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April 17, 2012

46% Worry Government Will Do Too Much Trying To Help Economy

Voters have mixed views on the government’s role in solving the current economic problems, but they are certain cutting government spending is a good place to start.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of Likely Voters are now more concerned that the government will do too much in reacting to the nation's economic problems rather than not enough.  Forty-two percent (42%) are more worried the government will not do enough.  Twelve percent (12%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on April 12-13, 2012 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.

April 17, 2012

55% Say Wealthy Americans Pay Less Than Fair Share in Taxes

The so-called “Buffet rule”, which would require millionaires to pay a 30% minimum tax rate, was defeated in the Senate yesterday, but President Obama continues to push the plan on the campaign trail. Most Americans think the wealthy pay less than their fair share in taxes, while nearly half feels the middle class pays more than its share.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of Adults nationwide believe most wealthy people in this country pay less than their fair share in taxes. One in four (25%) believe wealthy Americans generally do pay their fair share, while 13% think they pay more than their fair share. (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 April 13-14, 2012 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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April 17, 2012

Radio Update: If You Haven’t Filed Your Taxes Yet, You’re Not Alone - April 17, 2012

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen on the WOR Radio Network. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

April 17, 2012

21% Expect Home’s Value To Go Up Over Next Year

Homeowners remain more optimistic about both the short- and long-term housing markets than they were for nearly all of last year. That confidence appeared to stall slightly in March but now has bounced back.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of homeowners finds that 21% now expect the value of their home to go up over the next year. Twenty-five percent (25%) expect their home’s value to go down, and 52% think it will stay the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 700 Adult Homeowners was conducted on April 15-16, 2012 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.

April 17, 2012

43% Fear IRS More Than TSA

What’s in a name? Plenty if it’s the Internal Revenue Service, especially at this time of year.

Rasmussen Reports asked Americans which government agency they fear most, the tax-collecting IRS or the occasionally ham-handed Transportation Security Administration which handles airport security. A plurality (43%) said the IRS. Just 20%, in fact, feared the TSA more. Thirty-six percent (36%) were 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 nationwide was conducted on April 13-14, 2012 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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April 17, 2012

Radio Update: Are Americans Better Off Than They Were Four Years Ago?

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen on the WOR Radio Network.

April 16, 2012

19% Haven’t Filed Their Income Taxes

On the eve of Tax Day, 19% of Americans nationwide still have not filed their income taxes, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Adults have filed, up 18 points from 60% at the end of March. Americans this year are on about the same pace as they were last Tax Day, when 17% hadn’t filed. Two years ago at this time, 22% had yet to file their income taxes. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on April 13-14, 2012 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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April 16, 2012

Radio Update: There's A Financial Gender Gap, Too

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen on the WOR Radio Network.

April 15, 2012

47% Think Interest Rates Will Be Higher A Year From Now

The Federal Reserve Board plans to keep interest rates at record lows at least through late 2014, but many Americans believe the rates will go up over the next year. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of American Adults think they will be paying higher interest rates a year from now.  Nine percent (9%) feel they will be paying lower interest rates in a year’s time, while 32% predict they’ll be paying about the same amount. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on April 7-8, 2012 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.

April 13, 2012

31% Favor Getting Rid of the Penny

Canada has decided to stop minting its one-cent value coin later this year, following the lead of countries like Great Britain, Brazil, Switzerland and Australia. Are the days of the U.S. copper penny numbered as well?

Nearly a third (31%) of American Adults favor a proposal for the United States to stop making pennies.  But a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% oppose such a proposal, while 19% more are not sure about it.  (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 April 9-10, 2012 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.

April 12, 2012

Confidence in Fed to Control Inflation Falls Back Below 40%

After a brief bounce in confidence in March, a majority of Americans now lack faith in the Federal Reserve Board to keep inflation under control and interest rates down.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 39% of Adults now share this confidence, including 10% who are Very Confident in the Fed on these matters. Fifty-seven percent (57%) are not confident the Fed can keep inflation and interest rates under control, including 21% 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 nationwide was conducted on April 7-8, 2012 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.

April 11, 2012

43% Have Gone Through A Week Without Paying Cash

Is America moving toward a cashless society?

Forty-three percent (43%) of American Adults have gone through a full week without paying for anything with cash or coins, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Only slightly more (47%) have not done so. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on April 9-10, 2012 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.

April 11, 2012

44% Now See Auto Bailouts As Good for America

American voters have disliked the government bailouts of the financial and automobile industries since day one, but they now view the auto industry bailout more positively than the one given to banks and insurance companies.

Forty-four percent (44%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the government bailouts of the auto industry were good for America, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds. Only slightly more (47%) now say the auto bailouts were bad for America. (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 April 8-9, 2012 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.

April 10, 2012

48% Still Question Stability of U.S. Banks

Nearly half (48%) of American Adults continue to lack confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking industry, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Just as many (47%) do remain at least somewhat confident in the nation's banks. These findings include nine percent (9%) who are Very Confident in the banking industry and 18% who are Not At All Confident. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on April 7-8, 2012 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.

April 9, 2012

44% See More Government Hiring of Unemployed As Bad, 38% Say Good

The national unemployment rate dipped slightly in March but mostly because more Americans stopped looking for work. A survey conducted prior to the government jobs report shows that roughly a quarter of Americans still support long-term federal support for the chronic unemployed.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 16% believe the government should hire unemployed people who can’t find work for an extended period of time, while 11% favor extending unemployment benefits indefinitely. This combined 27% support for ongoing federal aid for the unemployed is up slightly from February’s low of 23% but is more similar to previous findings over the past year.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 1-2, 2012 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.

April 6, 2012

Americans Still Think Government Employees Work Less, Earn More

A majority of adults nationwide continues to believe that those who work for the government have it easier than those in the private sector and get paid more for it.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of American Adults believe private sector workers work harder than government workers, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just eight percent (8%) say government employees are the harder workers, but another 25% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 1-2, 2012 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.

April 5, 2012

48% Know Someone Who Has Given Up Looking for Work

After holding steady for the past year, the number of Americans who know someone who’s given up looking for a job out of frustration with the current market is up to 48%.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Adults don’t know someone in this situation. But the number of Americans who know someone who has given up on the job market is up from 43% in February and ties the highest result measured in regular tracking since 2010. This finding hovered around 40% for most of 2011. (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 April 1-2, 2012 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.

April 4, 2012

Americans Are More Skeptical Than Ever About Fairness of Tax System

Americans remain unhappy with the tax system in this country and believe more strongly than ever that others do not pay their fair share.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 12% of American Adults think the United States has the best tax system in the world. Sixty-one percent (61%) disagree, and another 27% 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 March 30-31, 2012 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.

April 3, 2012

35% Still Haven’t Filed Their Taxes

One-third of Americans still have not filed their income taxes with two weeks to go until the April 15 filing deadline.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Adults now have filed their taxes, up from 43% in mid-March. But 35% have yet to file. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on March 30-31, 2012 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.

March 28, 2012

63% Say Shale Oil Development Possible Without Hurting the Environment

Opposition to the hydraulic “fracking” process for developing shale oil reserves is based primarily on environmental concerns, but Americans strongly believe these reserves can be developed without hurting the environment. 

Only 14% of American Adults believe it is impossible to develop shale oil reserves in the United States while still protecting the environment. But a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% believe it is possible to develop these energy reserves without doing environmental damage. Nearly one-in-four (23%) 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 March 22-23, 2012 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.