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December 17, 2013New High: 66% View U.S. Economy As Unfair to the Middle Class
Most voters continue to believe the U.S. economy is fair to women, blacks and Hispanics, but more than ever view it as unfair to the middle class.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 32% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the economy is fair to the middle class, down from a high of 43% in January. A new high for the year of 66% describe the economy as unfair to the middle class. These findings include seven percent (7%) who say the economy is Very Fair and 26% who see it as Not At All Fair. (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 from December 12-13, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey 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, 2013Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 40%, Democrats 40%
As Congress works on a bipartisan deal to avoid another government shutdown, Republicans have lost their lead and are now running even with Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending December 15.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while another 40% would choose the Republican instead. This is the first time the two parties have run even since the first week of October.
Republicans held a 43% to 38% margin lead over Democrats for the last two weeks. It was their largest lead since June 17, 2012 and the highest level of support the GOP had earned since just before Election Day in early November of last 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 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from December 9-15, 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 16, 201331% Have Finished Their Holiday Shopping
With just over a week left until Christmas, two-thirds of Americans have begun shopping, and nearly one-in-three are already finished.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of American Adults have started their holiday gift shopping, up from 48% at the beginning of the month and 37% a month ago. Thirty percent (30%) still have not started. (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 1000 American Adults was conducted on December 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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                            December 16, 201345% Favor Restoring Some Sequester Budget Cuts, 40% Oppose
Voters still strongly prefer a federal budget that cuts spending, but they’re closely divided over the new budget deal that would restore some of the across-the-board sequester spending cuts from earlier this year.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a federal budget that increases government spending. Sixty-one percent (61%) like a federal budget that cuts spending instead. Eighteen percent (18%) prefer one that keeps spending levels 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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 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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                            December 16, 201358% Oppose Health Care Law’s Individual Mandate
Opposition to Obamacare's requirement that every American must have health insurance has risen to its highest level ever.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of Likely U.S. Voters still believe the government should require every American to buy or obtain health insurance, showing little change from November. But 58% oppose that mandate, up from 54% last month and the highest level of opposition to date. Ten percent (10%) 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 December 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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                            December 15, 201323% Name Pope Francis Most Influential, 21% Say Obama
Time magazine named Pope Francis its “Person of the Year” last week, and nearly one-in-four Americans agrees with that pick.
Rasmussen Reports gave Americans a similar list of influential people worldwide, and 23% said Pope Francis was the most influential person in 2013. But the new national telephone survey finds that nearly as many (21%) felt President Obama was the most influential. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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                            December 14, 2013What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 14, 2013
For voters, it seems, you can’t always get what you want.
Only 12% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a federal budget that increases government spending, but that’s just what the bipartisan budget deal passed by the House late this week does. It restores billions cut by the sequester on March 30 and puts off potential savings for several years.

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                            December 13, 2013Just 31% Work A 40-Hour Week
Nearly-three-out-of-four working Americans now put in a minimum of 40 hours a week on the job, but most still think they have a good work-life balance.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 31% of Employed Americans work 40 hours a week. Forty percent (40%) now work more than 40 hours weekly, including nine percent (9%) who work more than 50 hours a week. This compares to 33% who worked more than 40 hours a week in May. 
Twenty-eight percent (28%) now work fewer than 40 hours a week, with 10% who work fewer than 20 hours weekly. That overall number is down six points from 34% 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 623 Employed Adults was conducted on December 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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                            December 13, 2013What America Thinks: 56% Want Long-Term Budget Deal That Cuts Spending
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray unveiled a proposed bipartisan budget deal this week that would fund agencies through the fall of 2015. While the proposed deal includes compromises from both sides and has been approved by the House, many conservatives and liberals are voicing opposition. Even before the deal was announced, most voters said they wanted a long-term deal that cuts government spending but don’t think they’ll get it. 

