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44% See Conflict Between Economic Growth and Fairness

Most voters still believe policies that encourage economic growth are more important than those promoting economic fairness, but they’re slightly less convinced that there is a conflict between the two.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 71% of Likely U.S. Voters consider policies that encourage economic growth to be Very Important. That compares to 49% who say the same of policies that promote economic fairness. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 1-2, 2013 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.

35% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-five percent (35%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, March 31.

Voter optimism in the nation’s current course is up two points from the previous week and is in line with attitudes measured at the beginning of the year. Confidence in the nation's course peaked at a high of 43% the week before Election Day but has gradually come down since then.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen March 25-31, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

42% Think Federal Government Should Set Environmental Policy

Fewer than half of U.S. voters believe the federal government should have the final say when it comes to environmental protection, and they remain critical of the Environmental Protection Agency and its impact on the economy. These findings come at a time when voters increasingly are blaming human activity more than planetary trends for global warming. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 42% of Likely U.S. Voters think the federal government should set the rules and regulations for environmental protection. Twenty-five percent (25%) think state governments should have that responsibility, while 17% would prefer to look to the United Nations or some other international organization. Just six percent (6%) would rely on local governments for environmental rules and regulations. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 28-29, 2013 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.

Rasmussen Employment Index Slips a Point in March

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures worker confidence, slipped another point in March to 84.3.

Still, the Employment Index remains above levels measured for most of 2012. Worker confidence is up less than a point from March 2012 but is up 15 points from March 2011. In December of last year, the Index hit a five-year high of 91.2. 

Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be weaker than the prior month’s report.

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The survey of 9,373 working Americans was conducted in March 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 44%, Republicans 37%

Democrats hold a seven-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending March 31.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 37% would choose the Republican instead.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 25-31, 2013. 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.

Obama’s Monthly Approval Down Another Point in March

When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.

For the month of March, the president's Total Job Approval Rating fell another point from 53% in February to 52%. In December, it reached 56%, the highest level since May 2009. Prior to the election, that rating had remained in the narrow range of 44% to 49% for two years straight.

In March, 47% disapproved of the president's performance, up a point from the month before. The number who disapproved of Obama's performance stayed in the low to mid-50s from August 2009 until the election. That figure dropped to the low 40s in November but has inched up since.

Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night. The monthly numbers in this article are based on approximately 15,000 interviews each month with likely voters. The margin of sampling error is less than +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

78% Say They Get Good or Excellent Health Care

Most voters continue to like the health care they get but remain more critical of the overall U.S. health care system. However, the majority also still expects the system to get worse in the near future.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. Only four percent (4%) consider the care they get to be poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 30-31, 2013 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.

78% Say They Get Good or Excellent Health Care

Most voters continue to like the health care they get but remain more critical of the overall U.S. health care system. However, the majority also still expects the system to get worse in the near future.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. Only four percent (4%) consider the care they get to be poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 30-31, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 30, 2013

President Obama is focusing on immigration reform once again, a move signaled by his appearance on two Spanish language television networks this past week.

33% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-three percent (33%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, March 24.

Voter optimism in the nation’s current course is up two points from the previous week and is line with attitudes at the beginning of the year. Confidence in the nation's course peaked at a high of 43% the week before Election Day but has gradually come down since then.

When President Obama assumed office in January 2009, the number of voters who felt the country was heading in the right direction rose to 27% and then climbed into the 30s, peaking at 40% in early May of that year. In 2010 and 2011, confidence steadily decreased down to the narrow range of 14% to 19%, levels similar to those measured in the final months of the George W. Bush administration. Optimism began climbing again in mid-December 2011.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen March 18-24, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

40% Give Obama Positive Marks on Job Creation

President Obama continues to earned mixed reviews for his handling of the jobs issue and small business.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 40% of Likely Voters rate the way the president is handling issues related to job creation as good or excellent, while 42% give him a poor rating in this area.

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 24-25, 2013 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. 

Just 20% Think U.S. Public Schools Provide World-Class Education

Most voters agree that American schools should provide their students with a world-class education and teach them the values of Western civilization, but few think they're doing a good job.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters agree that “a world-class education is the single most important factor in determining whether our kids can compete for the best jobs and whether America can outcompete countries around the world.”  Only 19% disagree, while another 14% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 24-25, 2013 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 43%, Republicans 38%

Democrats continue to hold a five-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot, this time for the week ending March 24.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Republican instead.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 18-24, 2013. 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.

50% View Health Care Law Unfavorably

It’s been three years since the passage of President Obama’s health care law, and it still hasn’t become popular. Half of voters hold an unfavorable opinion of it, and most continue to think the law will push up health care costs.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat favorable view of the health care law. Fifty percent (50%) view it unfavorably. This includes 19% with a Very Favorable opinion of the law and 36% with a Very Unfavorable one. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 22-23, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 23, 2013

Voters want new thinking in Washington, D.C., but what they get is more of the same.

Consider the deficit-cutting plans rolled out by the two parties in recent days.  Voters don’t care much for either one. Thirty-five percent (35%) favor Republican Congressman Paul Ryan's plan that calls for a balanced budget in 10 years through spending cuts only. Ryan’s plan includes cuts to Medicare but not the military. Nineteen percent (19%) support Democratic Senator Patty Murray's plan that doesn’t balance the budget but includes a trillion dollars in tax increases and a trillion dollars in spending cuts over the next decade.

Interestingly, Murray is personally more popular than Ryan, the GOP’s 2012 vice presidential nominee, even though she is much less well-known.  Ryan is now more disliked than former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who long has reigned as the most unpopular congressional leader.

Voters Again Trust GOP More Than Democrats on Economy

Voters continue to trust Democrats more than Republicans on nine of 15 major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports, but the GOP has regained the trust advantage on the key issues of the economy and national security. 

New Rasmussen Reports national telephone surveying finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats when it comes to handling the economy. Forty percent (40%) trust Democrats more. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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Three national surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on March 10-11, March 14-15 & 18-19, 2013 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.

31% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-one percent (31%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, March 17.

Voter optimism in the nation’s current course is up two points from the previous week but still remains at a level not seen since August of last year. Confidence in the nation's course peaked at a high of 43% the week before Election Day but has gradually come down since then.

In the latest survey, 60% of voters think the country is heading down the wrong track. That's down four points from 64% the week before which tied the highest level of pessimism measured since August 2012. From January 2009 until October 2012, belief that the country was on the wrong track ranged from 55% to 80%, but it tracked in the low 50s from just before Election Day until early December.

(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 March 11-17, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 43%, Republicans 38%

Democrats hold a five-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending March 17.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Republican instead.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 11-17, 2013. 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.

45% Want Their Governors To Help Implement Health Care Law, 45% Don’t

Voters are now evenly divided over whether they want their governor to help make President Obama’s health care law a reality in their state.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters would like their governor to support the implementation of the law in their state. But just as many (45%) would like their governor to oppose implementation. Eleven percent (11%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 16-17, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 16, 2013

Beware of the new elites who are rewriting the rule book, so that special privilege takes the place of hard work, Scott Rasmussen warns in his latest weekly newspaper column.  “The United States is supposed to be a land of opportunity where everyone can pursue their dreams,” he writes. “But those on top today are busy rewriting the rules to limit entry into their club.”