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September 14, 2012

Let Individuals, Not Politicians, Make Health Care Decisions By Scott Rasmussen

The health care debate is a great example of why Americans hate politics. Both Republicans and Democrats pursue their plans with ideological zeal and reckless disregard for the truth....

September 13, 2012

Ohio: Obama 47%, Romney 46%

President Obama and Mitt Romney continue to run nearly dead even in the key swing state of Ohio.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Ohio Voters shows the president earning 47% support to Romney’s 46%. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate, and another three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)  

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Ohio was conducted on September 12, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

September 13, 2012

50% Trust Romney More on Economy, 43% Trust Obama More

Half the nation’s voters now trust Mitt Romney more than President Obama when it comes to dealing with the troubled U.S. economy, the number one issue on their minds as they go to the polls.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters trust Romney more when it comes to handling the economy. Forty-three percent (43%) trust the president more. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 11-12, 2012 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.

September 13, 2012

Florida: Obama 48%, Romney 46%

President Obama has now moved slightly ahead in the critical battleground state of Florida despite the presence of the Republican National Convention in Tampa late last month.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Voters finds Obama with 48% support to Mitt Romney’s 46%. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate in the race, and another three percent (3%) 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 500 Likely Voters in Florida was conducted on September 12, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 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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September 13, 2012

Close the Mortgage-deduction Loophole By Froma Harrop

Letting homeowners deduct interest paid on their mortgages from taxable income makes no sense. It encourages taking on more debt, discriminates against renters, subsidizes one kind of spending over others and favors the upper incomes. It advances the questionable public goal of making more Americans into homeowners. And it costs the Treasury about $100 billion a year.

September 13, 2012

Missouri: Romney 48%, Obama 45%

Mitt Romney has edged back into the lead in Missouri.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that Romney earns the support of 48% of Likely Missouri Voters, while President Obama picks up 45% of the vote. Four percent (4%) like another candidate in the race, and three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Missouri was conducted on September 11, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 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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September 13, 2012

Obama Could Be the Odd Man out on Tax Reform By Michael Barone

One of the services of the Simpson-Bowles Commission was to set out a path for tax reform, with lower income tax rates and removal of many tax preferences -- or, to use the commission's term, tax expenditures.

September 12, 2012

37% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-seven percent (37%) 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, September 9.

That’s up six points from the week before and the first time optimism has been this high since late June 2009.

Although the reason for the jump in optimism is not certain, it may be driven in part by increased enthusiasm among Democrats following their national political convention. It will be interesting to see whether this increased optimism holds or is just short-term statistical noise.

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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 national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen September 3-9, 2012. 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.

September 12, 2012

58% Lack Confidence in Fed To Keep Inflation Under Control, Interest Rates Down

Confidence in the Federal Reserve Board’s ability to keep inflation under control remains at the lowest level of 2012 as Americans overwhelmingly continue to report they are paying more for groceries compared to last year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Fed can keep inflation under control and interest rates down, but just 11% are Very Confident.  Fifty-eight percent (58%) lack confidence in the Fed, with 15% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on September 8-9, 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.

September 12, 2012

42% Think It Should Be Illegal for Teachers to Strike

Chicago public school teachers are on strike for higher pay and different job evaluation procedures, but Americans are narrowly divided over whether it should be legal for teachers to strike under any circumstances.

Forty-two percent (42%) of American Adults say it should be against the law for school teachers to go on strike, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Slightly more (46%) do not think it should be illegal, while 11% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Win an iPad: The Rasmussen Challenge! This week's entries will be accepted until 11:59pm ET tonight.

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 10-11, 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.

September 12, 2012

Missouri Senate: McCaskill (D) 49%, Akin (R) 43%

The fallout appears to linger in the Missouri Senate race, with incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill still holding a six-point lead over Republican challenger Todd Akin. But the race is tightening.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds McCaskill will 49% support to Akin’s 43%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate in the contest, and another four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Sign up for The Rasmussen Reader, now just $24.95 for a 12-month subscription. Offer good through October 1, 2012. 

(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 500 Likely Voters in Missouri was conducted on September 11, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 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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September 12, 2012

Clinton Myths By John Stossel

Bill Clinton got rave reviews for his speech at the Democratic National Convention. My wife said: "Clinton was great. He made Republicans look like liars and losers." Clinton, now a sainted elder statesman, also gets credit for the booming economy of the '90s.

September 12, 2012

53% Now Say Auto Bailouts Were Good for the Country

Support for the bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler and the financial industry have jumped following the Democratic National Convention.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, taken just after the convention, shows that, for the first time, most Likely U.S. Voters (53%) think the auto bailouts were good for the United States. That’s up from a previous high of 47% in May. Just 36% now believe those bailouts were bad for the country. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 7-8, 2012 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.

September 11, 2012

47% Say America's Best Days Lie Ahead, Highest Since 2010

Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters now think America’s best days are still ahead, up 15 points over last month and the highest level of optimism since early 2010.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 37% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe America’s best days are in the past. That's down from 49% in August.  Sixteen percent (16%) 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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 9-10, 2012 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.

September 11, 2012

50% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking Industry

Fifty percent (50%) of American Adults are now at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry, but that still includes just 11% who are Very Confident. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% don't share that confidence, with 14% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on September 8-9, 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.

September 11, 2012

Job Creation? 47% Trust Obama, 45% Romney

Following another dismal jobs report, voters overwhelmingly rate job creation as important to their vote but are almost evenly divided when it comes to which presidential candidate they trust more on the issue.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 95% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the issue of job creation as important to how they will vote in November. That includes 69% who consider it Very Important. Only three percent (3%) view job creation as not very or Not At All Important to their vote. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 9-10, 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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September 11, 2012

Romney Suffers From Pre-existing Positions By Froma Harrop

What Mitt Romney truly believes is anybody's guess. Whether Romney as president would act on those beliefs is also a guess. And we can't rule out the possibility that he doesn't have any beliefs outside of religion and investment strategies. Why he's running for president remains unclear, though commander in chief looks impressive on a nametag.

September 11, 2012

65% See Another 9/11 As Possible in Next 10 Years

Eleven years ago today, thousands of Americans were murdered by radical Islamic terrorists, but despite the subsequent security precautions and the killing of Osama bin Laden, most adults in this country still think another 9/11-style attack is at least somewhat likely in the next 10 years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of Americans believe another 9/11 might take place in this country in the next 10 years. Only 27% view a repeat of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 as unlikely. This includes 29% who see another 9/11 as Very Likely and just two percent (2%) who consider it not At All Likely. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 6-7, 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.

September 10, 2012

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 44%, Republicans 42%

For the first time since January, Democrats now lead Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending September 9, 2012.

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 42% would choose the Republican instead. The last time the Democrats held a lead over the Republicans was in late January.

(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 September 3-9, 2012. 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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September 10, 2012

Obama Edges Romney in Voter Trust on Afghanistan, Education, Social Security

Looking past the economy and health care, President Obama leads his Republican challenger Mitt Romney in terms of voter trust on a number of other key issues including Afghanistan, education and Social Security. The partisan divide is predictable, but the president has a clear advantage among unaffiliated voters.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 50% of all Likely U.S. Voters trust Obama more when it comes to handling the war in Afghanistan. Forty percent (40%) trust Romney more. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Sign up for The Rasmussen Reader, now just $24.95 for a 12-month subscription. Offer good through October 1, 2012. 

(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 7-8, 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.