated in relatively few large metropolitan areas.

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                            April 6, 201529% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 2. 
This finding is unchanged from the previous week but up two points from the week before that which marked the lowest level of confidence this year.  The number of voters who think the country is heading in the right direction has been 30% or higher most weeks since mid-December after generally being in the mid- to high 20s since mid-June 2013.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 
The national telephone survey of 2,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 29-April 2, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            April 6, 2015Baseball is Back: What Are Your Picks?
Anything can happen in Major League Baseball’s long season, but fans have some early picks for which team is likely to win this year's World Series.
This Opening Day, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 16% of Baseball Fans think the St. Louis Cardinals will win the World Series this year, while 10% say that of the Los Angeles Dodgers. No other team reaches double-digits. But nine percent (9%) think the Boston Red Sox will be this year’s champs, and eight percent (8%) each say that about the Washington Nationals and the Seattle Mariners.
Six percent (6%) think the Los Angeles Angels will emerge victorious this season, with no other team reaching five percent (5%). Only four percent (4%) think the reigning champions, the San Francisco Giants, will win again this year.  Twenty-four percent (24%) of fans either pick a team not mentioned in the survey or are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The national survey of 600 Baseball Fans was conducted on March 31-April 1, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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                            April 6, 2015Voters Even More Negative About Arab Spring’s Impact
As the violence in Yemen escalates, American voters continue to be skeptical about the political changes in the region brought about by the so-called “Arab Spring” and worry they have made the United States less safe. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 1-2, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            April 6, 2015Most Voters Want More Aggressive Deportation Policies
More voters than ever feel the United States is not aggressive enough in deporting those who are here illegally, even as President Obama continues to push his plan to make up to five million illegal immigrants safe from deportation.
Just 16% of Likely U.S. Voters think the U.S. government is too aggressive in deporting those who are in the country illegally. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 62% believe the government is not aggressive enough in deporting these illegal immigrants, up from 52% a year ago and 56% in November. Fifteen percent (15%) feel the current number of deportations is about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 1-2, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.
April 6, 2015Iran Deal: Do the Critics Want War? By Joe Conason
Before too much credibility is lavished upon Republican critics of the Iran nuclear agreement draft, including all of the assorted would-be presidential candidates, someone ought to urge them to explain what they would do instead. And when those critics start blathering, someone should interrupt to ask whether they are actually talking about a simple three-letter word: war.

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                            April 4, 2015What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending April 4, 2015
This Easter weekend marks the close of a bad week for those wishing to practice their religious faith without interference from the government.
Republican governors in Indiana and Arkansas backtracked on religious freedom laws, already common in a number of other states, in the face of widespread business and special interest criticism. The laws were seen by supporters as protecting the religious rights of individuals but were characterized by critics as anti-gay.

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                            April 3, 2015Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 40%, Democrats 36%
Republicans have jumped out to a four-point lead on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 2 finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican candidate in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while 36% would choose the Democrat instead. Twenty-three percent (23%) prefer a third-party candidate or are undecided.
The week before, Republicans led by just a point. The Democratic candidate first fell to a low of 36% in early March, and it was the lowest level of support for the party in three years. The GOP last hit a low of 36% a year ago. Still, both parties have struggled to get out of the 30s for most of 2015, and the gap between the two generally has been two points or less most weeks for more than a year now.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 
The national telephone survey of 2,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 29-April 2, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Demographic details and trends for this survey are available for Platinum Members only.

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                            April 3, 2015Do NCAA Fans Think Kentucky Will Go All The Way?
The University of Kentucky Wildcats are trying to achieve something no team has since 1976, but do March Madness followers think they can do it?
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 49% of American Adults who are following the men’s NCAA basketball tournament think Kentucky, who narrowly beat Notre Dame last week to advance to the Final Four, will win the championship. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 620 Adults Following the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament was conducted on March 31-April 1, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            April 3, 2015Church Attendance Down This Easter
Easter remains one of the most important Christian holidays, but attendance at religious services is likely to be down this year.
Thirty-nine percent (39%) of all Americans consider Easter, the day Christians believe marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to be one of our nation’s most important holidays. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 19% think it’s among the least important holidays, while 38% place it somewhere in between. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 800 American Adults was conducted on March 31- April 1, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.
April 3, 2015Indiana Religious Freedom Act in Accord With Traditional American Toleration By Michael Barone
There has been a great ruckus about Indiana's recently passed religious freedom law. Some, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, see it as endorsing anti-gay bigotry. Democratic Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy has banned state employees from traveling to Indiana, even though Connecticut has a similar law even more favorable to claims of religious objectors. Perhaps he should ban state employees from remaining inside Connecticut.   

