Just 35% of American voters believe that a free market economy is the same as a capitalist economy. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 38% disagree and 27% are not sure.
Twenty-one percent (21%) of American adults say that the U.S. economy is partially socialist and another five percent (5%) say generally speaking it’s already a socialist economy.
Seventy-seven percent (77%) of U.S. voters say that they prefer a free market economy over a government-managed economy. That’s up seven points since December.
Earlier this week, Gallup released new data showing that most Americans still view big government as a more serious threat to the nation than big business or big labor. The results weren’t terribly surprising since Gallup has asked the question periodically since 1965 and government has always been seen as the biggest threat.
Americans have a little more confidence in the U.S. banking system than they did two months ago.
Over the past few months, short-term expectations for the economy have improved dramatically, but longer-term expectations have moved in the opposite direction.
Eighty-five percent (85%) of Americans say they are concerned about the possibility of inflation in the current economy, with 55% Very Concerned, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Many Americans, it appears, expect to keep their financial house in order despite the troubled U.S. economy.
Thirty-seven percent (37%) of Americans favor federal government subsidies to keep newspapers in business, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Americans say it is important for the dollar to remain the currency of the United States, including 70% who say it is Very Important.
Only 11% of Americans think a financial institution will run better if it’s run by the federal government, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Voters are evenly divided over whether President Obama’s proposed $3.6 trillion budget will help or hurt the economy.
American attitudes about regulating executive compensation are very clear: If taxpayers help a company stay in business, the government should regulate executive pay and bonuses. But if no taxpayer money is involved, the government should keep its hands off.
Consumer and investor confidence increased dramatically over the past week after falling to record lows. On Sunday morning, March 15, the Rasmussen Consumer Index rose to the highest level since November 5, the morning after Barack Obama was elected president.
Bernard Madoff, the Wall Street financier who ran a $64.8 billion Ponzi scheme, is expected to plead guilty to 11 criminal counts on Thursday, but he hopes his wife Ruth will be able to keep at least $70 million to live on while he’s in jail.
Most Americans remain confident that the U.S. economy will be stronger in five years than it is today, but most also expect very little to change in the next 12 months.
Most Americans (53%) now think the United States is at least somewhat likely to enter a 1930’s-like depression within the next few years.
Fifty-one percent (51%) of U.S. voters say President Obama is unlikely to achieve his pledge to cut the federal deficit in half within four years. Twenty-seven percent (27%) say he is not at all likely to do it.
Only 29% of Americans believe the federal government should nationalize some banks that are at risk of going out of business, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
