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                            January 16, 201336% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction
Thirty-six percent (36%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, January 13.
The latest finding is up three points from the previous week but is still down seven points from 43% the week prior to President Obama’s reelection, the highest level measured in over five years of weekly tracking. Only 24% said the country was heading in the right direction this time last year.
(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 January 7-13, 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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                            January 16, 201331% Say Race Relations Getting Better, 32% Say Worse
Despite the reelection of the nation's first black president, Americans don’t see much improvement in race relations.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 31% of American Adults believe race relations in this country are getting better, but just as many (32%) think they are getting worse. Thirty-four percent (34%) believe race relations remain about the same. (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 14-15, 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 16, 201353% Still Think Neither Party Represents the American People
Most voters think the Democratic Party has an agenda for the future, and the Republican Party does not. But the majority also still thinks neither party represents the American people.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of Likely U.S. Voters think the Democratic Party has a plan for where it wants to take the nation. Just 28% disagree, and 17% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Win an IPad: Take the Rasmussen Challenge. This week’s answers will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET tonight.
This national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 13-14, 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 16, 2013First, the Bad News By John Stossel
We in the media rarely lie to you.
But that leaves plenty of room to take things wildly out of context.
That's where most big scare stories come from, like recent headlines about GM foods. GM means "genetically modified," which means scientists add genes, altering the plant's DNA, in this case to make the crop resistant to pests.

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                            January 16, 201340% Think U.S. Spends Too Much on National Security
With government spending cuts on the negotiating table, more voters than ever believe the United States spends too much on defense.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters now think America spends too much on the military and national security. Twenty-two percent (22%) disagree and feel the country does not spend enough in this area. Thirty-two percent (32%) believe the amount spent on defense is about right. (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.
This national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 13-14, 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 15, 201344% Favor Limits on Violent Movies and Video Games
As Americans continue to process last month’s school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, they are now evenly divided when asked if the United States needs to place limits on violent movies and video games.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 44% favor such limits, while 45% are opposed. Eleven percent (11%) 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 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.

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                            January 15, 201352% Got A Flu Shot This Year
Only 24% of Americans say they or someone in their family has had the flu this winter season, but over half of all adults have taken preventative steps to fight against it.
Seventy-three percent (73%) say they have not been exposed to the flu this season, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Win an iPad: Take the Rasmussen Challenge. Starting Tuesday, January 15, 2013.
The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 12-13, 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 15, 201363% of GOP Voters Think Republicans in Congress Out of Touch
Most GOP voters continue to believe that congressional Republicans are out of touch with the party base, while Democrats are happier than ever with how their team is performing in Washington, DC.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 30% of Likely Republican Voters believe Republicans in Congress have done a good job representing their party’s values over the past several years. Sixty-three percent (63%) of GOP voters think congressional Republicans have lost touch with the party’s base throughout the nation. (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 13-14, 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 15, 2013From "Downton" to Golden Globes, It's All Downhill By Froma Harrop
"When it comes to torture," Amy Poehler said Sunday night as she opened the Golden Globes award ceremony, "I trust a lady who spent three years married to James Cameron." Yuk, yuk, YUCK.
That same evening on PBS's "Downton Abbey," the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) admonished granddaughter Lady Sybil, "Vulgarity is no substitute for wit." Now that was clever.

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                            January 15, 201330% Think More Tax Hikes Needed
With the ink barely dry on the “fiscal cliff” deal that increased taxes for most Americans, President Obama on Monday raised the specter of additional tax hikes.  Just 30% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with the president that more tax increases are needed.
Now that taxes have been raised on upper-income Americans, however, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% believe additional tax hikes are not necessary. Nineteen more (19%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Win an IPad: Take the Rasmussen Challenge, beginning again 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 January 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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                            January 14, 2013Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 43%, Republicans 37%
Democrats hold a six-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the second week in a row, this time for the week ending January 13, 2013.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% 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 7-13, 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 14, 201352% Think It's Possible To Watch Mentally Ill Closer Without Violating Their Rights
Following last month's elementary school massacre, Americans strongly support more action to identify the mentally ill, and most think those individuals can be kept under stricter observation without their personal freedoms being violated. Americans are closely divided over whether families or medical professionals are most responsible for that observation.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 81% of American Adults think the United States needs to take more action to identify and treat mental health issues. Only 12% don’t think more action is necessary. (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 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.

