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                            August 14, 2013Obama's National Security Positives Fall to A Two-Year Low
Positive ratings for President Obama's handling of national security are at their lowest level in over two years of weekly tracking.
Thirty-nine percent (39%) of Likely U.S. Voters now rate the president’s handling of national security issues as good or excellent.  A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that just as many (38%) give him a poor rating in this area.  (To see survey question wording, click here).
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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 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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                            August 13, 201315% Say Professional Athletes Are Good Role Models for Kids
Some professional athletes just can’t seem to stay out of trouble, and most Americans are noticing.
Just 15% of American Adults believe professional athletes are good role models for children, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Sixty-one percent (61%) say athletes are not good role models, while another 24% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on August 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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                            August 13, 201353% See Conflict Between Economic Growth and Fairness
Most voters still believe policies that encourage economic growth are more important than those promoting economic fairness, and they’re more likely now to think there’s a conflict between the two. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 93% of Likely U.S. Voters say, in thinking about the economy, policies that encourage economic growth are at least somewhat important.  That includes 68% who say they are Very Important.
(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 Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 7-8, 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.
August 13, 2013Crime Bankrupts Detroit; Public Unions Mug Two California Cities By Michael Barone
In the Industrial Midwest, the city government of Detroit went into bankruptcy in July. Out in California, the city governments of Stockton and San Bernardino entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2012.    

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                            August 13, 201356% Think Racism Not Chief Reason for Lack of Neighborhood Diversity
Americans are closely divided on the importance of neighborhoods in this country being racially or ethnically diverse, but most believe racism is not the chief reason for a lack of diversity.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 49% of American Adults believe it is at least somewhat important for most neighborhoods in America to be racially or ethnically diverse. Forty-six percent (46%) say it’s not important. This includes 16% for whom neighborhood diversity is Very Important and 16% who say it’s Not At All Important. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 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.
August 13, 2013Lawsuits and Defensive Medicine: The Reality By Froma Harrop
Guy limps off the tennis court with an obvious sprained ankle. The doctor tells him to go home, elevate the leg and put some ice where it hurts.

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                            August 13, 201343% Say Obama Good or Excellent Leader, 42% Say Poor
Most voters continue to see President Obama as a liberal, and views of his leadership have returned from post-election highs to levels seen for much of his first term in office. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters now rate the president as a good or excellent leader, unchanged from last month. Just as many, however, (42%) consider his leadership poor, up four from July. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
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The two surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on August 7-8 and August 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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                            August 12, 2013Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 39%, Democrats 39%
Republicans and Democrats run even on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending August 11.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while another 39% would choose the Democrat instead. The week before, Republicans led by three -- 41% to 38%, the largest gap between the two parties since mid-April.
(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 August 5-11, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point 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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                            August 12, 201381% See Amber Alerts As Effective In Abduction Cases
Most Americans believe Amber Alerts are an effective way to respond to child abduction incidents but also feel cell phone owners should be able to opt out of receiving the alerts.
Eighty-one percent (81%) of American Adults believe that Amber Alerts are at least somewhat effective in abduction cases, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But that includes just 27% who say the alerts are Very Effective. Only 12%, however, feel Amber Alerts are not very or Not At All Effective. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
Win an iPad: A new Rasmussen Challenge starts tomorrow! 
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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on August 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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                            August 12, 2013Just 11% Think NSA Less Likely Now to Monitor Phone Calls of Innocent Americans
President Obama in a press conference on Friday announced tighter restrictions on the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance program, but most voters still don’t trust the government to protect their constitutional rights. Very few expect the program to cut back on monitoring the phone calls of innocent Americans. 
Despite the president’s pronouncement of greater “transparency,” only 11% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is now less likely that the federal government will monitor the private phone calls of ordinary Americans. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% believe it is more likely now that the government will monitor these calls, while 49% expect the level of surveillance to remain about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Win an iPad: A new Rasmussen Challenge starts tomorrow!
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 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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                            August 12, 201353% Have Felt No Impact from Health Care Law
Most voters still have an unfavorable opinion of President Obama’s national health care law but acknowledge that it has had no impact on them.
Forty-one percent (41%) of Likely U.S. Voters share an at least somewhat favorable view of the health care law, while 53% view it unfavorably, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. This includes 15% with a Very Favorable opinion of the law and 42% with a Very Unfavorable 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 August 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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                            August 12, 201353% Think Health Care Law Will Increase Deficit
Most voters continue to have an unfavorable opinion of the health care law, and believe it will increase the nation’s deficit and drive up health care costs. 
Forty-one percent (41%) of Likely Voters have at least a somewhat favorable impression of the health care law, while 54% view it unfavorable, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey.  This includes 20% with a Very Favorable opinion of the law and 39% with a Very Unfavorable one.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special Offer:  Rasmussen Reader is now just $24.95 for a subscription through December 31, 2014. Sign up today!
(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 August 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.

