General Politics

56% Say American Society is Fair and Decent

The number of American voters who believe U.S. society is fair and decent remains just above its recent low.

A new Rasmussen Reports national survey finds that 56% of Likely U.S. Voters view American society that way. But that’s up only one point from January, which marked the lowest level of confidence since August 2012.  Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree and think society in this country is generally unfair and discriminatory. This figure has been trending downward from a five-year high of 32% last October. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on April 7-8, 2014. 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.

63% Think Members of Congress Are Overpaid

Retiring Virginia Congressman Jim Moran recently complained that members of Congress are underpaid. But most voters still think their legislators are overpaid instead, and the vast majority believes they should take pay cuts until the federal budget is balanced.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 63% of Likely Voters believe the current congressional salary of $174,000 a year is too much. Just four percent (4%) think that’s too little, while 30% say it’s about the right amount. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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 The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 7-8, 2014 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. Seemethodology. 

31% Believe U.S. Has Crony Capitalist System

Many Americans remain unconvinced that the United States has a system of free market capitalism and continue to be wary of government involvement in the economy.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of American Adults believe the United States has a system of free market capitalism, while just as many (31%) say it is a system of crony capitalism. Slightly more (37%) are not sure what kind of capitalist system America has. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 6-7, 2014, 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.

50% Are Less Likely To Vote for Another Bush in the White House

Fifty percent (50%) of Likely U.S. Voters said in a Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey last month that they are less likely to vote for Jeb Bush for president in 2016 because his father and brother have already served in the White House.

Fourteen percent (14%) said the Bush family's presidential legacy makes them more likely to vote for the former Florida governor. Thirty-four percent (34%) say it would have no impact on their voting decision. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 4-5, 2014 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.

54% Say Government Should Regulate Campaign Contributions

Voters by a two-to-one margin disagree with last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling and believe the government should control how much money people can contribute to political campaigns. But they also still think it’s a candidate’s views and not campaign contributions that provide the winning edge in an election.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters feel the government should regulate how much money individuals can give to political campaigns. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree, while 16% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 3-4, 2014 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.

60% Favor Plan to Offer Citizenship In Exchange for Military Service

House Republicans are proposing a plan that would allow young illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens by joining the military, and most voters favor such a plan.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the military should be allowed to offer U.S. citizenship to non-citizens who are willing to serve and do so honorably for at least five years. But support for that plan is down five points from 65% in early February. Twenty-five percent (25%) disagree, up from 19% in the previous survey. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 1-2, 2014 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% Support Amnesty for Edward Snowden

More voters than ever believe it is good that the American people are aware of the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance programs, but most still think the disclosures are hurting national security. One-in-four voters now supports amnesty for NSA leaker Edward Snowden in exchange for the information he still possesses.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that, regardless of what they think of Edward Snowden, 62% believe it is good for the nation that the American people know about the NSA’s surveillance programs. Sixteen percent (16%) say this increased awareness is bad for the country, while slightly more (22%) 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 30-31, 2014 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% Think IRS Should Stay Focused on Taxes, Not Obamacare

Voters continue to think the Internal Revenue Service is not aggressive enough in going after tax cheats and believe strongly than the agency should focus on tax collection rather than taking on its new task of enforcing Obamacare.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is a good use of IRS resources for the agency to police public compliance with the new national health care law. Sixty-five percent (65%) believe the IRS should remain focused on collecting taxes, up seven points from 58% in April of last year. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 28-29, 2014 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.

53% Oppose Stricter Gun Control Laws

Most voters oppose tougher gun control for the first time since the Connecticut elementary school shootings in December 2012.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 40% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the United States needs stricter gun control laws, down nine points from last May and the lowest level of support for stricter laws since February 2012. Fifty-three percent (53%) do not think the country needs tougher gun control laws, the highest level of opposition in over two years. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 26-27, 2014 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% Favor Proof of Citizenship Before Being Allowed to Vote

A federal judge last week upheld the right of states to require proof of citizenship before allowing someone to register to vote. Voters continue to overwhelmingly support such a requirement.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters believe everyone should be required to prove his or her citizenship before being allowed to register to vote. That’s up from 71% a year ago. Just 19% oppose that requirement. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 20-21, 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.

61% Oppose U.S. Giving Up Control Over Internet

The U.S. government announced last Friday that it is giving up its last bit of control over the Internet and turning it over to an international organization.But most voters think that’s a bad idea and expect countries like Russia and China to try to censor Internet content.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters oppose the United States giving up its last remaining control over the Internet. Just 18% favor that move, while 21% are not sure about it. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 18-19, 2014 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.

