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October 4, 201366% of Workers Consider Themselves Middle Class
Many working Americans expect to earn more money a year from now, and most continue to consider themselves middle class.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Working Americans believe their earnings will be higher a year from today, up from 39% in August and the highest level of optimism since the beginning of the year. Thirteen percent (13%) expect to earn less in a year's time, while 39% believe their earnings will be about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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 (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 678 Employed Adults was conducted on October 1-2, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 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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                            October 4, 201370% Give Congress Poor Rating
It’s hard to believe it could get any worse, but negative reviews for Congress are at their highest level in nearly two years.
Nine percent (9%) of Likely Voters rate the way Congress is doing its job as good or excellent, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Seventy percent (70%) of voters say Congress is doing a poor job. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. Sign up today!
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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 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.
October 4, 2013Drunk and Disorderly: How Republican Extremists Are Shredding Every Principle the GOP Claims to Uphold By Joe Conason
By Washington standards, the current government shutdown is an everyday disaster -- of a kind we are gradually learning to expect whenever the Republican Party controls Congress. The impending breach of the nation's credit, however, when those same Republicans refuse to raise the debt limit to cover the funds they have spent, threatens a singular catastrophe: unpredictable, global, yet entirely avoidable.

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                            October 4, 201350% Consider GOP Congressional Agenda Extreme; 46% Say Same of Democrats
As the federal government shutdown enters its fourth day, voters are slightly more likely to identify with President Obama and congressional Democrats. But a surprising problem for congressional Republicans is that nearly one-out-of-four still thinks they are too liberal.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of Likely U.S. Voters view President Obama in political terms as about the same as they are. Thirty-one percent (31%) say the same of the average Democrat in Congress, but only 23% feel that way about the average congressional Republican. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. Sign up today!
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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 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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                            October 4, 201349% Say Founding Fathers Would See U.S. Today As a Failure
Abraham Lincoln famously declared at Gettysburg that the Founding Fathers "brought forth on this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." But half of Americans think the Founding Fathers would view the nation they created as a failure today.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% of American Adults think that if the Founding Fathers came back today, they would consider the United States a success. Forty-nine percent (49%), however, say the founders of this nation would view what it's become as a failure. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 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.

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                            October 3, 201386% Say It’s Important For Economy to Provide All Chance to Succeed
More voters now support an economic system that provides everyone a chance to succeed, and they generally believe it is fair and helpful for the economy to let those who are successful become very rich.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 86% of Likely U.S. Voters now think it is at least somewhat important for the economic system to provide everybody with an opportunity to succeed, up five points from May and the highest finding yet. Just 10% do not think that is important, the lowest to date. This includes 58% who think it’s Very Important for everyone to have a chance to succeed, and just two percent (2%) who think it’s Not At All Important. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 September 30-October 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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                            October 3, 201340% Say Working Somewhere Else Offers Better Career Opportunities
American workers are evenly divided over whether their current employer offers them the best chance for advancement, but most are staying put for now. One-in-four Employed Americans (24%) is looking for work outside his or her current company, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Seventy-two percent (72%) are not. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 1-2, 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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                            October 3, 201326% Think It's Too Easy To Become A U.S. Citizen
Americans strongly value being a citizen of the United States, but one-in-four thinks it's too easy these days for someone to become a citizen.
Ninety-eight percent (98%) of those contacted in a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey identified themselves as citizens of the United States, and 93% said they consider it at least somewhat important to be an American citizen. The latter figure includes 79% who think it is Very Important.
Just four percent (4%) say it is not very or Not At All Important to be a U.S. citizen. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 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.
October 3, 2013What America Needs: Abject Defeat of Budget Games By Froma Harrop
Note how tea party politicians routinely start their remarks with "The American people want." And what "the American people want" conveniently coincides with their ideological preferences.