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                            August 11, 201331% Think Internet Has Had Bad Influence on U.S. Politics
Americans are becoming even less enthused about the Internet’s influence on American culture, politics and journalism.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 31% now say the Internet’s impact on American culture overall has been good for the country, down from 37% in April.  Twenty-nine percent (29%) think the Internet’s impact on American culture has been bad for the nation, while 30% say neither. (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 orFacebook.
The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 6-7, 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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                            August 10, 201324% Think Americans Selfish For Putting Economy Ahead of Global Warming
Voters remain concerned about global warming, but they still express more urgency about the economy and don’t feel selfish for doing so.
When given a choice, 67% of Likely U.S. Voters say creating jobs is more important than taking steps to stop global warming, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty-four percent (24%) say taking action on global warming is more important. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
How did you do in the 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 August 5-6, 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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                            August 10, 2013What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending August 9, 2013
Who’ll be the next in line?
Hillary Clinton is the overwhelming favorite among Democratic voters for their party’s presidential nomination in 2016. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie holds a narrow lead among Republicans for the 2016 GOP nomination. 
But not so fast. Clinton was also the clear favorite in August 2005, three years before the 2008 Democratic National Convention. She subsequently lost in the primaries to Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Meanwhile, GOP voters who say Christie is the candidate they least want to see nominated outnumber those who support him by 10 percentage points.
History has shown us time and again that 2016 is not likely to end up as a matchup of the current front-runners, Clinton and Christie, Scott Rasmussen says in his latest weekly newspaper column. 

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                            August 9, 201335% Think Global Warming Is A Very Serious Problem
Most voters remain at least somewhat concerned about global warming, but they still have mixed opinions about what causes it. Most think scientists don't agree on the cause either.  
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% of Likely Voters believe global warming is at least a somewhat serious problem.  Thirty-four percent (34%) don’t agree.  This includes 35% who think global warming is a Very Serious issue and 11% who say it's Not At All Serious.  (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 August 5-6, 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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                            August 9, 201324% Buy Print Copy of Their Local Paper Daily or Nearly Every Day
The news media was abuzz this week when it was announced that the longtime owners of The Washington Post had sold the newspaper to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a move seen by many as a no-confidence vote in the newspaper business. Fewer Americans than ever prefer reading a print newspaper to an online version, but there's also less confidence that online and other news sources can fill the void left by vanishing traditional papers.
Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Americans, when given the choice, prefer to read a printed version of a newspaper over the online version, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty-nine percent (29%) prefer the online versions of papers, while 12% more are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in the 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 national survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted August 6-7, 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.
August 9, 201336% Think A New U.S.-Russia Cold War Likely in Next Few Years
Following President Obama’s decision to snub Russian President Vladimir Putin during an upcoming trip to Europe, U.S. voters’ views of Putin have worsened, but most think it’s unlikely the United States and Russia will reenter a Cold War period.
A plurality (49%) of Likely U.S. Voters, however, agrees that Russia’s decision to grant temporary asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden is bad for U.S.-Russian relations. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just four percent (4%) view granting asylum to Snowden as good for the relationship, while 31% believe it will have no impact. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure. (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 August 7-8, 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.
August 9, 2013GOP of Two Minds, at Least, on Immigration By Froma Harrop
On immigration, the Republican Party is trapped in two trains of thought, each speeding along the wrong track. At the tea party end, there's absolute resistance to normalizing the status of illegal immigrants. On the cheap-labor side, there's this big push to admit as many unskilled immigrants as possible.
August 9, 2013Cheating Is Rife in Colleges -- by Admissions Officers By Michael Barone
What is the most intellectually dishonest profession around? My nomination: the admissions officers at highly selective colleges and universities.