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December 18, 2014

Which Party Do Voters Trust More? Depends on the Issue

Voters continue to see Republicans as the party to trust when it comes to economic growth, fiscal restraint and national security. Democrats remain their first choice, however, on issues like health care, education and the environment. 

New national telephone surveying finds that Likely U.S. Voters trust the GOP more on eight of 15 major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports - the economy, national security, Afghanistan, taxes, job creation, government spending, small business and gun control. Democrats hold the trust advantage on seven issues - energy, immigration, government ethics and corruption, health care, Social Security, education and the environment. (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  

Three national surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on December 7-8, 11-12 & 15-16, 2014 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 17, 2014

Voters Think U.S. Military Should Put America First

Voters feel even more strongly that the U.S. military should focus on defending America’s interests rather than addressing the problems of other nations.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 67% of U.S. Likely Voters believe military strategy should be focused narrowly on defending America and its interests. That's up 12 points from 55% who felt that way in 2011. Only 26% now say the military’s strategy should be the maintenance of worldwide stability and peace, compared to 34% three years ago. (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 11-12, 2014 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 17, 2014

Voters to Obama, Congress: Work Together!

Voters are closely divided over whether the upcoming Congress will be better than the one that is now leaving town, but they believe overwhelmingly that President Obama and the new Congress should work together rather than stand on principle.

Only 13% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is more important for Congress and the president to stand for what they believe in. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 82% feel it is more important for them to work together to achieve what is best for the country. (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 15-16, 2014 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 16, 2014

Voters Want Feds to Cut Spending to Boost Economy

Americans are still concerned that the government won’t do enough to help the nation’s economy, and most see cutting spending as the necessary fix.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters worry that in reacting to the nation’s current economic problems, the federal government will not do enough, down slightly from October’s all-time high of 54%. Thirty-seven percent (37%) fear the government will try to do too much, barely up from 36% two months ago, the lowest level of concern since 2011. Eleven percent (11%) 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 11-12, 2014 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 16, 2014

Voters See A Sinking America

U.S. voters are less bullish on America’s role in the world and see a diminished United States in the decades to come.

Just 27% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States will still be the most powerful nation in the world by the end of the 21st century, down from 37% in January 2009 shortly after the Wall Street meltdown and just before President Obama took office. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% disagree and believe the United States will not be the number one world power, a 14-point increase from 34% six years ago. Twenty-four percent (24%) 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 U.S. Voters was conducted on December 11-12, 2014 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 15, 2014

Voters Want More Drone Strikes on Terrorists Overseas

Support for the use of unmanned drone aircraft to kill suspected terrorists overseas is the highest it's been in over two years, but voters still express concern about innocent civilians killed in such attacks.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of Likely U.S. Voters favor the United States’ use of drone aircraft to kill al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists overseas. That’s up from 63% a year ago but is still down from a high of 76% in February 2012 after President Obama first acknowledged the drone program’s existence.Just 12% oppose the use of drones to kill terrorists in other countries, while 17% remain 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 13-14, 2014 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 14, 2014

Young People Are Less Likely to See Voting As Catalyst For Change

A sizable number of Americans feel today’s young people are less politically active than those in previous generations, but it may come down to what adults of different ages see as effective forms of activism.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that a plurality (44%) of American Adults believe young people are less politically active now than they were in previous generations. Eighteen percent (18%) say young adults are more politically active, while 29% say the level of activism is about the same as in prior generations. (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 Adults was conducted on December 10-11, 2014 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 12, 2014

Grand Jury Protests: What Are They Good For?

Most Americans aren’t convinced that recent protests around the country in response to grand jury decisions involving police officers will bring about desired changes and think such protests are controlled by outsiders. But adults who have participated in protests themselves are slightly less skeptical.

Just 29% of American Adults believe the recent protests following the grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Missouri and on Staten Island, New York, are likely to bring about the changes the protesters are seeking. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 66% say it’s unlikely the protests will bring about desired change. This includes two percent (2%) who say it’s Very Likely such protests will bring about change and 28% who say that’s Not At All Likely. (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 telephone survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on December 10-11, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

December 12, 2014

Voters Put Public Safety Ahead of CIA Disclosures

Voters strongly believe it would have been better for Congress to keep the Central Intelligence Agency’s interrogation methods a secret if the disclosures put the American public at risk.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is more important to protect the safety of Americans from terrorist attacks whenever possible than for the public to know the full extent of how the CIA got its information.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 23% think it’s more important to publicly disclose the full extent of the CIA’s interrogation methods. (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 9-10, 2014 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 11, 2014

Despite Report, Voters Still See Value in CIA Interrogation Tactics

On the heels of the Senate’s scathing report on the Central Intelligence Agency’s interrogation practices, nearly half of U.S. voters are in favor of the harsh tactics used and think they elicited valuable information that helped the United States.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe waterboarding and other aggressive interrogation techniques should be used to gain information from suspected terrorists. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% do not think such methods should be used, but another 20% 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 9-10, 2014 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 10, 2014

Voters Say Obama Shouldn’t Act on Immigration Without Congress

Most voters oppose President Obama taking solo action on immigration issues without Congress, perhaps in part because many don’t believe he is as interested as they are in stopping illegal immigration. 