63% Oppose Adding Members to the House of Representatives

A national political analyst noted recently that U.S. congressional districts have far more people in them now than the Founding Fathers envisioned, and he suggested that the House of Representatives take on more members to decrease the voter-to-member ratio. But most voters don’t like that idea and think it would just make the House more out of touch.

Seventeen percent (17%) of Likely U.S. Voters favor a proposal to increase the size of the House of Representatives by 100 to 200 members to make congressional districts smaller and representatives closer to the voters. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% oppose adding more members to the House. Twenty percent (20%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 10-11, 2014 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.

New Low: 47% Say Tax Cuts Help The Economy

Despite news that President Obama is proposing $55 billion in new government spending and higher taxes in 2015, slightly fewer voters expect their own personal taxes to up during the remainder of his presidency. Most continue to believe increased spending hurts the economy, but for the first time, fewer than half of voters believe tax cuts help the economy.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% of Likely U.S. Voters expect their own personal taxes to go up under the Obama administration. That’s down eight points from December and is the lowest level measured since November 2012. Still, just eight percent (8%) expect their taxes to go down under Obama, while 43% expect them to remain about the same. Thirteen percent (13%) 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 12-13, 2014 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% Favor Gay Marriage, 43% Oppose

Voters continue to see marriage more as a religious institution than a civil one and remain closely divided on the subject of gay marriage.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters view marriage as a religious institution. Thirty-nine percent (39%) consider it a civil institution. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 10-11, 2014 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. 

67% Think CIA May Have Undercut Senate Investigation

Voters give the Central Intelligence Agency lukewarm praise for its job performance and feel pretty sure it’s been illegally interfering with a congressional investigation of its work as a leading senator charged earlier this week.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 39% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the CIA’s performance as good or excellent, although only 13% think the spy agency is doing a poor job. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 12-13, 2014 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.

60% Say Air Travel Can Never Be Made Completely Safe from Terrorism

Most Americans don’t think the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner was a victim of terrorism but also believe air travel can never be made completely safe from terrorists. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 26% of American Adults feel that terrorism is the most likely cause of the Malaysia Airlines crash. Thirty-three percent (33%) think mechanical failure is the most likely cause, while nine percent (9%) feel it’s due to human error. Eleven percent (11%) attribute it to something else. Twenty-two percent (22%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1000 American Adults was conducted on March 11-12, 2014 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.

60% Think More Government Spending, Higher Taxes Hurt the Economy

President Obama plans $55 billion in new government spending and higher taxes on some Americans for fiscal 2015, but most voters continue to believe that more spending and higher taxes hurt rather than help the economy. Cutting taxes, they say, is the better way to create new jobs.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 23% of Likely U.S. Voters think more government spending and higher taxes will help the economy. Sixty percent (60%) believe that combination will hurt the economy instead. Only eight percent (8%) say they will have no impact. (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 March 6-7, 2014 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.

66% Favor Taking Sexual Assault Cases Away From Military Commanders

Voters agree that sexual assault in the military is a serious problem and approve of legislation just rejected in the Senate that would take jurisdiction over prosecuting those cases away from the military chain of command. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 82% of Likely U.S. Voters consider sexual assault a serious problem in the military today, with 49% who say it is Very Serious. Just 12% consider the problem not very or Not At All Serious. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on March 8-9, 2014 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.

50% Think Obama Has Raised Spending Too Much

President Obama’s proposed new $3.9 trillion federal budget includes $55 billion in new spending for fiscal 2015, but one-out-of-two voters think the Obama administration has already raised spending too much.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just over half (52%) of Likely U.S. Voters correctly recognize that government spending will keep going up under the president’s new budget plan. Thirteen percent (13%) think Obama’s new budget proposal will reduce spending, while 24% believe it will keep spending about the same. Eleven percent (11%) 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 6-7, 2014 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.

Only 26% Think U.S. Spends Too Much on Defense

While the Obama administration is proposing major cuts in the national defense budget, fewer voters feel the United States overspends on defense, but awareness that this country spends more in this area than any other country has fallen to a record low.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 26% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the United States spends too much on the military and national security. That's down three points from November and the lowest finding since October 2012. Thirty-four percent (34%) don’t think this country spends enough on defense, down slightly from the previous survey but several points higher than found in most regular surveys for the last three-and-a-half years. Just as many (32%) believe the level of spending now is about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 2-3, 2014 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.