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February 6, 2015Americans Are Still Pro-Death Penalty
Support for capital punishment in America remains steady, despite concerns about wrongful executions and uncertainty as to whether such punishment deters crime.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of American Adults favor the death penalty. Just 26% are opposed, while 17% 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 survey of 800 American Adults was conducted on February 2-3, 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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                            February 5, 2015Voters Still Think Most High School Graduates Fall Short
Just a quarter of voters think U.S. schools are doing a good job, and that reflects in their views of the preparedness of today’s high school graduates.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 27% of Likely U.S. Voters rate U.S. public schools as good or excellent. Just as many (28%) rate the school systems poorly, but that's down from 34% in December and the lowest finding in two years. (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 Likely Voters was conducted on February 2-3, 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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                            February 5, 2015Americans Say Their Current Job Is Their Best Bet
Americans seem to be content with their current jobs as nearly half believe staying put affords them the best opportunity to get ahead. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 47% of Employed Americans believe staying with their current job gives them the best chance for career advancement. This finding is up six points from December and is the highest finding since January 2013. Thirty-three percent (33%) think going to work for someone else affords them the best chance for career advancement. Twenty percent (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 571 Employed Adults was conducted on February 3-4, 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.
February 5, 2015A Fine Romance: Online Daters Hire Private Eyes By Froma Harrop
She was a lawyer, noisy but nice. He was a Marine, quiet and even nicer. They seemed an attractive, comfortable couple, so I was greatly surprised when -- after he left to use the men's room -- she leaned over to me at the next table and asked, "What do you think of him?"
They had connected through Tinder, the hot dating site known for emphasizing pictures. This was their first meeting.
"I think he's a prince," I responded, not knowing what else to say.

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                            February 5, 2015Most Still Favor Death Sentence for Colorado Theater Shooter
Most Americans still think the man who killed 12 and wounded 70 in a Colorado theater mass shooting in 2012 should get the death penalty, but there’s less support for punishing a suspect who’s proven to be mentally ill.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of American Adults still believe the suspect in the Aurora, Colorado shooting should receive the death penalty if convicted. But that’s down 11 points from 66% in July 2012 just after the incident occurred. Twenty-five percent (25%) now say the mass killer should not get the death penalty, unchanged from the earlier survey, but nearly as many (20%) are now 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 800 American Adults was conducted on February 2-3, 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.
February 5, 2015A Major Reshuffling of the Republican Presidential Deck By Larry J. Sabato, Kyle Kondik and Geoffrey Skelley
For nearly two years we’ve been ranking the GOP presidential contenders, and we’ve only had two names in the No. 1 spot. Now, in our latest update, those two are together, and alone, at the top.
The new first tier is Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, and Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin.

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                            February 5, 2015Most Say Media Hype Worse Than the Weather
Far fewer Americans think the winter weather has been worse in their area this year, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it by the media coverage.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 15% of Americans say this winter has been worse where they live than it has been in past years. That’s down dramatically from 62% a year ago and is the lowest level measured in five years. Seventy-five percent (75%) say this winter is not worse than in past years, while 10% 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 800 Adults was conducted on January 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.

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                            February 4, 2015Americans Insist: No Vaccine, No School
Following reports of a measles outbreak in 14 states, Americans are more concerned than ever about the danger unvaccinated children pose to others and overwhelmingly support requiring children to be vaccinated before being allowed to attend school.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 83% of American Adults are now at least somewhat concerned that children who do not receive all their vaccinations will cause health problems for other children. This includes 51% who are Very Concerned, up from 43% last April and 40% in 2010. Just 14% are not concerned about potential health problems caused by children who don’t receive their vaccinations, with four percent (4%) who are Not At All Concerned. (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 800 American Adults was conducted on January 30-31, 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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                            February 4, 201534% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Thirty-four percent (34%) 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 February 1. 
This finding is down one point from the previous week which was the highest level of confidence since March 2013. The number of voters who think the country is heading in the right direction was below 30% most weeks for the past year.
(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 2,800 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from January 26-February 1, 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.
February 4, 2015Voters Still So-So About Ukraine, Worry About Relations with Russia
The Obama administration is reportedly considering sending additional military aid including weapons to Ukraine to help it fight pro-Russian separatists. U.S. voters remain cool to that idea and worry about worsening U.S. relations with Russia.
Thirty-five percent (35%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States should provide additional military assistance including weapons to Ukraine. But the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just as many (35%) are still opposed to sending lethal aid to Ukraine, while 30% 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 800 Likely Voters was conducted on February 2-3, 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.
February 4, 2015Parasites By John Stossel
Politicians and lawyers pretend that they are important people doing important work. But often they're important because they are parasites. They feed off others, while creating no wealth of their own.  

