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November 25, 2011

47% View Home-Buying As Family’s Best Investment

For the sixth consecutive month, fewer than half of Americans say buying a home is a family’s best investment. An overwhelming majority continues to advise against selling a home in their area.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that just 47% believe buying a home is the best investment a family can make, showing virtually no change from last month. One in three (32%) says home-buying is not a family’s best investment, while 21% are not sure.

(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 November 18-19, 2011 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.

November 24, 2011

83% Have A Lot To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving

America is going through tough economic times, but its citizens still say overwhelmingly that they have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day. In fact, more Americans than ever view this holiday as one of the nation’s most important ones.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 58% regard Thanksgiving as one of the nation’s most important holidays.

November 23, 2011

Scott Discusses Spending Cuts on Fox News

Scott Rasmussen discusses spending cuts and how voters think they're unlikely to happen before the 2012 election on Fox News.

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November 23, 2011

17% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Seventeen percent (17%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, November 20.  

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports November 14-20, 2011. 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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November 23, 2011

Election 2012: Obama 44%, Romney 38%

President Obama has opened up a six-point lead over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup.  This is the widest gap between the two men since mid-August.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds Obama earning 44% support from Likely Voters, while Romney receives 38% of the vote.

November 23, 2011

60% Favor Building Keystone XL Pipeline

Most voters support the building of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas and believe it can be built without harming the environment.

Sixty percent (60%) of Likely U.S. Voters at least somewhat favor building the pipeline which President Obama has delayed until at least 2013 because of environmental concerns. Just 24% are opposed. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure.

(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 November 21-22, 2011 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.

November 23, 2011

48% Will Spend Thanksgiving At Home

More Americans will be having their Thanksgiving dinner at home this year, but nearly half still plan on overindulging during the holiday meal.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults finds that only 34% plan on going to a relative's home for their Thanksgiving meal. Instead, 48% plan to enjoy the holiday meal in their own home.

(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 nationwide was conducted on November 20-21, 2011 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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November 23, 2011

Scott Talks Social Security with Fox News' Megyn Kelly

Scott Rasmussen talks Social Security with Fox News' Megyn Kelly.

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November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving 2011 By Tony Blankley

As we approach the festive season -- the elongated, enchanting month from Thanksgiving through Christmas to New Years -- my mind has been drifting through various memorable past holidays. Some have been personal -- the last one with my father before he died. But one that stands out for historic reasons was Christmas 1991.

November 22, 2011

32% Not At All Confident That They’ll Get All Their Social Security Benefits

Most voters continue to feel they are unlikely to receive their full Social Security benefits when they retire but still give the federal retirement program generally favorable marks.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that only 41% of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat confident that the Social Security system will pay them all their promised retirement benefits during their lifetime.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 19-20, 2011 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

November 22, 2011

81% Think Agreement on Major Spending Cuts Unlikely Before 2012 Elections

The congressional super committee tasked with finding over a trillion dollars in deficit reduction has given up without an agreement, but then voters expected that all along. In fact, most voters now believe overwhelmingly that President Obama and Republicans in Congress are unlikely to reach any agreement to make major cuts in government spending prior to next year’s elections.

(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 November 19-20, 2011 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.

November 22, 2011

37% Say Their Home Is Worth Less Than What They Owe On It

The number of American homeowners who say they owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth is again at an all-time high.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. homeowners shows that 51% believe their home is worth more than the amount they still owe on their mortgage.

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November 22, 2011

Dirty Jobs Don't Have to Be Lousy Jobs By Froma Harrop

"Why Americans Won't Do Dirty Jobs" is the presumptuous headline on a Bloomberg Businessweek cover. The subject is Alabama's new no-tolerance policy toward illegal immigrants and the people who hire them.

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November 21, 2011

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 41%, Democrats 40%

For the second week in a row, Democrats and Republicans are essentially tied on the Generic Congressional Ballot, this time for the week ending Sunday, November 20.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election was held now, while 40% would choose the Democrat instead.

November 21, 2011

51% in Florida Disapprove of Governor Scott's Performance

Most Florida voters are unhappy with the job Rick Scott is doing as his first year as governor of Florida winds down.

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely Florida Voters at least somewhat approve of Scott's job performance as governor, but 51% at least somewhat disapprove.

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November 21, 2011

Election 2012: Obama 46%, Gingrich 40%

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, though still trailing, receives his highest level of support yet in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup with President Obama.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Obama with 46% of the vote to Gingrich’s 40%.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on November 19-20, 2011 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.

November 21, 2011

35% See ‘Arab Spring’ Changes As Good for the United States

Most U.S. voters don’t view the political changes in countries like Egypt during this year’s so-called Arab Spring as good for the United States, and even fewer expect any of those countries to become U.S. allies.

Just 35% of Likely U.S. Voters say the new governments being established in nations such as Egypt, Libya and Tunisia are good for America.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 24% think those changes are bad for this country, while 12% believe they will have no impact.

(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 nationwide was conducted on November 17-18, 2011 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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November 21, 2011

Scott Discusses Newt Gingrich's Surge in Latest Iowa Poll

Scott Rasmussen discusses Newt Gingrich's surge in the latest poll of Iowa caucus-goers.  He also gives insight into which candidate may have the best chance of beating President Obama in 2012.

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November 21, 2011

Put Tax Breaks for Mortgages, Local Taxes on Table By Michael Barone

Supercommittee members Sen. Pat Toomey and Rep. Jeb Hensarling are taking flak from some conservatives for proposing a deal including increases in "revenues," and a Washington Post reporter had some fun insinuating that they were backing a tax-rate increase.

November 21, 2011

Only 12% Expect Value of Their Home To Increase In Next Year

Confidence in the short- and long-term housing market remains at or near all-time lows.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 12% of U.S. homeowners now expect the value of their home to go up over the next year.