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                            January 14, 201355% Want Obama, Congress To Stop March 1 Spending Cuts
Here they come again. President Obama and Congress in their year-end “fiscal cliff” deal merely put off until March 1 sizable across-the-board spending cuts that include the defense budget and Medicare. Most voters still think they should stop those automatic cuts. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 27% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Congress and the president should allow these cuts to go into effect. Twice as many (55%) disagree and think they should stop those cuts from happening. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Win an IPad: Take the Rasmussen Challenge. 
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 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.
January 14, 2013History Suggests That Entitlement Era Is Winding Down By Michael Barone
It's often good fun and sometimes revealing to divide American history into distinct periods of uniform length. In working on my forthcoming book on American migrations, internal and immigrant, it occurred to me that you could do this using the American-sounding interval of 76 years, just a few years more than the Biblical lifespan of three score and 10. 

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                            January 14, 2013Voters Strongly Favor More Health Insurance Choices
Voters continue to have mixed feelings about President Obama’s national health care law but still strongly feel that individuals should have a variety of choices when it comes to health insurance.
Forty-six percent (46%) of Likely U.S. Voters view the health care law favorably, while 48% have an unfavorable opinion of it, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. This includes 16% with a Very Favorable opinion and 33% with a Very Unfavorable one. These attitudes are unchanged from a month ago. (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 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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                            January 13, 201326% Owe More Money Than Last Year
One-in-four American Adults (26%) now owe more money than they did a year ago, and few predict interest rates will go down in the near future.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% owe less, while 39% owe about the same amount they did last year. This remains generally unchanged from previous surveys. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The Rasmussen Challenge is coming back next week. Stay Tuned!
(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 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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                            January 13, 2013Most Voters Think U.S. Economy Fair to Women, Blacks, Hispanics
While voters have mixed views on the overall fairness of the U.S. economy, most believe it is fair to women, blacks and Hispanic Americans.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of Likely Voters say the U.S. economy is at least somewhat fair to women, although that includes just 15% think it’s Very Fair.  Thirty-one percent (31%) say the economy is not fair to women, with six percent (6%) who say it’s Not At All Fair.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The Rasmussen Challenge is coming back next week. Stay Tuned!
(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 January 7-8, 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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                            January 12, 201368% Say Cutting Government Spending Solution To Economic Problems
Just under half of U.S. voters fear the federal government will not do enough to help the nation’s troubled economy, but those voters do not think more spending is the solution. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely Voters say, in reacting to the nation’s current economic problems, what worries them more is that the federal government will not do enough.  That finding is just below a high of 50% measured last month.  Thirty-nine percent (39%) are afraid the government will do too much, while 13% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The Rasmussen Challenge is coming back next week.  Stay Tuned!
(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 January 9-10, 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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                            January 12, 2013What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending January 12
When it comes to politics, America is clearly two different nations without much middle ground.
Half of all likely voters now give President Obama positive marks for leadership, his highest ratings since the early months of his presidency. But take a closer look: Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Democrats and 53% of voters not affiliated with either of the major political parties give Obama good or excellent marks for leadership. Just 16% of Republicans agree.
Obama’s job approval ratings in the daily Presidential Tracking Poll are also running at the highest levels of his presidency. But on Friday, for example, while 86% of Democrats approved of the job the president is doing, 83% of GOP voters disapproved. Unaffiliated voters were evenly divided.

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                            January 11, 201372% Expect to Pay More for Groceries A Year From Now
Americans continue to see their grocery bills go up and don’t expect that to change over the next year. Most also lack confidence that the Federal Reserve Board can keep inflation under control.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 86% of American Adults say they are paying more for groceries than they were a year ago, and 72% expect that to go up even more over the next year. Only three percent (3%) think they will pay less in a year’s time. Twenty-one percent (21%) expect to be spending about the same amount. (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 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.