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                            February 4, 2015Most Americans Are Good Tippers
An overwhelming majority of Americans say they receive good service at the restaurants they visit, and they tip accordingly.
Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Americans are at least somewhat satisfied with the service they get in restaurants they visit, including 32% who are Very Satisfied. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) aren’t satisfied with their dining experiences, with one percent (1%) who are Not At All Satisfied. (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 January 22-23, 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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                            February 3, 2015Rasmussen Employment Index Slips in January
The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence slipped a point in January following two months in a row of six-year highs.
At 103.3, worker confidence is down from December’s 104.2. The index fell to a recent low of 81.2 in October 2013 but gained steadily after that. After the Wall Street meltdown in the fall of 2008, the index fell dramatically, hitting an all-time low of 57.8 in July 2009.
(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 9,364 working Americans was conducted in January 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
February 3, 2015Bad Policy, Bad Politics By Michael Barone
Word comes that Barack Obama's budget will, not surprisingly, call for ending the sequester spending limits now in effect. That's not surprising. White House aides proposed the sequester, but Obama thought it wouldn't go into effect because Republicans couldn't accept its sharp limits on defense spending. But with voters recoiling against foreign military involvement, they could and did.   
February 3, 2015What Killed the 'American Sniper'? By Froma Harrop
The second-most jarring scene in "American Sniper" takes place not in the urban maze of wartime Iraq but in the domestic tranquility of Chris Kyle's home in Texas. Disoriented after his fourth tour in the cauldron of Iraq, the heralded Navy SEAL is shown stalking his wife from room to room with a pistol. For a moment, we worry that he has flipped out and is going to shoot her. Turns out this was his playful way of initiating sex.
Foreplay, with a handgun.
The genius of "American Sniper" is its portrayal of a culture obsessed with guns. One expects heavy weaponry in war, but here there are guns all over the placid homefront, too. Guns are not just owned but waved. Guns as personal statements.
February 3, 2015Many Voters See U.S.-Israel Relations Deteriorating
While American voters aren’t entirely convinced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should address Congress about Iran despite protest from the White House, a plurality also believes the relationship between the United States and Israel has gotten colder since President Obama took office.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely Voters think Netanyahu should accept Republican congressional leaders’ invitation to address Congress about Iran even if President Obama does not want him to come. Thirty-five percent (35%) disagree and don’t think the Israeli prime minister should address Congress. Twenty-three percent (23%) 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 survey of 800 Likely Voters was conducted on January 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.

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                            February 3, 2015Voters Want Spending Cuts With No Sacred Cows Protected
President Obama has proposed a near $4 trillion budget to Congress that includes spending and tax  increases. However, most voters still want federal spending cuts across the board but think it’s unlikely cuts will actually happen.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters think thoughtful spending cuts should be considered in every program of the federal government. This finding is consistent with surveying over the past year but remains below the high of 63% found in October 2013. Twenty-eight percent (28%) disagree, while 18% 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 800 Likely Voters was conducted on January 27-28, 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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                            February 2, 2015Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 40%, Republicans 38%
Democrats have a two-point lead over Republicans on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending February 1 finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democratic candidate in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Republican instead.
(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 2,800 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from January 26-February 1, 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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                            February 2, 2015Obama’s Full-Month Approval Up Another Point in January
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.  
The president earned a monthly job approval of 49% in January. That’s up a point from December and up two points from the three months prior. It also ties Obama’s high for 2014 reached in February and May. His monthly approval hit a two-year low of 45% in November 2013 during the troubled rollout of the new national health care law.
(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 400 likely voters per night. The monthly numbers in this article are based on approximately 12,000 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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                            February 2, 2015Voters Prefer Federal Budget With Spending Cuts, No New Taxes
President Obama is expected to propose a near $4 trillion federal budget today that includes tax and spending increases, but most voters still prefer to cut spending and don’t see a need for higher taxes.
Just 16% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a federal budget that increases spending, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifty-four percent (54%) like a budget that cuts spending, while 21% think spending levels should 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 800 Likely Voters was conducted on January 31-February 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.