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                            October 3, 201373% Favor Stricter Enforcement of Existing Gun Laws
Voters are evenly divided over the need for stricter gun control but continue to believe strongly that more enforcement of existing gun laws is needed.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of Likely Voters say the United States needs stricter gun control laws, while 47% disagree.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 September 26-27, 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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                            October 2, 201328% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
For the second week in a row, 28% of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction.
The latest finding ties the lowest level of optimism since early August, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending September 29. In late August and the first two weeks of September, 30% felt the U.S. 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 September 23-29, 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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                            October 2, 2013Just 12% Think Most Americans Are Informed Voters
Most Americans consider themselves informed citizens but don’t express the same confidence in the greater U.S. population. Far fewer think their fellow citizens are informed voters.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 83% of American Adults consider themselves to be informed citizens. Just 12% admit they are not informed citizens. (To see survey question wording, click here).
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 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.

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                            October 2, 201359% Believe Voter ID Laws Do Not Discriminate
The U.S. Justice Department announced Monday that it is challenging North Carolina's new voter ID law on the grounds that it is racially discriminatory. But voters nationwide continue to strongly support laws that require proof of identity before voting and don't believe they discriminate.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 70% of Likely U.S. Voters believe all voters should be required to prove their identity before being allowed to vote. Only 25% oppose such a requirement. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 30-October 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.
October 2, 2013If Only Obamacare Had Been Passed With Careful Deliberation By Michael Barone
Many Democrats are genuinely puzzled about Republicans' continuing opposition to Obamacare. It is the law of the land, these Democrats say. Critics should accept it, as critics accepted Medicare.   
October 2, 2013Escaping 'Government' Schools By John Stossel
People say public schools are "one of the best parts of America". I believed that. Then I started reporting on them.
Now I know that public school -- government school is a better name -- is one of the worst parts of America. It's a stultified government monopoly. It never improves.
Most services improve. They get faster, better, cheaper. But not government monopolies. Government schools are rigid, boring, expensive and more segregated than private schools.

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                            October 2, 2013President Obama’s Full-Month Approval Rating Up One in September
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.
The president’s total job approval inched up a point to 48% in September, his highest rating since May.  Still, that’s down eight points from December’s high of 56%. The president’s ratings for the past four months are more in line with his approval during most of his first term in office.
Special offer : A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. Sign up today!
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                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/archive/obama_rotations/34_rate_obama_good_or_excellent_on_gun_control/893754-63-eng-US/34_rate_obama_good_or_excellent_on_gun_control.jpg" />
                
                            October 1, 201334% Rate Obama Good or Excellent on Gun Control
Fewer voters than ever give President Obama positive ratings on gun control-related issues.
Just 34% of Likely U.S. Voters now rate the president’s handling of issues related to gun control as good or excellent, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s down from a high of 45% in April. Forty-two percent (42%) give Obama poor marks for his performance in this area. Since the beginning of the year, his poor rating has ranged from a low of 34% to a high of 46%. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 September 26-27, 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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                            October 1, 2013Rasmussen Employment Index Falls to 2013 Low
The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence fell four points in September to the lowest level this year.
At 82.0, worker confidence is down 12 points from this year’s high of 94.4 in May and is at the lowest level measured since last November.  Still, the latest finding is up from 76.6 found this time last year.
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 9,452 working Americans was conducted in September 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.

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                            October 1, 201357% Support Building Keystone Pipeline
The Keystone XL pipeline that would run from Canada to Texas has already been mentioned as a potential bargaining chip in upcoming debt ceiling negotiations in Washington, as voter support for building the pipeline remains strong. However, belief that the structure can be built without significant environmental damage has softened a bit.
Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Likely Voters nationwide favor building the Keystone XL pipeline, including 35% who Strongly Favor. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 29% oppose building the pipeline, with 14% who Strongly Oppose. Another 15% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Special offer: A Rasmussen Reader subscription that lasts through December 31, 2014 is now just $24.95. 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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 26-27, 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.
October 1, 2013The Sports Cable Rip-off By Froma Harrop
Not long ago, an important New England Patriots game failed to appear on my cable lineup. There was a way to pay extra for it, but the heck with that.