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                            December 16, 2014Americans Still Have Lots of Holiday Shopping Left
The clock is ticking. With less than 10 days left until Christmas, Americans are on pace with last season’s holiday shopping.
Sixty-eight percent (68%) of American Adults have now started their holiday shopping, up from 54% two weeks ago and 34% a month ago. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% have yet to start their holiday gift shopping at this point. (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 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 14-15, 2014 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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                            December 16, 2014Voters See A Sinking America
U.S. voters are less bullish on America’s role in the world and see a diminished United States in the decades to come.
Just 27% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States will still be the most powerful nation in the world by the end of the 21st century, down from 37% in January 2009 shortly after the Wall Street meltdown and just before President Obama took office. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% disagree and believe the United States will not be the number one world power, a 14-point increase from 34% six years ago. Twenty-four percent (24%) 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 survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on December 11-12, 2014 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.
December 16, 2014Charity Versus Panhandling by Froma Harrop
I'm paying up at this discount store, and the nice woman at the cash register asks me something like, "Do you want to support a program to help homeless teenagers get drug counseling?"
December 16, 2014Don't Look for Culture War Arguments in Campaign 2016 By Michael Barone
In an earlier column, I looked at the role the abortion issue would play in the 2016 election -- not very much, I concluded -- and promised another column on other cultural issues. Here goes.
On anyone's list of cultural issues that have been debated over the last decade, same-sex marriage ranks just behind abortion. And unlike abortion, opinion on same-sex marriage has changed dramatically in recent years.

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                            December 16, 2014Homeowners Worry A Bit More About Their Mortgage Payments
The number of homeowners who think they are likely to miss or be late on a mortgage payment in the next few months is at its highest level in over a year.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 12% of homeowners say they are likely to miss or be late on a house payment in the next six months, up from eight percent (8%) in October and the highest finding since September 2013. This overall finding includes six percent (6%) who think it is Very Likely. But 84% say they are unlikely to miss or be late on a payment, with 60% who say it is Not At All Likely.  (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 637 Adult Homeowners and 1,000 American Adults was conducted on December 12-13, 2014 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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                            December 15, 2014Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 40%, Democrats 37%
Republicans have taken the lead on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending December 14 finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republicans in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while 37% would choose the Democrat.
(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 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from December 8-14, 2014. 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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                            December 15, 2014Confidence in Housing Market Shows Little Change
Homeowners remain fairly confident in their home’s short- and long-term value, and most still think it’s worth more than what they owe on their mortgage.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Adult Homeowners think the value of their home will go up over the next year, down from November’s all-time high of 40%. Twelve percent (12%) believe their home’s value will go down next year, but nearly half (47%) say it will remain about the same. (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 637 American Homeowners was conducted on December 12-13, 2014 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.

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                            December 15, 2014Voters Want More Drone Strikes on Terrorists Overseas
Support for the use of unmanned drone aircraft to kill suspected terrorists overseas is the highest it's been in over two years, but voters still express concern about innocent civilians killed in such attacks.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of Likely U.S. Voters favor the United States’ use of drone aircraft to kill al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists overseas. That’s up from 63% a year ago but is still down from a high of 76% in February 2012 after President Obama first acknowledged the drone program’s existence.Just 12% oppose the use of drones to kill terrorists in other countries, while 17% remain 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 13-14, 2014 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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                            December 15, 2014Most Still Expect Health Care System to Suffer Under Obamacare
Voters still strongly approve of the health care they are getting, but most also remain convinced that it will get worse under the new national health care law.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the quality of health care they now receive as good or excellent. Only five percent (5%) consider that care to be poor. (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 December 13-14, 2014 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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                            December 14, 2014Young People Are Less Likely to See Voting As Catalyst For Change
A sizable number of Americans feel today’s young people are less politically active than those in previous generations, but it may come down to what adults of different ages see as effective forms of activism.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that a plurality (44%) of American Adults believe young people are less politically active now than they were in previous generations. Eighteen percent (18%) say young adults are more politically active, while 29% say the level of activism is about the same as in prior generations. (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 Adults was conducted on December 10-11, 2014 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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                            December 13, 2014What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 13, 2014
It’s disconnect time between Americans and their government once again.

