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                            January 2, 201458% Have Favorable Opinion of Michelle Obama
Most voters continue to have a favorable opinion of Michelle Obama and view the first lady as a good role model for young Americans.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat favorable impression of Mrs. Obama, including 39% with a Very Favorable opinion. Thirty-seven percent (37%) view her unfavorably, including 20% with a Very Unfavorable impression of the first lady. (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 29-30, 2013 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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                            January 2, 201459% Favor Assault Weapons Ban; 18% Want Handgun Ban, Too
Most voters still favor a ban on semi-automatic and assault-type weapons but strongly oppose outlawing handguns in the United States. Seven-out-of-10 would feel safer living a neighborhood where individuals could own a gun for self-defense.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters think there should be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault-type weapons. Thirty-three percent (33%) 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 Likely Voters was conducted on December 29-30, 2013 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.
January 2, 2014Never Too Late to Start Up by Froma Harrop
Could an aging population be good for economic growth? I mean, isn't it an accepted fact that our economy will suffer as more Americans pass age 65 and start sitting around all day, soaking up government benefits?
January 2, 2014Common Core by John Stossel
My TV producers asked our Facebook audience to vote for a topic they'd most like to hear discussed on my year-end show. The overwhelming winner, for some reason: the education standards program Common Core.
Most Americans don't even know what that is. But they should. It's the government's plan to try to bring "the same standard" to every government-run school.

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                            January 2, 2014Obama Monthly Approval in December Up Two Points From Recent Low
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’s total job approval rose two points to 47% in December. That’s up from 45% in November, the president’s lowest monthly approval in two years, but still down nine points from December 2012’s recent high of 56%. The president's rating took a hard hit in November from the problems surrounding the rollout of the new national health care law. Through much of November and early December, Obama’s daily job approval ratings were at the lowest levels of his entire presidency.
(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. 

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                            January 1, 201430% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Thirty percent (30%) 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 December 29.
That’s up one point from 29% the previous week and the highest level of confidence since early September. In early October, during the federal government shutdown, confidence in the country’s course fell to 13%, the lowest finding in five years. A year ago, 33% said the country was heading in the right direction.
(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 on December 16-22, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            January 1, 20146% Consider New Year’s Day One of the Most Important Holidays
Most Americans don't consider it a very important holiday, but many plan to keep the New Year’s Eve celebrations going right on through New Year’s Day.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just six percent (6%) of American Adults rate New Year’s Day one of the nation’s most important holidays, while 34% view it as one of the least important. Most (55%) see it as 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 1,000 American Adults was conducted on December 30, 2013 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 31, 2013Most Americans Will Ring in 2014 at Home
There certainly is no place like home for most Americans on New Year's Eve. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 23% of American Adults are more likely to go out on New Year's Eve, while 72% think they're more likely to stay home. (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 26-27, 2013 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 31, 201346% Believe It Is Fair To Oppose a Supreme Court Nominee Over Ideology or Philosophy
Most voters think anyone a president nominates to a high-level post is entitled to a straight up-or-down vote in the U.S. Senate, but a sizable number still feels it's okay for a senator to oppose a Supreme Court nomination based on the political or judicial leanings of the nominee.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that nearly half (46%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe that it is fair for a U.S. senator to oppose a high court nominee because of political ideology or judicial philosophy. But that's down 10 points from 56% in April 2010 shortly before President Obama nominated Elena Kagan to serve on the Supreme Court. Thirty-eight percent (38%) feel it is not fair for a senator to oppose a nominee because of their ideology and philosophy, while 16% are unsure. (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 26, 2013 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 31, 2013Americans Are More Pessimistic About 2014 – And About Their Health
2013 turned out to be worse than Americans predicted this time last year, and they’re slightly less optimistic about the year to come than they were back then. They’re more pessimistic about their health, too. 
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of American Adults expect 2014 to be a good year at the very minimum, with three percent (3%) who think it will be one of the best years ever, eight percent (8%) who say it will be an excellent year and 30% who predict it will be a good one. Twenty-three percent (23%) expect next year to turn out poorly. (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 30, 2013 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 31, 2013Obama May Be Best Economic President Ever by Froma Harrop
Lend me your ears. I have come to praise President Obama and bury the myth that Republican presidents are better for the economy than Democratic presidents. Not only do Democrats produce superior economic results but they blow Republicans out of the water in the comparisons.
Let's turn the mic over to Bob Deitrick, a principal at Polaris Financial Partners in Westerville, Ohio. Deitrick crunched 80 years of numbers. Politically, 1929 to 2009 were exactly divided -- 40 years under Republican presidents and 40 under Democrats.
Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM

