Most Still Blame Bad Economy on Bush-era Recession
A majority (51%) of voters still blames the nation’s current economic problems on the recession that began under President George W. Bush rather than the economic policies of President Obama.
Public Content
Most Recent Releases
October 9, 2011
October 8, 2011
72% Think Presidential Campaigns Run Too Long
As the nation braces itself for another race for the White House, voters say enough is enough.
October 8, 2011
What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending October 8, 2011
Americans need something to believe in because right now their faith in the nation’s future is scraping rock bottom.
October 7, 2011
Voters Still View U.S. Race Relations As A Mixed Bag
Voters of all races nationwide continue to view relations between whites, blacks and Hispanics as a work in progress.
October 7, 2011
Just 6% Think Most Politicians Keep Their Campaign Promises
Voters remain overwhelmingly convinced that most politicians won’t keep their campaign promises, but they’re a little less convinced that their elected officials deliberately lie.
October 7, 2011
11% Think Amanda Knox Is Guilty of Murder
Very few Americans believe Amanda Knox is guilty of murdering her flatmate in Italy four years ago, and a plurality feels the media played an important part in overturning her conviction.
October 7, 2011
Just 10% Know Government Can Spend Social Security Money Anyway It Wants
Working-age Americans remain skeptical about receiving their Social Security benefits even though they mistakenly believe money in the Social Security Trust Fund can be used only to pay promised benefits.
October 6, 2011
32% Say Government Should Do Nothing for the Long-Term Unemployed
Americans continue to have mixed feelings about how the government should respond to the long-term unemployed. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults finds that 32% feel the government should do nothing at all, while 25% think it should pay for their retraining. Ten percent (10%) say the government should extend unemployment benefits indefinitely, and 21% think the government should hire those long out of work, down from June's high-to-date of 24%.
October 6, 2011
Obama 42%, Johnson 27%
Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson who recently made his first Republican debate appearance earns the lowest level of support against President Obama out of all the 2012 GOP hopefuls.
October 6, 2011
Only 36% Think GOP Debate Moderators Ask Mostly About Important Issues
Voters are fairly satisfied with the number of debates in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, but most don’t think debate moderators ask enough about the major issues facing the nation.
October 6, 2011
Obama Drags Feet to Avoid Offending Political Pals By Michael Barone
Leadership, said New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in his press conference Tuesday announcing he would not reverse his decision not to run for president, is something you can't be taught or learn. "Leadership today in America has to be about doing the big things and being courageous."
October 6, 2011
Herman Cain and the Non-Politician Politician By Kyle Kondik
In the last election cycle, several "non-politician politicians" -- candidates who have never held public office who ran for a major office -- went from obscurity to high office.
October 6, 2011
60% Oppose Financial Bailouts; 74% Say Wall Street Benefited Most
The bailouts of the financial industry still leave a sour taste in the mouths of most Americans who feel as strongly as ever that the government was looking out for bankers rather than taxpayers and that crimes on Wall Street remain unpunished.
October 5, 2011
18% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction
Eighteen percent (18%) 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, October 2.
October 5, 2011
26% Have Favorable Opinion of Bernanke, 51% Unfavorable
Half of Americans nationwide believe the Federal Reserve Board chairman has too much power over the economy. Meanwhile, favorability ratings for current Chairman Ben Bernanke are at their lowest level yet recorded.
October 5, 2011
Obama 45%, Santorum 34%
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum continues to trail President Obama by double-digits in a hypothetical 2012 presidential election.
October 5, 2011
Public Divided on Occupy Wall Street Protesters
As they marched through Manhattan, they chanted of how the “Big Banks Got Bailed Out, We Got Left Behind.” The Occupy Wall Street protesters found a slogan that resonates with the American people but not many people embrace the protesters views of an economy more regulated by the government.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Americans agree with the statement that the “The big banks got bailed but the middle class got left behind." A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American adults found that just 10% disagree with that statement and 11% are not sure.
October 5, 2011
Good GOP Flip-Flops By Tony Blankley
William F. Buckley, Jr., founding father of the modern conservative movement, famously asserted his doctrine of voting for the most conservative candidate who is electable.
October 5, 2011
36% Expect More Unemployment One Year From Today, 21% Expect Less
As 2011 rolls along, Americans have become far more pessimistic about the employment outlook.
October 4, 2011
Election 2012: Generic Republican 47%, Obama 41%
A generic Republican now holds a six-point advantage over President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 match-up for the week ending Sunday, October 2.
