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                            March 11, 201312% Like Job Senate Is Doing, 19% Say Same of House
Over half of voters think both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives are doing a poor job, but nearly as many also prefer having them run by different political parties the way Congress is now. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 12% of Likely U.S. Voters think the U.S. Senate is doing a good or excellent job. Fifty-three percent (53%) rate the Senate’s performance as poor.
Nineteen percent (19%) of voters believe the House is doing a good or excellent job, while 51% view its performance as poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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.
March 11, 2013Obama Flails as Republicans Stand Firm on Sequester By Michael Barone
They're flailing. That's the impression I get from watching Barack Obama and his White House over the past week.
Things haven't gone as they expected. The House Republicans were supposed to cave in on the sequester, as they did on the fiscal cliff at the beginning of the year.
They would be so desperate to avoid the sequester's mandatory defense cuts, the theory went, that they would agree to higher taxes (through closing loopholes) on high earners.
March 11, 201345% Favor President's Health Care Law, Most Want More Consumer Choice
Voters continue to give the president's health care law tepid reviews and believe overwhelmingly that individuals should have the power to pick the kind of coverage they want. 
Forty-five percent (45%) view it favorably, while 48% share an unfavorable opinion of it. This includes 18% with a Very Favorable view and 33% with a Very Unfavorable one. These attitudes have held steady since last November's election.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Likely U.S. Voters think the government should require every health insurance company and health insurance plan to cover the exact same set of medical procedures. Thirty-four percent (34%) disagree and oppose such requirements. Thirty-one percent (31%) 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 March 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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                            March 10, 2013Obama Earns Low Marks on Taxes and Spending
Voters are more critical of President Obama’s handling of issues related to taxes and remain unhappy with how he's dealing with spending.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the president is doing a good or excellent job in the tax area. That's down five points from 44% last month. Forty-two percent (42%), on the other hand, think he is doing a poor job, up from 39% in February. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in the new Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leader board to find out. 
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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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                            March 10, 201339% Think Government Should Help Fight Childhood Obesity
Most Americans continue to see childhood obesity in the country as a serious problem, but more are now open to government involvement in this area.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 88% of American Adults say childhood obesity is at least a somewhat serious problem in the United States today, including 49% who see it as a Very Serious issue.  Only eight percent (8%) see childhood obesity as not very or Not at All Serious.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on March 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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                            March 9, 2013Fewer See the Purpose of Daylight Saving Time
Americans will be springing forward an hour tonight for Daylight Saving Time (DST), but fewer think this year that it's worth the hassle or even an effective way to save energy.
Only 37% think DST is worth the hassle, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That's down from 45% last year. Forty-five percent (45%) don’t think the clock-changing ritual is worth it, but 19% 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 March 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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                            March 9, 2013What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 8, 2013
Despite record stock market gains and a slightly improved jobs picture this week, Americans still express a lot of uncertainty about the economy and the future in general.
Like long-term economic confidence a month ago, short-term confidence in the U.S. economy is now at a new low. Just 25% of Americans think the economy will be stronger a year from today.
At week’s end, just 14% of consumers rated the U.S. economy as good or excellent, while 46% deemed it poor. Among investors, 18% scored the economy as good or excellent. Forty percent (40%) rated it poor. 
Americans don’t have much hope for the stock and housing markets either. Only 20% think the stock market will be higher a year from now. Most (54%) still believe it will take more than three years for the housing industry to fully recover from the downturn that began in 2008.

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                            March 8, 2013Just 23% Think Feds Should Regulate What School Kids Eat
The federal government has introduced new regulations that put caps on serving sizes and set calorie limits for school lunches, but most American don’t think that’s any of the feds’ business.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 23% of American Adults believe the federal government should set nutritional standards for schools. Thirty-two percent (32%) think nutritional standards should be set by parent-teacher groups, while 24% feel it’s the responsibility of state governments. Thirteen percent (13%) think local governments should set those standards. (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 February 25-26, 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.
March 8, 201335% Think U.S. Economy Fair to Middle Class
Fewer voters than ever now think the U.S. economy is fair to the middle class. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 35% of Likely Voters believe the economy is at least somewhat fair to middle-class Americans, but that includes only six percent (6%) who think it’s Very Fair.  Sixty-two percent (62%) think the economy is not fair to the middle class, with 20% who feel it’s 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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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                            March 8, 20136% View Hugo Chavez Favorably
Very few voters have a favorable opinion of Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez who died earlier this week, but they’re also not very optimistic that U.S. relations with Venezuela will get any better.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just six percent (6%) of Likely U.S. Voters share a favorable opinion of Chavez. Sixty-seven percent (67%) view the late Venezuelan leader unfavorably, while 27% are not sure. (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 March 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.
March 8, 2013Eventually Sequester Will Cause Real Pain -- And Among First to Suffer Will Be Hungry Children By Joe Conason
The difference between a natural disaster and a disaster caused by politicians is that the latter will almost always hit the poor and the obscure most heavily, while a hurricane or a flood will at least sometimes spread the suffering more evenly.  

