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                            March 28, 201263% Say Shale Oil Development Possible Without Hurting the Environment
Opposition to the hydraulic “fracking” process for developing shale oil reserves is based primarily on environmental concerns, but Americans strongly believe these reserves can be developed without hurting the environment. 
Only 14% of American Adults believe it is impossible to develop shale oil reserves in the United States while still protecting the environment. But a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% believe it is possible to develop these energy reserves without doing environmental damage. Nearly one-in-four (23%) 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 survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on March 22-23, 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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                            March 27, 2012Voters Less Confident Than Ever That Social Security Will Pay All Promised Benefits
Voters’ confidence in the Social Security system has fallen over the last few years, but now fewer voters than ever believe they will be paid all they are owed in their lifetime.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 35% of Likely U.S. Voters are confident that Social Security will pay all promised benefits over their lifetime, including just 13% who are Very Confident. This is down from 44% last month and down from the previous low of 39% in December 2008. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 23-24, 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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                            March 27, 201248% Oppose Requiring Women to View Ultrasounds Before Abortions
Voters nationwide are closely divided over laws being proposed in a growing number of states that require pregnant women to view their fetus via ultrasound before they can get an abortion. But voters overwhelmingly oppose allowing government to mandate medical procedures.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 41% favor proposed laws that would require pregnant women to view an ultrasound picture before having an abortion. Forty-eight percent (48%) oppose such a law, while 11% 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 25-26, 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.
March 27, 2012Ohio Senate:  Brown (D) 43%, Mandel (R) 43%
Republican Josh Mandel, in the first Rasmussen Reports survey since his decisive primary victory, is now running neck-and-neck with Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race. 
The latest telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Buckeye State finds Brown and Mandel each with 43% support. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and another 11% are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
This Ohio survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on March 26, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 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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                            March 27, 201248% Say Feds Should Drop Gas Tax Until Prices Come Down
What can your country do for you? A plurality (48%) of Americans thinks the federal government should eliminate the federal gas tax until gas prices come down.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 40% don’t think that’s such a good idea, but 12% more aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on March 24-25, 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.
March 27, 2012Whether Obamacare Wins or Loses, Obama Wins By Froma Harrop
Small wonder President Obama chose not to delay the U.S. Supreme Court case on his health care reforms until long after the election. His advisors are clearly in the lab transforming the president's signature legislation into a potent election issue -- whether the justices leave it intact or rip it apart.

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                            March 27, 201265% Say Most High School Graduates Lack Skills to Enter the Workforce
Americans strongly believe that most high school graduates lack the skills needed for college or a job. They also tend to believe students who are home-schooled learn more than those in the public schools.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 21% of American Adults think most of those graduating high school have the skills needed for college. Sixty-four percent (64%) disagree and say those graduates don’t have the necessary skills for college. 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 survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on March 20-21, 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.
March 26, 2012Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 38%
Republicans hold a five-point lead over Democrats on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, March 25. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead. Last week, the Republican led by four points, 44% to 40%.
The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 19-25, 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.
March 26, 201250% Say U. S., Allies Winning War on Terror
Voters tend to believe as they have since the killing of Osama bin Laden last May that the United States and its allies are winning the war on terror. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 17% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the terrorists are winning, while 27% say neither side is ahead. But 50% of voters believe America and its allies are winning the war on terror.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 21-22, 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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                            March 26, 201282% Oppose Ban on Donating Food to Homeless Shelters
Americans nationwide strongly oppose a policy similar to the one New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg enacted that bans food donations to homeless shelters. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that only nine percent (9%) favor a policy that forbids people from donating food to the homeless in their communities. Most adults (82%) oppose such a ban. (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 Adults was conducted on March 22-23, 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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                            March 26, 201257% Favor Use of ‘Fracking’ To Find More U.S. Oil and Gas
Despite challenges by the Obama administration and environmental groups, most Americans favor use of the so-called “fracking” process to produce more domestic oil and natural gas.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of American Adults favor the use of hydraulic fracturing to drill for oil and natural gas in shale oil reserves. Just 22% oppose the process, while nearly as many (21%) are unsure about it. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on March 22-23, 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.
March 26, 2012In Obama Campaign Video, It's Not Morning in America By Michael Barone
President Barack Obama's 17-minute video, "The Road We've Traveled," gives us an idea of how he wants to frame the issues in the fall election.

