Business

75% Favor Raising Minimum Wage to $10.10 An Hour or More

Most Americans favor raising the minimum wage but are almost evenly divided over whether that will help or hurt the economy.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of American Adults are in favor of raising the minimum wage from its current level of $7.25. Thirty-three percent (33%) are opposed, while 11% remain undecided. This is comparable to findings in February when President Obama first proposed raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on December 5-6, 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. 

66% Think Long-Term Budget Deal to Avoid Another Shutdown Is Unlikely

Both sides insist a budget deal is near that will avoid another federal government shutdown, but most voters still want budget cuts and remain skeptical that such a deal is coming.

Just 12% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a federal budget that increases government spending, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifty-six percent (56%) prefer a long-term budget deal that cuts spending instead. Twenty-five percent (25%) want to keep federal spending 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 6-7, 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.

43% Expect To Earn More A Year From Now

President Obama on Wednesday declared that growing income inequality in the United States is "the defining challenge of our time." The number of workers who consider themselves poor is at its highest point this year, but help may be on the way: The number who expect to be earning more a year from now matches its highest level in four-and-a-half years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that most Employed Adults (68%) still consider themselves to be middle class, with another 15% who say they are upper middle class. Just three percent (3%) consider themselves wealthy. Fourteen percent (14%) now say they are the working poor, up from 13% in October and the highest finding of the year. This finding was at its highest in May 2010, when 22% of workers classified themselves as poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 600 Employed Adults was conducted on December 3-4 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

19% Say Bad Economy is Making Them Use Credit Cards More

Most Americans think their fellow countrymen use their credit cards too much, but one-in-five say the bad economy makes them do it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of Adults agree that most Americans need to cut back on credit card use and other borrowing, although that's down 12 points from 87% who felt that way in April 2009. Just seven percent (7%) disagree, while 18% 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. 

This survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on November 26, 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. 

25% Are Looking for a New Job

Fewer workers than ever are willing to commit to their current job.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 25% of Employed Adults are looking for a job outside of their current company, consistent with surveys for much of this year. A sizable majority (64%) still says it’s not looking for a job elsewhere, but that’s down from 72% in October and the lowest finding in regular surveying since the spring of 2009. Ten percent (10%) are undecided whether to look or not. (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 600 Employed Adults was conducted on December 3-4, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

39% Say They Use Their Credit Cards Too Much

One-in-four Americans expects to miss a credit card payment in the near future, but even more admit that they need to cut back on their credit care usage.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 82% of American Adults have at least one credit card, including 38% who have three or more. Forty-four percent (44%) report having one or two credit cards. Sixteen percent (16%) say they don’t have any. (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. 

This survey of 829 Adults nationwide who have at least one credit card was conducted on November 26, 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.

24% Have Had Credit Information Stolen Online

Most Americans are fairly comfortable using their credit cards online, but one-in-four say they have had information stolen that way.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 70% of American Adults with credit cards say they are at least somewhat comfortable using those cards for online purchases. Twenty-eight percent (28%) don't share that comfort level. This includes 32% who are Very Comfortable using a credit card online and 11% who are Not At All Comfortable. (To see survey question wording, click here.)  

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This survey of 829 Adults nationwide who have at least one credit card was conducted on December 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. 

Rasmussen Employment Index Jumps Five Points

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence rebounded in November after falling to a low for the year in October.

At 85.7, worker confidence is up five points from October, the month of the partial government shutdown, but is still down nearly nine points from this year’s high of 94.4 in May.  Last month marks the highest level of confidence since August and is up seven points from 79.0 this time last year.

Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government report on job creation will be stronger than the prior month’s report.

51% Believe A Home Is A Family’s Best Investment

While only one-in-three Americans think now is a good time to sell a house, just over half still believe that purchasing a home is a family’s best financial move.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of American Adults say buying a home is the best investment most families can make, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty-six percent (26%) disagree, while 23% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

35% Expect Their Home's Value To Increase Over Next Year

Homeowner confidence in the short- and long-term future of housing values is down slightly from last month’s highs but remains relatively steady.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 35% of Homeowners now believe the value of their home will go up over the next year. That’s down from last month’s all-time high of 38% but remains well above confidence measured from 2009 through 2012.Just 13% expect home values to go down over the next year, while a plurality (49%) thinks they will remain about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 710 Homeowners was conducted on November 22-23, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

52% Still Expect Higher Interest Rates A Year From Now

Most Americans feel that today’s interest rates are about the same as they were one year ago, but they expect to be paying higher rates a year from now.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of American Adults think interest rates will be higher in a year. That’s down six points from September which was the highest level of pessimism since early 2011. From July 2009 to early May 2011, this finding generally remained in the mid-to-high 50s but has been mostly in the 40s over the past couple years.

