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                            July 19, 201344% Rate Obama’s Handling of Health Care Positively
President Obama earns slightly better marks from voters this month when it comes to health care and Social Security.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters now rate the president's handling of health care issues as good or excellent. That's up from June’s low of 38% but consistent with regular surveying prior to that since February. Forty-three percent (43%) now rate the president poorly on health care, also generally in line with previous surveys. (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 July 12-13, 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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                            July 19, 201339% Say U.S. Safer Today Than Before 9/11, 36% Disagree
Confidence in the nation’s safety against terrorism is at its lowest level in several years.
Thirty-nine percent (39%) of Likely Voters believe the United States today is safer than it was before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national survey. Nearly as many (36%) disagree and say the country is not safer. Another 25% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
How did you do in this week’s Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard  .
(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 July 16-17, 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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                            July 19, 201332% Have Favorable Opinion of Zimmerman, 48% Unfavorable
Despite a Florida jury’s verdict that George Zimmerman is not guilty of murder in the shooting death of black teenager Trayvon Martin, just 32% of Americans have a favorable opinion of the Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer, while 48% view him unfavorably. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% now agree with the not guilty verdict. That's down slightly from earlier in the week.
(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 was conducted on July 17-18, 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
July 19, 2013A Better System for Picking Presidential Candidates By Michael Barone
You can get agreement from almost all points on the political spectrum that the worst aspect of our political system is the presidential nomination process. It is perhaps no coincidence that it is the one part of the system not treated in the Constitution.
That's because the Founding Fathers abhorred political parties and hoped that presidents would be selected by something like an elite consensus. But we have political parties, the oldest and third oldest in the world, and they are not going away.
July 19, 2013The Pitfalls of Public Exercise By Froma Harrop
The most memorable scene in Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" is Eva Marie Saint hanging from the side of Mount Rushmore in a perfectly tailored red suit, sheer stockings and pumps. The character hadn't planned for that situation, but her dress was nonetheless deemed proper, circa 1959, for touring South Dakota's Black Hills. In the previous Chicago and New York City shots, she, Cary Grant and most everyone else wore business or evening attire. No shorts, no flip-flops, not even jeans without rips.

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                            July 19, 2013Confronting America's Racial Divide By Scott Rasmussen
Sixty-four percent of Americans say that it's possible to have an honest discussion about race in America. I would like to believe that, but I am skeptical.  

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                            July 18, 201332% Say American Society is Unfair and Discriminatory
Roughly a third of voters now see American society as unfair and discriminatory, the highest level of pessimism in nearly six years.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 57% of Likely U.S. Voters now consider American society generally fair and decent. That's down six points from April and the lowest finding since December. Thirty-two percent (32%) disagree and think American society is generally unfair and discriminatory. That’s up from 26% in the previous survey and the highest finding since late July 2007. 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 14-15, 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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                            July 18, 201375% Prefer Traditional Book to Electronic Reading Device
Three-out-of-four Americans still prefer a traditional book over an electronic book-reading device and continue to reads books that way.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of American Adults would rather read a book in a traditional print format than on an electronic book-reading device like a Kindle. Fifteen percent (15%) prefer reading on an electronic device. Ten percent (10%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
How did you do in this week’s Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard .
(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 was conducted on July 11-12, 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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                            July 18, 201344% Favor Ban on Abortion After 20 Weeks, 41% Oppose
Several states including Texas and Wisconsin are advancing new restrictive abortion laws that would, among other things, ban abortions after 20 weeks and require doctors that perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Voters nationwide are almost evenly divided on the 20-week ban but are more supportive of additional doctor requirements.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a ban on abortion after 20 weeks. Forty-one percent (41%) oppose such a ban. Another 15% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in this week’s Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 16-17, 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.
July 18, 2013Not Listening: What Republicans Could Learn From George W. Bush By Joe Conason
During most of the Obama presidency, George W. Bush has maintained a decorous silence. Keeping quiet may not always have been easy for Bush, watching his successor repudiate and unwind his legacy, from Iraq to Afghanistan and beyond, but his discretion was wise under the circumstances. Suddenly, however, he is speaking out to urge a "positive resolution" to the debate over immigration reform -- and the time to listen to him has surely arrived.
July 18, 2013It’s Time for Another Constitutional Convention By Mark Meckler
For many years there has been heated debate in this country about the need for an Article V convention to amend the U.S. Constitution.  On both sides of the American political spectrum, there have been calls for - and a great fear of - such a gathering.

