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                            January 29, 20139% Rate Congress’ Job Performance Good or Excellent
Congress, it seems, can’t win as far as voters are concerned.
Even after going along with President Obama and compromising on a deal to avoid the end-of-the-year “fiscal cliff,” Congress receives good or excellent marks for its job performance from just nine percent (9%) of Likely U.S. Voters. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% give the nation’s legislators poor marks. (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 January 27-28, 2012 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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                            January 29, 201359% Favor Stricter Regulation of Companies Mostly Dependent on Gov't
Voters strongly believe that companies that generate most of their income from the government should face more oversight than those that don’t. But voters tend to oppose the government’s involvement in the management of companies it does that much business with. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters think a company that earns most of its revenue from the government should be more strictly regulated than companies who earn most of their money by serving consumers. Twenty-two percent (22%) disagree, and 19% more are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Play this week’s Rasmussen Challenge! Answers due by 11:59pm ET on Jan. 30.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 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.
January 29, 2013Let's Stop Arguing About Birth Control By Froma Harrop
I'm looking forward to the year 2040, because that is when we won't be debating anymore whether birth control belongs in a basic health plan.    

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                            January 29, 201344% Give Obama Positive Marks on Gun Control
President Obama has announced that gun control and immigration will be two of his top priorities this year, and voters nationwide give the president mixed reviews in both areas. But as in most issues involving Obama, there's a wide partisan opinion gap.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 39% rate the president’s handling of immigration issues as good or excellent. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say he is doing a poor job in this area. (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 January 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.

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                            January 28, 2013Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 45%, Republicans 37%
Democrats hold an eight-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending January 27, 2013.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 45% 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 3,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from January 21-27, 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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                            January 28, 201357% Dine Out At Least Once A Week
More Americans are dining out at a restaurant weekly than they were last year, but overall eating out habits have changed little in the past six months.   
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of American Adults eat out at a restaurant for dinner at least once a week, including 18% who go out two or more times in a week. Thirty-nine percent (39%) go to a restaurant once a week, up from 30% in July 2012. In a typical week, 41% say they rarely or never go out to a restaurant for dinner, but that's down from 47% last July. (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 January 24-25, 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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                            January 28, 201359% Favor Full Combat Roles for Women
Most voters think women in the military should be able to fight in combat just like men do. But they still believe overwhelmingly that women need to pass the same physical tests as men if they’re in special forces like the Green Berets and Navy SEALs.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters now feel that women in the military should be allowed to fight on the front lines and perform all the combat roles that men do. That’s up five points from February of last year when we first asked the question. Thirty-two percent (32%) disagree and oppose full combat roles for women. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 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.
January 28, 2013Republican Annihilation Is Not Likely by Michael Barone
These days, our political parties are defined by their presidents. Their policies and their programs tend to become their respective parties' orthodoxies.

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                            January 28, 201354% Expect Costs to Rise Under Health Care Law
Just over half have an unfavorable view of President Obama’s national health care law and still expect it to drive up the cost of health care in America. Seven-out-of-10 also believe the law is likely to cost more than its supporters have estimated.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters have a somewhat favorable opinion of the health care law, while 51% view it unfavorably. This includes 18% with a Very Favorable opinion of the law and 36% 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 January 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.

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                            January 27, 201336% Say They Are Pro-Life, 54% Pro-Choice
Forty years after the landmark Roe vs. Wade case legalizing abortion in the United States, fewer voters than ever consider themselves pro-life, while those who say they are pro-choice remains at an all-time high.

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                            January 27, 201348% Think Federal Budget Can Be Balanced Without Tax Hikes
Nearly half (48%) of Americans still believe it is possible to balance the federal budget without raising taxes.

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                            January 26, 201362% Favor Smaller Government With Fewer Services, Lower Taxes
Just 28% of Likely U.S. Voters now prefer a larger government with more services and higher taxes to a smaller one with fewer services and lower taxes, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That's down from December’s all-time high of 34%. 
Sixty-two percent (62%) prefer a smaller government, consistent with regular surveying for several years. 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 January 21-22, 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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                            January 26, 2013What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls  -- Week Ending January 26, 2013
President Obama remains a popular leader, but voters are less certain about the activist big government he championed Monday in his second inaugural address.
A plurality (45%) of voters, for example, continues to believe the financial bailouts were a bad move, and they prefer an economic system with more competition and less government regulation moving forward. 
The president has called for more government help for homeowners with mortgage problems, but only 18% of Americans believe the government should assist those who cannot afford their increased mortgage payments. That ties the lowest level of support ever.

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                            January 25, 201342% Give Obama Positive Marks for Job Creation
Voters give President Obama mixed marks in the areas of job creation and small business, but predictably there's wide partisan disagreement.

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                            January 25, 201345% Favor Replacing Income Tax with National Sales Tax
Voters still like the idea of replacing the federal income tax with a national sales tax, even though they aren’t so sure it's a better way to raise money for the government.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of American Adults favor a proposal to eliminate the federal income tax and replace it with a national sales tax. Thirty-four percent (34%) are opposed, while 21% 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 Adults was conducted on January 22-23, 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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                            January 25, 201359% Still Favor Building the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline
Most voters continue to favor construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline and still think building the oil pipeline from western Canada to Texas will be good for the U.S. economy. But voters express more uncertainty about the environmental impact of the pipeline than they did in earlier surveys.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters favor building the pipeline, while 28% are opposed. This includes 34% who Strongly Favor the pipeline and 10% who Strongly Oppose it. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in the new Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard 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 January 23-24, 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.
January 25, 2013The Thinking Gets Better, the Second Term Around : A Commentary by Froma Harrop
The Obama administration initially billed France about $18 million to cover U.S. military support for its mission in Mali, while Canada offered similar services at no cost.
January 25, 2013Echoes of FDR: Obama's Inspiring Address Links Freedom With Security and Dignity By Joe Conason
So much for the "Grand Bargain" -- or at least for the not-so-grand gutting of Social Security and Medicare that the "very serious" thought-leaders of Washington political and media circles have always found so appealing. Whatever President Obama may have contemplated up until now, his second inaugural address, delivered yesterday on the steps of the Capitol, bluntly repudiated Republican arguments against the social safety net -- and forcefully identified those popular programs with the most sacred American values.
"We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity," said Obama -- not only because it is the responsibility we have to each other as human beings, but because security and dignity, for every man, woman, and child, are the existential foundations of freedom.
January 25, 2013Obama Inaugural: Full of Audacity, but Little Hope By Michael Barone
Commentators both left and right agree that Barack Obama's second inaugural speech Monday was highly partisan, with shoutouts to his constituencies on the left and defiance of his critics on the right.   

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                            January 25, 2013Politicians Need to Catch Up When It Comes to the People's Money By Scott Rasmussen
President Obama in his inaugural address made it clear he intends to protect the nation's entitlement programs. In the world of Washington politics, this amounts to a pledge that the president will make sure that no changes will be made to programs like Social Security and Medicare.