General Politics

28% Conservative on Both Fiscal, Social Issues

A plurality of U.S. voters considers themselves fiscal conservatives, but they are more evenly divided when it comes to social issues. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely Voters now define themselves as conservative when it comes to fiscal issues such as taxes, government spending and business regulation. Thirty-six percent (36%) characterize themselves as moderates in this area.  Just 14% are fiscal liberals.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

44% of TV Viewers Say There Are More Negative Campaign Ads This Year

Candidates are receiving unprecedented amounts of campaign financing as a result of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling back in March 2010, so perhaps it’s no surprise that television viewers are noticing more political attack ads than ever this election.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of TV Viewers say there is more negative political advertising this election year than in previous years.  Only eight percent (8%) feel there are fewer negative ads, while 41% think the number is about the same as in past election years. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 28-29, 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.

49% Say Syrian Government Likely to Use Chemical Weapons Against Opponents

As the violent rebellion continues in Syria, top officials have warned that President Bashar Assad’s regime is prepared to use chemical weapons against foreign attacks. Half of U.S. voters say it’s likely the Syrian government will use chemical weapons against its opponents and a sizable number say the United States should aid the rebels if that were to happen.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 49% believe it is at least somewhat likely that the Syrian government will use chemical weapons against its opponents, but that includes just 14% who see this action as Very Likely. Twenty-four percent (24%) don’t see Syria’s government taking this action, with just four percent (4%) say it’s Not At All Likely. But 26% of voters are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

47% Say It's Too Easy To Get Food Stamps

Nearly half of Americans now think it's too easy to get food stamps, but a majority agrees that tough economic times are driving the demand for them.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of American Adults believe it is too easy to get food stamps in this country. That number has been trending up from 40% in surveys since December 2010. Eighteen percent (18%) think it is too hard to get food stamps, in line with previous surveys. One-in-four (24%) think the level of eligibility is about right, but another 11% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 16-17, 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.

62% Put Economic Growth Ahead of Economic Fairness

Voters view economic growth as much more important than economic fairness and think Mitt Romney favors growth while President Obama is more focused on fairness.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Likely U.S. Voters consider encouraging economic growth as a more important role for the government than ensuring economic fairness. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 30% of voters believe it’s more important for the government to ensure economic fairness. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

66% Believe U.S. Has Too Much Government Power, Too Little Freedom

From the beginning of the nation, Americans have recognized a necessary tension between giving power to government and maintaining individual freedom. The Federalist Papers, written to advocate ratification of the Constitution, noted that when creating a government “the people must cede to it some of their natural rights in order to vest it with requisite powers.”

Today, however, 66% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that there is too much government power and too little individual freedom. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) believe the opposite to be true. Twenty-two percent (22%) think the balance is about right.  (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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 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.

49% Favor Strict Legal Interpretation of the Constitution

Did the Founding Fathers mean what they said or did they view the U.S. Constitution as just a set of principles to guide the nation? That legal debate continues to this day.

But nearly half (49%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe the Constitution should be strictly interpreted as written, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Forty-three percent (43%) disagree and say they are more inclined to view it as a “living document” subject to constant reinterpretation depending on the changing times. (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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 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.

Most Voters Favor Photo ID At Polls, Don’t See It As Discrimination

The Obama administration is in federal court this week challenging Texas’ new law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. Attorney General Eric Holder told the NAACP yesterday that such laws are like the poll taxes of old intended to keep blacks from voting.  But most voters don’t see it that way.

In fact, Rasmussen Reports polling finds that only 21% of Likely U.S. Voters nationwide think it’s discriminatory to require all voters to prove their identity before being allowed to vote.  Seventy-three percent (73%) disagree and say such a requirement does not discriminate against some voters. That's consistent with past polling on the topic.

But then 56% of voters oppose the Justice Department’s decision to challenge the legality of Texas’ new law in court.  Thirty-three percent (33%) agree with that decision, and 11% are undecided.

(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.

35% View Tea Party Favorably, 42% Do Not

Voters have a slightly more favorable view of the Tea Party than they did at the first of the year, but that support is still well below where it was three years ago when the grass roots movement came into existence to protest President Obama’s growth of government. A wide partisan difference of opinion remains.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 35% of Likely U.S. Voters now share a favorable opinion of the Tea Party movement. That compares to 31%  in January, the all-time low in favorability to date, and a high of 51% in mid-April 2009.