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the federal government should only do what the president and Congress agree on when it comes to immigration. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 33% believe the president should take action alone if Congress does not approve the initiatives he has proposed. Ten percent (10%) are undecided. (To see 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 5-6, 2014 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 9, 2014

36% Favor U.S. Declaring War on ISIS

Voters aren’t keen on the idea of declaring war on the radical group ISIS and strongly feel that congressional approval should be required before the president sends U.S. troops into combat.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote this week on a resolution by Senator Rand Paul to formally declare war on the Islamic State group, also known as ISIL. But the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 36% of Likely U.S. Voters support such a declaration of war. Thirty-seven percent (37%) are opposed, while another 27% 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 survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on December 7-8, 2014 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 8, 2014

To Sue or Not To Sue Over Obama’s Immigration Plan

Voters are closely divided over whether their state should join the 17 states now suing the Obama administration over the president’s decision to protect up to five million illegal immigrants from deportation.

Forty-five percent (45%) of Likely U.S. Voters favor their state suing the administration over this new immigration policy, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Forty-two percent (42%) are opposed to a state lawsuit of this kind. Thirteen percent (13%) 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 5-6, 2014 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 5, 2014

Louisiana Senate Runoff: Cassidy (R) 56%, Landrieu (D) 40%

Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy still holds a double-digit lead over incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu going into tomorrow’s Louisiana Senate runoff.

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Louisiana Voters shows Cassidy leading Landrieu by 16 points – 56% to 40%. Four percent (4%) are still 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters in Louisiana was conducted on December 2-4, 2014 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 5, 2014

Most Voters Think Cyberattack Means War

Following reports of alleged cyberattacks by North Korea and Iran, U.S. voters remain highly concerned about such attacks and feel more strongly than ever that they should be considered acts of war.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 83% of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat concerned about the safety of America’s computer infrastructure from cyberattack, with 48% who are Very Concerned. Just 15% aren’t concerned about such attacks, but that includes only four percent (4%) who are Not At All Concerned. (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 December 3-4, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.

December 4, 2014

Blacks, Whites Agree Obama Hasn’t Improved Race Relations

Despite high hopes to the contrary, voters continue to believe the racial picture in this country has gotten worse since the election of the first black president.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only eight percent (8%) of Likely U.S. Voters think race relations are better since President Obama’s election six years ago. Forty-two percent (42%) believe race relations are worse now, while slightly more (48%) say they have stayed about the same. (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 1-2, 2014 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 4, 2014

Most Voters Oppose Only Government Having Guns

Opponents continue to outnumber supporters of more gun control, perhaps in part because voters strongly believe it would be bad for the country if only police and other government officials were allowed to have guns.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the United States needs stricter gun control laws, up four points from a recent low of 40% in March but still below support measured in the months following the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. Forty-nine percent (49%) oppose stricter gun laws, although that's down from 53% earlier this year. (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 1-2, 2014 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 3, 2014

Half of Voters Don’t Think Most Blacks Victimized by Cops

Voters aren’t convinced that black Americans are treated unfairly by the police and give President Obama lukewarm reviews for his response to the events in Ferguson, Missouri.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of Likely U.S. Voters think most black Americans do not receive unfair treatment from the police, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree and believe most blacks are treated unfairly by police. Thirteen percent (13%) 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 1-2, 2014 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 2, 2014

How Many Are Willing to Renounce Their U.S. Citizenship?

Few Americans have ever thought about giving up their U.S. citizenship, but a plurality still thinks U.S. citizens should be able to be citizens of more than one country.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only nine percent (9%) of U.S. citizens have considered renouncing their American citizenship, little changed from a year ago. (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 American Adults was conducted on November 21-22, 2014 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 1, 2014

How Should Congress React to Obama's Immigration Plan?

As members of Congress return to work, nearly half of voters still want them to stop President Obama’s new plan to protect up to five million illegal immigrants from deportation.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters think Congress should try to find ways to stop the president’s plan of allowing these illegal immigrants to stay in this country legally and apply for jobs. Forty-three percent (43%) believe Congress should allow this decision to stand. (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 November 30, 2014 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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