If it's in the News, it's in our Polls. Public opinion polling since 2003.

Lifestyle

Most Recent Releases

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August 19, 2011

Voters Like Government Student Loans, Frown on Pell Grants That Don’t Have To be Repaid

Government student loans are another area under the congressional budget-cutting microscope. Most voters favor their continuation for poor and middle-income students but are decidedly less enthusiastic about outright government grants for schooling that don’t need to be repaid.

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August 16, 2011

75% Favor Big Cuts in Mail Delivery Rather Than Give More Money to Postal Service

Americans would rather see the U.S. Postal Service dramatically cut its workforce and reduce mail delivery to three or four days a week than have the government pour more money into the financially struggling agency.

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August 11, 2011

58% Favor Sales Tax Holidays for School Shopping

There are currently 17 states that offer a “sales tax holiday” – a brief suspension of sales taxes – to encourage back-to-school shopping.  Most Americans nationwide support this idea. 

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August 6, 2011

67% Say Economy Causing Family Stress

With the Rasmussen Consumer and Investor Indexes hovering near two-year lows and unemployment rates still in the nine percent (9%) range, it's perhaps no surprise to find that a majority of Americans say the economy is adding stress to their family.

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August 4, 2011

76% Say Americans Becoming More Rude, Less Civilized

Alice Cooper said it best:  “No more Mr. nice guy.”

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July 29, 2011

63% Say College Degree Still A Good Investment, Younger Adults Less Convinced

Americans still believe a college degree is a helpful tool in today’s economy, but they also continue to feel life experience is more valuable.

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July 28, 2011

71% Say Formal Education Key to Success in Life, Not Street Smarts

Most Americans continue to believe that what you learn inside the classroom is more valuable than what’s learned on the outside.

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July 27, 2011

53% Oppose Nutritional Information on Restaurant Menus

As part of the new health care law, restaurant chains with 20 or more outlets will be required to disclose nutritional information in their menus.  But most Americans would rather they not.

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July 26, 2011

47% Are Eating Out Less Often Than They Were Six Months Ago

Americans still prefer a home-cooked meal to one in a restaurant, and they’re eating out less than they were six months ago. 

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July 26, 2011

40% Favor Possible Sale of U.S. Postal Service to Lower the Deficit

The U.S. Postal Service has been struggling financially for some time, with Postmaster General Patrick Donohoe just today announcing the potential closings of nearly 3,700 offices nationwide. A growing number of Americans thinks now may be the time to sell the USPS to a private company.

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July 25, 2011

60% Say This Summer Has Been Hotter Than Recent Summers

Much of the country suffered a heat wave last week, with weather advisories and warnings to avoid the heat. Most Americans noticed.

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July 23, 2011

68% Say School Discipline Is Too Easy These Days

Most Americans think there's not enough discipline in public schools today and feel it's tougher for teachers to maintain control than it was when they were kids.

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July 21, 2011

56% Say Children Need To Spend More Time in School

With summer vacation in full swing, a majority of Americans now believe children need to spend more time in school.  However, they are against a 12-month school calendar.

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July 14, 2011

Vanilla, Chocolate Top List of Favorite Ice Cream Flavors

When it comes to frozen treats, Americans prefer to keep it simple.

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July 13, 2011

58% Believe Life Exists On Other Planets

Americans continue to believe life exists in outer space, but they are less sure whether a human will walk on Mars within a quarter of a century.

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July 12, 2011

50% Say Space Shuttle Program Worth What It Cost Taxpayers

With the last planned U.S. space shuttle currently circling the globe, Americans are slightly more supportive of the NASA program than they were a year-and-a-half ago.

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July 11, 2011

51% Say Children Today Have Worse Quality Of Life Than Those A Generation Ago

Half of Americans nationwide now believe that today’s children are worse off than those of the previous generation.

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July 11, 2011

61% Believe Casey Anthony Is Guilty Of Murder

Nearly nine-out-of-10 Americans are familiar with the outcome of the Casey Anthony murder trial, and most don't agree with the jury’s surprise not guilty decision.

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July 6, 2011

83% Say Kids Spend Too Much Time On Electronic Devices

Americans continue to believe that young children are on their computers and other electronic devices too often and think parents should control how much time they spend doing so. But a sizable number of adults think time spent on computers is better than time spent in front of the television.

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July 5, 2011

67% Say States Should Be Able to Prohibit Sale of Violent Video Games to Children

The U.S. Supreme Court last week overturned a California law that made it illegal to rent or sell violent video games to children, but Americans strongly favor such laws.