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                            March 26, 201246% of GOP Voters Still Like Primary Process
As tempers flare and the language gets harsher in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, a plurality (46%) of GOP voters continues to believe the primary process is a good way to select a nominee. But that’s down from 53% in early September before the battle began in earnest. 
Among all voters, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% think the current primary process is a good way to pick a party’s nominee. Thirty-three percent (33%) say it’s a bad way to choose a nominee, and 25% more 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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 23-24, 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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                            March 25, 201260% Say Border Control Is Priority in Immigration Reform
Voters continue to support a welcoming immigration policy and still feel strongly that immigration reform should focus on border control.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely Voters think when it comes to immigration reform, gaining control of the border is more important than legalizing the status of undocumented workers who are already in the United States.  Thirty-three percent (33%) feel the opposite is true.  (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 March 19-20, 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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                            March 25, 2012Just 23% Rate U.S. Public Schools As Good Or Excellent
This past week, a task force led by former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and former New York City School Chancellor Joel I. Klein warned that the country’s economic and national security are at risk if schools do not improve. Adults nationwide overwhelmingly share this concern and give low marks to the performance of America's public schools.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 98% of adults believe the quality of public education is at least somewhat important to the future of U.S. economic and national security, including 83% who view it as Very Important. (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 March 20-21, 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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                            March 24, 201222% Say Government Should Ban Tobacco Smoking
Most Americans still don't think tobacco smoking should be outlawed.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 22% of American Adults think the U.S. government should ban the smoking of tobacco. That’s up from 17% in November 2010 but down from 25% in June 2009.  However, 71% disagree with a government ban on smoking. (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 nationwide was conducted on March 14-15, 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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                            March 24, 2012What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 23, 2012
Friday marked the two-year anniversary of President Obama’s national health care law, and Republicans, unable to push repeal through the Democratic-controlled Senate, are now looking to the U.S. Supreme Court for relief. The high court will hold hearings this coming week on a multi-state challenge of the law’s constitutionality.
Most voters continue to favor repeal of the law as they have consistently since its passage in 2010. Public opinion has been remarkably stable on the law stretching back to late 2009.
Still, with most of the law’s provisions not scheduled to go into effect until 2014, 57% say the law has had no direct impact on their lives so far. Thirteen percent (13%) say they personally have been helped by the law to date, while twice as many (26%) say they have been hurt by it.

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                            March 23, 2012Obama Ahead of Romney, Santorum in Core Four States (FL, NC, OH, VA)
President Obama holds modest leads over both Republican front-runners in hypothetical Election 2012 matchups in combined polling of the key swing states Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. Obama now picks up 47% of the vote to Romney’s 42% in those states. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia was conducted on March 17-22, 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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                            March 23, 201262% Think Offshore Drilling Likely To Lower Gas Prices
Voters continue to believe the United States is not doing enough to develop its gas and oil resources and strongly support offshore drilling. Most also still think going ahead with offshore drilling is likely to bring down the price of gasoline at the pump.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 20% of Likely U.S. Voters feel this country is doing enough to develop its own gas and oil resources. Seventy percent (70%) disagree and 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
There is a huge gap between the Political Class and Mainstream voters on this question. Fifty-four percent (54%) of those in the Political Class think the United States already does enough to develop its own gas and oil resources; 77% of Mainstream voters disagree.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on March 21-22, 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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                            March 23, 2012Wisconsin GOP: Romney, 46%, Santorum 33%, Paul 8%, Gingrich 7%
Mitt Romney holds a double-digit lead over Rick Santorum in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the Wisconsin Republican Primary race.
A new statewide telephone survey shows that 46% of Likely Republican Primary Voters in Wisconsin favor Romney, while 33% prefer Santorum. Texas Congressman Ron Paul is a distant third with eight percent (8%) of the vote, closely followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at seven percent (7%). One percent (1%) favors some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
This Wisconsin survey of 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on March 21, 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.