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                            December 12, 2014Voters Say Spending Cuts Help the Economy
Following the U.S. House of Representatives' narrow passage of a spending bill hours before deadline, voters continue to believe that cutting government spending - and taxes - is the best present the federal government can give the economy this holiday season.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that increases in government spending hurt the economy. Twenty-six percent (26%) think spending increases help the economy, while seven percent (7%) say it will have no impact. These are all line in with findings from the past few years. Fourteen percent (14%) 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 9-10, 2014 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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                            December 12, 2014Charity is Up This Christmas
Americans are in the charitable spirit once again this Christmas, and even more plan to make a donation than last year. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 85% of Americans Adults are at least somewhat likely to make a charitable donation of some kind this year, up from 76% a year ago. Just 13% are not likely to make a donation. This includes 65% who are Very Likely to donate this year and five percent (5%) who are Not At All Likely to do so. (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 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 8-9, 2014 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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                            December 12, 2014Grand Jury Protests: What Are They Good For?
Most Americans aren’t convinced that recent protests around the country in response to grand jury decisions involving police officers will bring about desired changes and think such protests are controlled by outsiders. But adults who have participated in protests themselves are slightly less skeptical.
Just 29% of American Adults believe the recent protests following the grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Missouri and on Staten Island, New York, are likely to bring about the changes the protesters are seeking. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 66% say it’s unlikely the protests will bring about desired change. This includes two percent (2%) who say it’s Very Likely such protests will bring about change and 28% who say that’s Not At All Likely. (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 Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on December 10-11, 2014. 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.
December 12, 2014What 2014 Means for 2016 by Michael Barone
The defeat of Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu by Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy in last weekend's Louisiana runoff ends an election year that has been very successful for Republicans -- and has implications for 2016. 

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                            December 12, 2014Voters Put Public Safety Ahead of CIA Disclosures
Voters strongly believe it would have been better for Congress to keep the Central Intelligence Agency’s interrogation methods a secret if the disclosures put the American public at risk.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is more important to protect the safety of Americans from terrorist attacks whenever possible than for the public to know the full extent of how the CIA got its information.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 23% think it’s more important to publicly disclose the full extent of the CIA’s interrogation methods. (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 December 9-10, 2014 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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                            December 11, 2014Americans Say Violent Video Games Lead to a More Violent Society
Australian K-Mart and Target stores recently banned the popular video game Grand Theft Auto V from its shelves, responding to a petition over the game’s depiction of violence against women. Back at home, nearly half of Americans believe violent video games lead to more violence in society and parents should be held responsible to limit the exposure their children have to these games.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of American Adults think violent video games lead to more violence in our society. However, this is down six points from a July 2012 survey taken just weeks after the Colorado movie theater shooting spree and the lowest finding since we first asked the question in 2010. Thirty-one percent (31%) disagree, unchanged from two years ago. Twenty-three percent (23%) are not sure, up seven points from 2012. (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 American Adults was conducted on December 6-7, 2014 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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                            December 11, 2014Not So Fast, Satan; Other Religious Displays OK on Public Land
Americans continue to strongly support the celebration of Christmas in the public schools and religious displays on public land, but they draw the line at displays by Satanists and atheists.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 76% of American Adults believe Christmas should be celebrated in public schools. Just 15% disagree. (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 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 8-9, 2014 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.
December 11, 2014Do You Vote What You Drink? By Froma Harrop
Did you know that Democrats drink more than Republicans? Or that they are likelier to choose clear liquors, whereas Republicans tend toward the darker ones? That voters who skew most Republican favor Jim Beam? That those who skew most Democratic go for Seagram's gin?  

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                            December 11, 2014Despite Report, Voters Still See Value in CIA Interrogation Tactics
On the heels of the Senate’s scathing report on the Central Intelligence Agency’s interrogation practices, nearly half of U.S. voters are in favor of the harsh tactics used and think they elicited valuable information that helped the United States.
Forty-seven percent (47%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe waterboarding and other aggressive interrogation techniques should be used to gain information from suspected terrorists. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% do not think such methods should be used, but another 20% 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 9-10, 2014 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.