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                            July 18, 201321% Think Justice Department Should Charge Zimmerman With a Hate Crime
Most Americans don’t believe George Zimmerman was motivated by racism and do not believe he should be charged with a hate crime for shooting black teenager Trayvon Martin. But as with nearly every question regarding this case, there is wide racial disagreement.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 24% of all American Adults believe Zimmerman’s actions that led to Martin’s death were motivated primarily by racism. Fifty-four percent (54%) think the Hispanic Neighborhood Watch volunteer was chiefly motivated instead by a concern about burglaries in the neighborhood.  Twenty-two percent (22%) 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 Adults was conducted on July 15-16, 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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                            July 17, 201330% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Thirty percent (30%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, July 14.
(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 July 8-14, 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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                            July 17, 201359% Favor Government Subsidies to Keep Student Loan Costs Down
As Congress continues to struggle over a plan for government-backed student loans, most Americans think the government should be providing subsidies to keep those costs lower for students. Adults also feel more strongly that student loans should cover the cost of any college a student chooses.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 59% of American Adults believe government subsidies should be used to keep costs lower on student loan interest rates. Thirty percent (30%) think student loan interest rates should be the same as for regular loans. Another 11% 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 Adults was conducted on July 13-14, 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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                            July 17, 201336% Think America’s Best Days Are in the Future
Americans remain pessimistic about the nation's future.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Likely U.S. Voters think America’s best days are still to come, generally unchanged from April but down from a recent high of 47% last September. Nearly half of voters (49%) think the nation’s best days are in the past. This ties the highest level of pessimism in nearly a year. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
Win an iPad: Take The Rasmussen Challenge. 
 (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 July 14-15, 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. 
July 17, 2013Strangling Life By John Stossel
There are now 175,000 pages' worth of federal laws. Local governments add more.
I'm not so cynical that I think politicians pass laws just to control us. Someone always thinks: "This law is needed. This will protect people."
July 17, 2013Curse of the Full-Time Job By Froma Harrop
Free time is the great hunger for so many productive Americans, often trumping money. Studies show a huge desire for more self- and family-time, especially among parents. But Americans remain stuck in work schedules drawn up early last century. That doesn't make sense today, so why do we continue punching the old time clocks?

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                            July 17, 201348% Agree with Zimmerman Verdict, 34% Disagree
Reactions to the jury decision in the shooting of Trayvon Martin vary sharply along racial lines.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of American Adults agree with the jury’s verdict that Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman is not guilty of murder in the shooting death of the black teenager.  Thirty-four percent (34%) disagree with the Florida jury’s verdict. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Win an iPad: Take the Rasmussen Challenge!
The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 15-16, 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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                            July 17, 201343% Blame Spike in Food Stamp Recipients on Easier Government Rules
Americans now blame looser government eligibility requirements nearly as much as the bad economy for the big jump in people on food stamps. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 49% of American Adults still believe the large increase in the number of people currently receiving food stamps is primarily due to tough economic times. But nearly as many (43%) now think the spike in food stamp recipients is chiefly because government rules have made it easier to get food stamps. (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 July 13-14, 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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                            July 16, 201356% Say Gov Investing in Alternative Energy May End Foreign Oil Dependence
Most voters think it's possible for the United States to achieve energy independence through shale oil development and government-funded programs to promote alternative energy sources. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe it is at least somewhat likely that the development of domestic shale oil reserves would end U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Twenty-three percent (23%) consider that unlikely. This includes 28% who think it’s Very Likely and just four percent (4%) who think it’s Not At All Likely. One-in-five (20%), though, are not sure. This has changed little since March of last year. (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 July 10-11, 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.