Just three percent (3%) expect lower rates this time next year, however, while 32% think rates will stay about the same. 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 American Adults was conducted on November 14-15, 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.

42% Are Confident Fed Can Keep Inflation, Interest Rates Down

As the country awaits the likely confirmation of Janet Yellen as the new Federal Reserve Board chairman, confidence in the Fed’s ability to control interest rates and inflation remains low. But Americans are less pessimistic about rising grocery prices.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 42% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Fed can keep interest rates down and inflation under control, but that includes just 11% who are Very Confident. Fifty-two percent (52%) lack that confidence, with 18% who are Not Confident At All. (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 14-15, 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.

39% Think Auto Bailouts Were Good for U.S.

The number of voters who believe the federal government bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler were good for the United States has reached an all-time low, and more than ever consider those bailouts a failure.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the auto industry bailouts were good for the country, the first time that number has fallen below 40% in regular surveying for the past two years. Slightly more (43%) say the bailouts were bad for the United States, while 18% 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 November 15-16, 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.

52% Are Confident in Stability of U.S. Banking System

Confidence in the stability of U.S. banks is over 50% for the fourth time this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 52% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry today, but that includes just 11% who are Very Confident. Forty-three percent (43%) don’t share that confidence, with 13% who are Not At All Confident. (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 Adults was conducted on November 14-15, 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.

26% View Fed Nominee Janet Yellen Favorably, 35% Don’t Know Who She Is

One is the nation’s most influential banker; the other is about to take over that job. Yet both are unknowns to a sizable number of Americans.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% of American Adults have a favorable opinion of Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, while 41% view him unfavorably. This includes eight percent (8%) with a Very Favorable opinion and 19% with a Very Unfavorable one. (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 Adults nationwide was conducted on November 6-7, 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.

65% Say Gov't Workers Have More Job Security Than Those in Private Sector

Most Americans continue to believe that government workers are better off than those employed in the private sector.

74% Want to Audit the Federal Reserve

Americans still overwhelmingly favor a public audit of the Federal Reserve, perhaps in part because a sizable number think the Fed chairman has too much power over the economy.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 74% of American Adults favor auditing the Federal Reserve and making the results available to the public. Just 10% oppose such an audit, but 16% 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 Adults nationwide was conducted on November 6-7, 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.

23% Favor Long-Term Government Help for Unemployed

Most Americans still think the federal government should avoid a long-term role in aiding those who can’t find work. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 23% of American Adults favor long-term government involvement, with 10% who say unemployment benefits should be extended indefinitely and 13% who say the government should just hire those who can't find a job. That's in line with attitudes for the past year. 

Twenty-seven percent (27%) prefer the short-term government solution of paying for retraining, while 37% think the federal government should do nothing at all for the long-term unemployed. That’s down only slightly from 40% in September, the highest finding in three years of regular surveying. Thirteen percent (13%) are unsure. (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 and Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on November 4-5, 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.

19% Believe Job Market Better Than A Year Ago, 38% Say Worse

Americans are more pessimistic about the U.S. job market than they have been in nearly two years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows only 19% of American Adults now believe the job market is better than it was one year ago. That's down six points from 25% in September and the lowest finding since December 2011. Thirty-eight percent (38%) believe the job market is worse today than it was a year ago, up seven points from the previous survey and the most pessimistic assessment since October of last year. Thirty-nine percent (39%) expect the job market to remain 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 Adults was conducted on November 4-5, 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.

36% Favor Federal Bailout for Detroit, 45% Oppose

With Detroit's bankruptcy now being challenged in federal court, Americans are more supportive of a federal bailout to make sure retired public workers get their full pension benefits, even though most still expect more major cities to declare bankruptcy soon.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of American Adults now believe the federal government should bail out Detroit to make sure the pensions of the city's retired employees are paid in full. A plurality (45%) remains opposed to a federal bailout of Detroit. Nineteen percent (19%) 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 Adults was conducted on November 2-3, 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.