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December 24, 2011What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 24, 2011
The vast majority of Americans celebrate tomorrow as Christmas, and most of those folks recognize the day as a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  It’s a time to pause momentarily even as the news hurtles on in places as remote as North Korea and as near as Iowa where the race for the presidency gathers steam.
For a sizable number of adults, the last couple days have been panic time. As of Friday morning, 38% hadn’t finished their holiday shopping, and 18% hadn’t even started yet. Still, there’d been a lot of shopping going since Monday when 57% hadn’t finished and 26% had yet to start. 
More toys may have been on the shopping list, too. Just 41% of American Adults are even somewhat concerned about the safety of most toys being sold this holiday season, down from 51% a year ago. 
The number of adults who expect to travel away from home during the holiday season has slowly increased in recent years, but half still say the current economy makes them less likely to do so.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            December 24, 201174% Believe Jesus Was Son of God
Most adults who will be celebrating Christmas tomorrow will do so as a religious holiday, and an overwhelming majority believes in the divinity of Jesus Christ.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 90% will be celebrating Christmas in their family. Of those adults, 74% will be celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday while 22% will be observing it as a secular 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 Adults was conducted on December 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.
December 23, 2011Election 2012:  Obama 48%, Bachmann 35%
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the frontrunner in Iowa and New Hampshire, now trails President Obama in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds Obama earning 44% support to Romney’s 41%.  Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate, while eight percent (8%) are not sure.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            December 23, 201112% See Change of Leadership in North Korea As Good for the United States
Voters are not optimistic about the change in leadership in communist North Korea, and many are concerned that it will lead to war between North Korea and South Korea.  Voters doubt that the change in leadership will produce major changes in North Korea. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 14% of Likely Voters think it is even somewhat likely that North Korea will become a free, democratic and peaceful nation over the next few years.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 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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                            December 23, 201138% Haven’t Finished Their Holiday Shopping; 18% Still Haven’t Started
Panic time? Thirty-eight percent (38%) of American Adults haven’t finished their holiday shopping with Christmas coming on Sunday, and 18% haven’t even started yet, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
(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 December 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.
December 23, 2011'Cool' Cities Are Not Necessarily Warm By Froma Harrop
The soft economy has left lots of Americans in place, whether they want to be or not. That would include the most mobile group, young people. But to the extent that adults ages 25 to 34 are still moving, their preferred destinations seem to be "cool cities," according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. What are the so-called cool cities? Denver, Houston, Dallas, Seattle, Raleigh, Austin, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Ore., among others.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            December 22, 201160% Say U.S. Society Fair and Decent, 28% Disagree
Most voters continue to believe U.S. society is fair and decent but only a third think that President Obama agrees. 
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely Voters think society in this country is fair and decent. Twenty-eight percent (28%) disagree and feel American society is unfair and discriminatory.  Another 12% are not sure.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            December 22, 2011One-in-Four Americans Prefers Reading on Electronic Device
The number of Americans that prefers to read a book on an electronic reading device has tripled from earlier this year, but most still prefer a traditional book.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 27% have now used a Kindle or a similar electronic book-reading device.
(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 American Adults nationwide was conducted on December 15-16, 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.
December 22, 2011Election 2012:  Obama 44%, Romney 41%
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the frontrunner in Iowa and New Hampshire, now trails President Obama in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds Obama earning 44% support to Romney’s 41%.  Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate, while eight percent (8%) are not sure.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            December 22, 2011Just 44% Believe Their Home Worth More Than Mortgage
Home ownership used to be the cornerstone of middle class financial planning and equity in a home is typically a family’s biggest asset. But most homeowners now doubt they have any equity value in their home.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. homeowners shows that just 44% believe their home is worth more than the amount they still owe on their mortgage.
(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 690 U.S. Homeowners was conducted on December 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.
December 22, 2011Paul Ryan’s Old-Fashioned American Vision By Lawrence Kudlow
When you think of Republican congressman Paul Ryan, terms like earnest, serious, and important come to mind. So does the term old-fashioned. Ryan comes from an old-fashioned place, the blue-collar town of Janesville, Wisconsin. He cherishes the old-fashioned values of a faithful family man. He even looks old-fashioned, with his white shirts and striped ties. And he uses old-fashioned argument skills, persuasively weaving big-picture themes with the numbers that back them up.
December 22, 2011Scott Rasmussen Discusses the Latest Iowa Caucus Results on Fox News
Scott Rasmussen Discusses the Latest Iowa Caucus Results on Fox News
December 22, 2011Scott Discusses Latest Iowa Caucus Numbers on Fox News
Scott Discusses Latest Iowa Caucus Numbers on Fox News
December 22, 2011The Lethal Fantasies of Dear Old Ron Paul By Joe Conason
The latest evidence of simmering racial resentment on the American political fringe showed up Monday in a Facebook post by a California man who urged the assassination of the president and his two daughters in obscene, racist language.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            December 22, 2011In Iowa, Romney Tops List for Second Choice Support
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is leading in Iowa and he is also getting a bit more second choice support than other candidates.
Data released yesterday shows that Romney currently is on top in Iowa with 25% support followed by Texas Congressman Ron Paul at 20% and Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 17%. When asked in the same survey about their second choice, 16% pick Romney, 14% name Gingrich, 14% offer former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, and 13% say Texas Governor Rick Perry. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is the second choice for 10%, Ron Paul for nine percent (9%) and Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman for four percent (4%).
December 22, 2011New Hampshire Quick to Divorce Candidates, Not Marry Them By Michael Barone
Three weeks out from the New Hampshire primary, and voters in the Granite State don't seem to have settled firmly on one of the Republican presidential candidates.
December 21, 201122% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction
Twenty-two percent (22%) 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, Dec. 18.  That’s the highest level of optimism measured in over five months.
Nineteen percent (19%) were confident in the nation’s current course the previous week.  Prior to the latest survey, that finding was the highest level of optimism measured in nearly three months.
(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 December 12-18, 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.
December 21, 2011Iowa: Romney 25% Paul 20% Gingrich 17%
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul are leading the pack in Iowa with just two weeks to go until Caucus Day. But large numbers of voters remain uncommitted and lots could change between now and January 3.
The new Rasmussen Reports survey of Iowa caucus participants shows Romney on top with 25% of the vote followed by Paul at 20% and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 17%. Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, both at 10%, are the only other candidates in double-digits.  Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann earns six percent (6%), former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman four percent (4%), while one percent (1%) prefer some other candidate and eight percent (8%) are not sure.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            December 21, 201145% Consider Medicare A Good Deal for Working Americans
Most voters continue to question whether they will get the Medicare benefits they are entitled to, and nearly one-out-of-three is willing to raise taxes to ensure that they do.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% of Likely U.S. Voters now favor raising taxes to make sure that Medicare has enough money to pay all promised benefits. Thirty-three percent (33%) think it’s better to raise the eligibility age for Medicare benefits while 14% feel cutting the promised level of benefits to ensure Medicare has enough money is the best option. A sizable 22% 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 December 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.
December 21, 2011WHAT AMERICA THINKS with Scott Rasmussen
Recognizing the heightened interest in this upcoming presidential election year as well as the public’s curiosity in opinion polling results, Telco Productions, Inc. is launching the half-hour weekly show, What America Thinks with Scott Rasmussen. The show is scheduled for a fall, 2012 debut. Affiliate stations will also receive a daily one-minute vignette produced specifically for local newscasts and featuring a new Rasmussen poll.