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                            April 3, 2015America Is Still A Strongly Christian Nation
Two-out-of-three Americans still believe the central tenets of Christianity, that Jesus Christ was the son of God who was resurrected on Easter Day. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 800 American Adults was conducted on March 31- April 1, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            April 2, 2015Is The U.S. Government Too Sensitive to Minorities?
Just over half of voters think anti-gay discrimination is a problem in America, but many also still believe the government is oversensitive to the concerns of minority groups.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters consider discrimination against gay and lesbian people to be a serious problem in America today, although only 23% consider it a Very Serious one. Forty-three percent (43%) do not think such discrimination is a serious problem, with 18% who say it’s Not At All Serious. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted March 30-31, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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                            April 2, 2015Democrats See Mexico As Better Ally Than Israel
Americans continue to view Canada and Great Britain as our best friends, but Israel has tumbled down the list. Democrats by a 10-point margin now see Mexico as a better ally than the Jewish state. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 
The survey of 800 Adults was conducted on March 29-30, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
April 2, 2015Suing Over Soft Sexism Can Hold Women Back by Froma Harrop
Ellen Pao's gender discrimination suit against her employer contained the juicy elements that captivate us. The plaintiff was a Harvard-educated lawyer suing for a healthy $16 million. The defendant was Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the high-powered venture capital firm. The locale was Silicon Valley, where many complain that the big fortunes go overwhelmingly to men. And Pao's evidence resided largely in gray areas, where things said and things done could be interpreted in several ways.

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                            April 2, 2015Most Still Favor Tax Deductions Over Lower Rates
Americans aren't keen on letting go of their tax deductions but still like the idea of everyone paying the same percentage of their income in taxes.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 21% of American Adults think all tax deductions should be eliminated in order to lower tax rates. Fifty-two percent (52%) don’t want to sacrifice deductions for lower tax rates. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are not sure. These attitudes have changed little in annual surveys since April 2009. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 800 American Adults was conducted on March 23-24, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.
April 2, 2015Notes on the State of Politics By Kyle Kondik
The retirement of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) last week gives Republicans something they have been lacking in the early stages of this Senate cycle: a 50-50 shot at picking up a seat currently held by a Democrat.
True, Reid’s poor approval numbers meant he was going to be a target of Republicans anyway. But he’s also a proven commodity who would have had the power of incumbency. In our view, the open-seat race is now a Toss-up, as opposed to the prior rating of Leans Democratic.

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                            April 1, 2015Obama’s Full-Month Approval Holds Steady in March
When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below. 
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night. The monthly numbers in this article are based on approximately 10,000 interviews each month with likely voters. The margin of sampling error is less than +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

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                            April 1, 2015Do You Want A Religious Freedom Law In Your State?
Most voters still oppose a religious freedom law in their state like the one adopted in Indiana. Yet despite concerns that such laws may lead to discrimination against gays and lesbians, voters also continue to strongly defend the right of a Christian photographer to turn down a same-sex wedding. Many also believe the media portray religious freedom laws unfairly.
Arkansas this week came a step closer to joining the 20 states that have laws prohibiting the government from forcing businesses to provide services they find objectionable on religious grounds, but 53% of Likely U.S. Voters oppose such a law in their state. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 35% favor a law that would allow businesses to refuse service to customers for religious reasons. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on March 30-31, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.
April 1, 2015The Next Bubble By John Stossel
They're doing it again!
When the last housing bubble burst, politicians blamed "greedy banks." They said mortgage companies lent money recklessly, making loans to people with dubious credit, for down payments as low as 3 percent.