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                            March 8, 2013Health Care Law Now Faces Biggest Challenge: American Consumers By Scott Rasmussen
President Obama handily defeated congressional Republicans in the political fight over his health care law. But the law will now face a much tougher opponent.

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                            March 7, 2013Voters Are Slightly More Aware of New Treasury Secretary
Voters haven’t changed their opinions much about newly confirmed Obama Cabinet members John Kerry and Jack Lew.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 18% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, including five percent (5%) who view him Very Favorably. Twenty-five percent (25%) view Lew unfavorably, with 11% who share a Very Unfavorable opinion of him. A majority of voters (56%) still have no opinion of the new secretary of the Treasury. (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 2-3, 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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                            March 7, 2013New High: 50% Expect Taxes To Go Up Under Obama
More voters than ever expect their taxes to go up under the Obama administration.
Fifty percent (50%) of Likely U.S. Voters say their own personal taxes will go up under the Obama administration, up 13 points from late 2012 and the highest finding in nearly five years of surveying.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just seven percent (7%) think their taxes will go down under Obama. Thirty-eight percent (38%) expect their taxes to stay about the same, down from 45% in December. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in the new Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leader board to find out. 
(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 February 28-March 1, 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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                            March 7, 201367% Favor Limits on Drone Use
Attorney General Eric Holder continues to defend the use of unmanned drones to kill U.S. citizens abroad suspected of terrorism and hasn’t ruled out their use on targets here in the United States. 
But Rasmussen Reports polling finds that just 36% of Likely U.S. Voters favor the American government’s use of unmanned drones to kill U.S. citizens in other countries who pose a terrorist threat.
(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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                            March 7, 201322% Favor Eliminating All Deductions To Lower Income Tax Rates
Not many Americans favor the elimination of all income tax deductions in exchange for lower tax rates. Most think the wealthy are less likely to contribute to charity if their deductions are reduced.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 70% of Adults think it’s at least somewhat likely that wealthy Americans will give less money to charity if deductions for charitable donations are reduced. This finding is up slightly from early April 2009 when 66% believed that to be true. Just 18% think it’s unlikely wealthy Americans would donate less money if deductions are reduced. This includes 44% who say it’s Very Likely the rich would donate less, compared to only four percent (4%) who believe it’s Not At All Likely.  (To see survey questions 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 March 3-4, 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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                            March 7, 201363% Think Congress Can Always Make Things Worse
Few voters believe Congress cares what they think which helps explain why most feel their legislators can always make a bad situation worse.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only nine percent (9%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the average member of Congress listens to the voters he or she represents more than to congressional party leaders. Eighty-one percent (81%) believe the average member listens most to his or her party’s leaders in Congress. Ten percent (10%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in the new Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard to find out.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 4-5, 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.
March 7, 2013Spending Cuts May Be Answer to Slow Economic Growth By Michael Barone
The Dow set a new high on Tuesday, but the larger economy is a different story. What if today's sluggish economic growth turns out to be the new normal? That's the unsettling question asked by some of our most creative economic thinkers.
And the people asking it are not necessarily partisan opponents of the Obama administration. They argue that economic growth rates were disappointing even before the financial collapse and recession of 2007-09.
Take Tyler Cowen, author of the e-book (belatedly published in print) "The Great Stagnation." Economic growth is the product of increases in the labor supply and productivity, he argues uncontroversially.b

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                            March 7, 201341% Recognize Simpson-Bowles Commission Focused On Deficit Cutting
Many in official Washington are now championing the recommendations of the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles Commission for a “balanced approach” to reducing the deficit that includes tax hikes and spending cuts. But for most voters, Simpson-Bowles doesn’t mean a thing. 
Just 41% of Likely U.S. Voters are correctly able to identify the primary focus of the Simpson-Bowles Commission as deficit reduction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But 36% are not sure what the purpose of the commission is. Twenty-three percent (23%) thought it had some other focus. (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 4-5, 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.
March 7, 2013Some Taxes up, and the Sky's Still There By Froma Harrop
"Most of the media is so sold out to Obama that they're missing the obvious," Jim DeMint said on Fox News only last week. "The policies the president has in place, especially the tax increases that just got in, are going to hurt our economy, probably actually bring it down." The former Republican senator from South Carolina was speaking as president-elect of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.