Forty-two percent (42%) view the Tea Party unfavorably, while another 24% are not sure what they thing of the group.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 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.

Only 7% Support Legal Reasoning That Led to Greater Government Regulation

In 1942, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could regulate how much wheat a farmer could grow on his own property for his own use. That ruling dramatically enhanced the power of the federal government by making almost all economic activity subject to federal regulation as “interstate commerce." However, voters today overwhelmingly reject that underlying argument.

40% Trust Local Government More Than State, Federal

Americans have more trust in local government than any other level in our federalist system.

Forty percent (40%) trust local government the most. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 23% trust the federal government the most and only 12% have most confidence in state governments.  (To see question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on July 5, 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.

26% Conservative on Both Fiscal, Social Issues

Although the number of Democrats in country is still at its highest level of this year, more voters remain conservative on both fiscal and social issues. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 26% of Likely U.S. Voters say they are both fiscal and social conservatives.  Just 10% say they are liberal in both areas, while 63% are some other combination.   (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 27-28, 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.

Most Say Feds Should Handle Banks; Look to States for Minimum Wage, Gambling

Americans want federal government rather than state governments to regulate banks and financial institutions, but think states should handle gambling and minimum wage. On other issues, adults are more evenly divided. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 67% of American Adults think it’s better for the federal government rather than state governments to deal with banks and other financial institutions. Twenty-seven percent (27%) prefer state governments more in this area. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on July 5, 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.

Americans Still Agree With Declaration of Independence

With Independence Day just around the corner, most Americans still strongly agree with the central tenets of the document that declared the nation's independence from Great Britain 236 years ago.

The Declaration of Independence, ratified by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, asserts that “governments derive their only just powers from the consent of the governed.” A new Rasmussen Reports national survey finds that 70% of American Adults agree with that statement, up from 66% last year and up from 56% in 2008. Just 13% now disagree with this assertion, but 17% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

30% Say America Better Off Today Than Four Years Ago

Most Americans don’t believe the county is better off today than it was four years ago, but they'd still rather live here than anywhere else in the world. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 30% of American Adults think the nation is better off today than it was four years ago. But twice as many (60%) don’t believe the United States is better off today. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

58% Say An Overly Powerful Government Is A Bigger Danger Than A Weak One

As they have for years, Americans feel a government that is too powerful is a bigger problem than a government that is not powerful enough. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of American Adults say a government that is too powerful is the bigger danger in the world today, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  (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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 24-25, 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.

66% Put National Security Ahead of Human Rights

Former President Jimmy Carter complained earlier this week that the United States is “abandoning its role … as the global champion of human rights.” But most Americans put national security ahead of human rights when it comes to foreign policy and think the best thing the United States can do is be a good role model for others.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of American Adults think the United States is a positive role model for the rest of the world when it comes to human rights, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 19% disagree, but another 15% 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 Americans nationwide was conducted on June 26-27, 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.

71% Say Democratic Leaders Liberal, Republicans Leaders Conservative

Voters continue to see a sharp ideological difference between the leaderships of the two major political parties, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of Likely U.S. Voters describe the leadership of the Democratic Party as liberal, and the identical number (71%) believe the leadership of the Republican Party is conservative. These findings include 43% who think Democratic leaders are Very Liberal versus 36% who feel the GOP leadership is Very Conservative.  (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 national survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on June 23-24, 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.

57% Say Constitution Should be Left Alone

As Independence Day nears, most Americans still believe the U.S. Constitution should be upheld and left as is.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of American Adults think the Constitution should be left alone, although that's down from 63% last year.  Thirty-nine percent (39%) think the Constitution needs some minor changes, and just three percent (3%) think it needs major changes.  Though the option was given, no one thinks the United States should scrap the foundational document and start over. (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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 24-25, 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.

53% Say Neither Party Represents American People

Most voters think for the first time that Republicans have a plan for the future, but they remain more divided over whether the same is true of Democrats. However, more voters than ever believe neither party represents the American people.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the Republican Party has a plan for where it wants to take the nation. That’s up 19 points from 35% in February 2010 and the first time a majority of voters has said that of either major party. Just 27% believe the GOP does not have a plan for the future, but another 19% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here).

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 23-24, 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.