Voters in both major political parties place high importance on the next U.S. Supreme Court nomination when it comes to Election 2016, but they are predictably divided when it comes to punishing or supporting senators who refuse to consider President Obama's nominee for the latest vacancy on the court.
Americans overwhelmingly believe the ongoing water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, is primarily a state and local responsibility and think the public outcry by prominent officials like President Obama and Hillary Clinton is more about politics than a solution to the problem.
Voters strongly disagree with Pope Francis that those who support building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border are not Christians and don't much like prominent religious leaders telling them how to vote.
Many Republican senators are proposing to delay action on President Obama's yet-to-be announced nominee to fill the U.S. Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, but most voters think the Senate has a responsibility to vote on all of the president's nominees.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters believe every person the president nominates to serve as a judge or in a government position should receive an up or down vote on the floor of the Senate. That's up from 50% when we first asked this question in July 2013. Just 21% disagree, while another 21% are undecided.
Jeb Bush is counting on an appearance by his brother, former President George W. Bush, to boost his chances in the South Carolina primary. In response, Donald Trump has stepped up his criticism of former President Bush and the Iraq war in particular. Is the last Republican president a blessing or a curse as far as voters are concerned?
The unexpected death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has set off a political battle over who should get to nominate his replacement, but voters tend to think the choice should be President Obama's, not the next president's.
Voters feel strongly that wealthy donors and special interests and the media are too strong a presence in politics, but they remain closely divided over which is the worst problem.
Two senior Republican senators have called for the Justice Department to step aside and choose an independent special prosecutor to decide whether Hillary Clinton should be prosecuted for mishandling classified information. Most voters think that’s the way to go to avoid any possible conflict of interest.
Prominent female supporters of Hillary Clinton declared over the weekend that women voters have an obligation to vote for a woman candidate, but voters overwhelmingly reject that notion.
Since Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced late last year that the military would open up all combat roles to women, some top military generals have said that women like men should be required to register with the federal Selective Service System in the event there is a need for a military draft. Men like that idea, but most women don't.
Voters remain less confident in society here at home.
Voters strongly believe the federal government is crooked.
Even as the 2016 election season officially begins in Iowa today, voters still express skepticism about the fairness of elections in this country.
Senators Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio have missed lots of on-the-job time in the Senate while they run for president. Kentucky Republicans worry about Senator Rand Paul's reelection to the Senate this year if his presidential bid falls short. Governors John Kasich and Chris Christie have been a long way from home in their bids to move up to the White House. How do voters feel about politicians who hold onto one elective job while seeking another?
The FBI has been investigating Hillary Clinton's use of a private e-mail server while secretary of State in order to determine whether she mishandled classified information, with some reports suggesting the Democratic presidential front-runner may be indicted. Most voters still believe it’s likely Clinton broke the law by sending and receiving classified information through the server, but they are far less convinced that serious charges will be brought against her.
The good news for Donald Trump is that nearly half of Republicans say they’d rather vote for a candidate who has never held political office over one with political experience. The bad news is that other voters don’t share that view nearly as strongly.
Following a British government report that suggests Vladimir Putin approved of the assassination of a Russian dissident spy in England, Donald Trump is again being questioned about his generally favorable comments about the Soviet leader. As far as Trump is concerned, Putin is a strong leader and no threat to the United States.
Most voters continue to strongly doubt that the government is playing it smart with taxpayer money.
Is the government a problem or the solution to problems? It depends on which political party you belong to.