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                            December 31, 201335% Think U.S. Government Should Consider Selling the Postal Service
The U.S. Postal Service has been plagued with financial problems for years, but fewer adults now believe the federal government should sell the Postal Service. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 35% of American Adults think the U.S. government should consider selling the Postal Service to a private company in order to reduce the federal budget deficit. But that's down from 40% in 2011. Forty-eight percent (48%) oppose such sale, 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 survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on December 28-29, 2013 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 31, 2013Peña Proves Himself an Efficient Reformer By Michael Barone
Most Americans have an image of Mexico as a nation convulsed by violent drug wars and sending hundreds of thousands of desperate immigrants across our southern border.
That image is out-of-date. The drug war has largely quieted down and scarcely affects most of the country while, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, net migration from Mexico to the United States since 2007 has fallen to zero.

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                            December 30, 2013Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 40%, Democrats 40%
As 2013 comes to a close, Republicans and Democrats are running even - for the second time this month - on the Generic Congressional Ballot.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending December 29 finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 40% would choose the Democrat instead. The previous week, the GOP candidate held a three-point lead.
(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 23-29, 2013. 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 30, 201325% Used Postal Service Less This Holiday Season
One-in-four Americans used the U.S. Postal Service less this holiday season compared to past years, although the vast majority still rely on the post office to handle their holiday gifts.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of American Adults used the USPS about the same amount this holiday season as they did in previous years. Just 14% used the Postal Service more, while 25% used it less than they have in previous 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 1,000 American Adults was conducted on December 28-29, 2013 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 30, 2013Senior Data Scientist/Statistician
The polling industry is looking to decrease reliance on data gathering via landlines. Rasmussen Reports is seeking a hands-on, innovative thinker to lead our efforts in this direction. A background in polling is not required for the position. Innovative thinking about the future of polling, along with the quantitative and computational abilities to put your ideas into practice are definite must-haves. We aim to broaden our
polling reach over the next years, to introduce a greater amount of data from a wide range of nontraditional polling sources, and to carefully calibrate and evaluate our efforts as we proceed.

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                            December 30, 201349% Oppose Further U.S. Aid to Egypt
Most voters think Egypt is unlikely to assume a democratic course anytime soon, but they are slightly less opposed to further financial aid for the longtime U.S. ally. 
Egypt has largely been in political chaos since the United States helped pressure dictator Hosni Mubarak out of power in early 2011, and a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just seven percent (7%) of Likely U.S. Voters now think the changes in the government of Egypt over the past several years have been good for the United States. This finding has been steadily declining from a high of 29% in February 2011.
Forty-three percent (43%) believe those changes have been bad for this country, up from 20% in 2011. Twenty-seven percent (27%) say they have had no impact, but nearly as many (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 Voters was conducted on December 27-28, 2013 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 30, 201358% Expect Health Care To Cost More Under Obamacare
At the end of the year that Obamacare made its official debut, most voters still believe the new law will drive up health care costs, increase the deficit and hurt the quality of health care in this country.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of Likely U.S. Voters view the health care law at least somewhat unfavorably, with 41% who have a Very Unfavorable opinion of it. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 40% share a favorable view of the law, including 17% with a Very Favorable one. (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 27-28, 2013 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 29, 201353% View Marriage As A Religious Institution
Most voters now see marriage as a religious institution rather than a civil one and still overwhelmingly believe in the importance of marriage before having children.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters now view marriage as a religious institution, up from 48% in October.  Forty percent (40%) consider marriage a civil institution, a five-point drop from 45% in the previous survey. (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 22, 2013 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 28, 2013What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 29, 2013
So where does the nation stand just before we launch into a tempestuous congressional election year?