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                            December 13, 20137% Think Congress is Doing a Good or Excellent Job
While Congress is working on a bipartisan budget deal that would prevent another partial government shutdown, its job performance ratings remains near their all-time low. Voters' criticism of their own representative in Congress is at its highest level this year.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only seven percent (7%) of Likely U.S. Voters think Congress is doing a good or excellent job, unchanged from last month. Congress' positive ratings bottomed out at five percent (5%) in late December of last year but have been only slightly higher through all of 2013. Seventy-four percent (74%) rate the legislators’ performance as poor, a one-point improvement from November which marked their highest negatives in seven years of regular surveying.  (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 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. 
December 13, 2013Mandela's Crucial Lesson For America -- and the Republicans Who Never Learn by Joe Conason
Beyond the eulogies bestowed this week on the late and truly great Nelson Mandela -- a visionary, revolutionary and peacemaker -- there is much for Americans to learn from the story of his vexed relationship with our country. We will forget the mistakes perpetrated in dealing with him at our own peril.
To put it simply, the same Washington figures who so wrongly coddled Pretoria, South Africa's apartheid regime three decades ago -- people like Dick Cheney and the neoconservatives -- now tell us, wrongly again, that the United States should abandon negotiations with Iran and continue the embargo of Cuba. (And, of course, these are the same experts, politicians and pundits who promoted war against Iraq while assuring us the invasion would be a cheap cakewalk.)
To find out more about Joe Conason, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM
December 13, 2013Obamacare's Rocky Rollout Improves Republicans' 2014 Outlook By Michael Barone
Democratic National Chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz says that Obamacare will be a vote-winner for Democrats in 2014. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the same thing.

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                            December 13, 201367% Say Christmas Should Be More About Jesus Than Santa Claus
With the increasing commercialization of Christmas, the religious importance of the holiday often gets buried - but not in the minds of most Americans.
Sixty-seven percent (67%) of American Adults still think Christmas should be more about Jesus Christ than about Santa Claus. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 17% believe the holiday should be more about the jolly fat man in red. Another 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 1000 American Adults was conducted on December 9-10, 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 12, 201346% Rate Obama Poorly on Economy
Positive views of President Obama’s economic leadership have rebounded slightly since hitting its lowest level in a year-and-a-half earlier this month.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Likely U.S. Voters now give the president good or excellent marks for his handling of economic issues. That's up from 32% in early December, his lowest positives since June of last year. Forth-six percent (46%) still rate the president's economic performance as poor, down slightly from 48% 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 8-9, 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 12, 201332% Will Give to Charity in a Friend’s Name As A Gift This Year
More Americans are opting for donations in a friend’s name in lieu of traditional gifts this holiday season. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 76% of American Adults are at least somewhat likely to make a charitable donation of some kind this year, including 57% who are Very Likely. This is the highest level of charitable giving measured in surveys since 2009. Just 20% are unlikely to make a donation of some kind, with seven percent (7%) who are Not At All Likely to donate to charity this 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 Adults was conducted on December 9-10, 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 12, 201317% Expect Better U.S. Relations with Cuba
Many are wondering if President Obama's handshake with Cuban leader Raul Castro at this week's memorial service for Nelson Mandela signals a thaw in the relations between the two countries, but most voters don’t expect much of a change over the next year. 
Only 17% of Likely U.S. Voters believe America’s relationship with Cuba will be better a year from now, while 10% expect it to be worse. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% believe the U.S.-Cuban relationship will be about the same. Eighteen percent (18%) aren’t sure. These findings have changed little over the past four 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 Likely Voters was conducted on December 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.
December 12, 2013How We Really Feel About Economic Inequality by Froma Harrop
Americans don't care much about rising economic inequality, recent surveys suggest. But that's not quite right.
The public may know that the top 10 percent pulled in about half of pretax income in 2012 -- and that income inequality is the widest it's been since right before the Great Depression. Its brain understands that these trends are not good for the society.

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                            December 12, 201314% View Education Secretary Arne Duncan Favorably
Arne Duncan is President Obama’s point man for the controversial Common Core national education standards being imposed on schools all over the country, but he remains largely unknown to voters after nearly five years of serving as the U.S. secretary of Education.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 14% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of Duncan, while 16% view him unfavorably. This includes four percent (4%) with a Very Favorable regard for the former chief executive officer of the Chicago school system and six percent (6%) with a Very Unfavorable one. But 63% say they have never heard of Duncan, while another eight percent (8%) 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 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on December 6-7, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error 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.

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                            December 11, 201328% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Twenty-eight percent (28%) 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 8.
That's up three points from 25% the previous week and the highest level of confidence since late 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, 38% 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 2-8, 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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                            December 11, 201375% Think Christmas Should Be Celebrated in Public Schools
Despite school administrators’ concerns nationwide, Americans strongly believe that Christmas should be a part of public schools. They feel just as strongly that religious symbols should be allowed on public property.
Seventy-five percent (75%) of American Adults think Christmas should be celebrated in public schools, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 15% disagree, 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 1,000 Adults was conducted on December 9-10, 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.