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April 4, 2013

Stop Asking, 'How Did You Like ...' By Froma Harrop

I'm shopping for a sweater online, and as so often happens, up pops a "tell us what you think" box. Or I'm on social media, and another social media company hijacks the screen, trying to sell me another product. Then there's:

April 4, 2013

44% Think Government Effort to Confiscate All Guns Likely

A sizable number of Americans think the federal government is coming after their guns.

Forty-four percent (44%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that the government will try to confiscate all privately owned guns over the next generation or so, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifty percent (50%) feel gun confiscation is unlikely. This includes 20% who think the government is Very Likely to make this move and 23% who say it’s Not At All Likely. (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 March 30-31, 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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April 4, 2013

Hard Targets? By Kyle Kondik

One needs little more than just fingers and toes to count the number of House members who represent districts won by the other party’s presidential candidate in 2012. As mentioned here previously, just 25 House members — nine Democrats and 16 Republicans — hold such “crossover” districts. Compare that to 2004, when there were 59 such seats, or 2008, when there were 83.

April 3, 2013

35% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-five percent (35%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, March 31.

Voter optimism in the nation’s current course is up two points from the previous week and is in line with attitudes measured at the beginning of the year. Confidence in the nation's course peaked at a high of 43% the week before Election Day but has gradually come down since then.

(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 March 25-31, 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.

April 3, 2013

Just 9% Say U.S. Has World’s Best Tax System

Americans continue to believe strongly that the United States does not have the world's best tax system, perhaps in part because half still think they are paying more than their fair share to Uncle Sam.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just nine percent (9%) of American Adults believe the United States has the best tax system in the world. Sixty-four percent (64%) disagree, and another 27% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

Play the Rasmussen Challenge . Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET.

(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 March 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.

April 3, 2013

59% Say Another 2008 Financial Meltdown Likely

While confidence in the U.S. banking industry has rebounded slightly, most Americans fear the financial industry is heading towards another downturn like the one in 2008.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of American Adults think it’s at least somewhat likely that the United States will soon face another financial industry meltdown similar to the 2008 crisis.  Thirty percent (30%) think this is unlikely to occur.  These figures include 26% who feel another Great Recession is Very Likely, compared to four percent (4%) who feel it’s Not At All Likely.  (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 nationwide was conducted on March 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.

April 3, 2013

55% See Major Cyberattack on U.S. As Act of War

Following the recent major computer attack on South Korea, Americans continue to worry about the safety of this nation’s computer systems, and most still believe a foreign attack on them should be viewed as an act of war.

Eight-four percent (84%) of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat concerned about the safety of America’s computer infrastructure from cyberattack, including 44% who are Very Concerned. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 14% are not very or Not At All concerned about such an attack. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Win an iPad: Take the Rasmussen Challenge. A new question is available today.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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.

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April 3, 2013

Green Tyranny By John Stossel

Environmental activists and politicians would like you to think that we must love their regulations -- or hate trees and animals.

April 3, 2013

41% Think Government Should Keep A List of All Gun Owners

Voters are closely divided over whether the federal government should keep a list of every gun owner in the country. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters think the federal government should maintain a database with the name and address of all gun owners in the United States. Slightly more (47%) disagree and oppose a government database of all gun owners. 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 March 30-31, 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.

April 2, 2013

61% Say Finding New Energy More Important Than Fighting Global Warming

Most Americans continue to view global warming as a serious problem, but they still put their economic concerns well ahead of fighting climate change.  New Rasmussen Reports polling finds, for example, that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters think, generally speaking, it is more important to find news sources of energy than fight global warming. Only half as many (30%) rate the fight against global warming as more important.

Play the Rasmussen Challenge .  A new challenge starts 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.

April 2, 2013

42% Think Federal Government Should Set Environmental Policy

Fewer than half of U.S. voters believe the federal government should have the final say when it comes to environmental protection, and they remain critical of the Environmental Protection Agency and its impact on the economy. These findings come at a time when voters increasingly are blaming human activity more than planetary trends for global warming. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 42% of Likely U.S. Voters think the federal government should set the rules and regulations for environmental protection. Twenty-five percent (25%) think state governments should have that responsibility, while 17% would prefer to look to the United Nations or some other international organization. Just six percent (6%) would rely on local governments for environmental rules and regulations. (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 March 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.

April 2, 2013

Rasmussen Employment Index Slips a Point in March

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures worker confidence, slipped another point in March to 84.3.

Still, the Employment Index remains above levels measured for most of 2012. Worker confidence is up less than a point from March 2012 but is up 15 points from March 2011. In December of last year, the Index hit a five-year high of 91.2. 

Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be weaker than the prior month’s report.

(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 9,373 working Americans was conducted in March 2013 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.

April 2, 2013

51% Think Background Checks for Gun Buyers Will Not Reduce Violent Crime

Support for requiring a strict background check to buy a gun remains high, but most voters believe these checks will not reduce the level of violent crime in America.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of Likely U.S. voters believe a strict background check should be required for anyone to buy a gun in the United States. Only 16% disagree.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Win an iPad: Take the Rasmussen Challenge. A new question is available today.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 30-31, 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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April 2, 2013

Do Groups Really Foster Creativity? By Froma Harrop

We're not done with the Yahoo story yet. Much has been said about whether workers produce more at home and whether CEO Marissa Mayer had slowed women's progress by denying working mothers the opportunity to telecommute. That is not today's topic.    

April 2, 2013

46% Think Feds Might Try To Tax Bank Accounts Like Cyprus

Americans don’t believe the federal government has the constitutional authority to tax bank deposits as they did in Cyprus, but a plurality worries they might try it anyhow.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of American Adults think it’s at least somewhat likely that the U.S. government might try to tax money in individual bank accounts. Nearly as many (41%), however, view this as unlikely to occur Thirteen percent (13%) 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 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 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.

April 1, 2013

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 44%, Republicans 37%

Democrats hold a seven-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending March 31.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 37% 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 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 25-31, 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.

April 1, 2013

61% Have Filed Their Income Taxes

With two weeks until the April 15 deadline, 61% of American Adults say they have filed their federal income taxes, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  That’s a 23-point jump from a month ago and nearly identical to findings a year ago at this time.

Twenty-five percent (25%) more plan to file by April 15, while seven percent (7%) intend to get an extension. Another seven percent (7%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Play the Rasmussen Challenge. A new challenge starts tomorrow.

(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 March 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.

April 1, 2013

Obama’s Monthly Approval Down Another Point in March

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.

For the month of March, the president's Total Job Approval Rating fell another point from 53% in February to 52%. In December, it reached 56%, the highest level since May 2009. Prior to the election, that rating had remained in the narrow range of 44% to 49% for two years straight.

In March, 47% disapproved of the president's performance, up a point from the month before. The number who disapproved of Obama's performance stayed in the low to mid-50s from August 2009 until the election. That figure dropped to the low 40s in November but has inched up since.

Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night. The monthly numbers in this article are based on approximately 15,000 interviews each month with likely voters. The margin of sampling error is less than +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

April 1, 2013

78% Say They Get Good or Excellent Health Care

Most voters continue to like the health care they get but remain more critical of the overall U.S. health care system. However, the majority also still expects the system to get worse in the near future.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. Only four percent (4%) consider the care they get to be poor. (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 March 30-31, 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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April 1, 2013

78% Say They Get Good or Excellent Health Care

Most voters continue to like the health care they get but remain more critical of the overall U.S. health care system. However, the majority also still expects the system to get worse in the near future.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. Only four percent (4%) consider the care they get to be poor. (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 March 30-31, 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.