Working-age Americans remain skeptical about receiving their Social Security benefits even though they mistakenly believe money in the Social Security Trust Fund can be used only to pay promised benefits.
Voters are fairly satisfied with the number of debates in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, but most don’t think debate moderators ask enough about the major issues facing the nation.
Most voters continue to believe global warming is a serious problem, but they still have mixed views on what the primary cause of climate change is.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 61% of Likely Voters say global warming is at least a somewhat serious problem. Thirty-five percent (35%) don’t believe climate change is a serious problem. Those figures include 28% who say it’s a Very Serious problem and 13% who believe it’s Not At All Serious. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 28-29, 2011 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.
Voters overwhelmingly reject the idea that opponents of President Obama’s policies are motivated primarily by racism, but there’s a strong difference of opinion between blacks and whites.
When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.
In September, the number who Strongly Approved of the president’s job performance was at 21%.
Americans believe more strongly than ever that China is a long-term threat to the United States, and they overwhelmingly feel that threat is economic rather than military.
Most voters still favor repeal of the national health care law, but support for repeal is at its lowest level since May. Most also continue to expect the law to drive up health care costs and the federal deficit.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 51% at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, including 41% who Strongly Favor it. Thirty-nine percent (39%) at least somewhat oppose repeal, with 28% who are Strongly Opposed. (To see survey question wording.
In 2008, Barack Obama became the first Democrat to win Virginia’s Electoral College votes since the Beatles were a brand new act in America in 1964. However, an early look at the 2012 race in the Old Dominion suggests winning twice in a row is not a sure thing for the president.
The first Rasmussen Reports Election 2012 survey in Virginia shows that 46% of the state’s Likely Voters would cast a ballot for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, while 45% would opt for President Obama. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, while five percent (5%) are undecided.
Despite the media chatter to the contrary, the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination has changed little in surveys over the past week, but a wild card may be lurking in New Jersey.
One’s in the race and at week’s end one was reportedly contemplating a run, but for now former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are both essentially even with President Obama in hypothetical Election 2012 matchups.
Few expect him to run, but New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is essentially even with President Barack Obama in an early look at a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that Obama earns 44% support in the matchup, while Christie attracts 43%. Six percent (6%) prefer a third option, and eight percent (8%) are undecided.
One of the most closely watched 2012 U.S. Senate races – the showdown in Virginia – is virtually dead even.
While few Americans see Russia as an enemy of the United States, they still don’t have high opinions of the man who will likely reclaim his role as its president.
It’s an idea that’s been around for decades of deficit spending and most voters nationwide like the idea of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But they don’t expect it to happen.
Herman Cain did well in last week’s GOP debate and won a decisive straw poll victory in Florida, but his numbers in a general election match-up against President Obama are little changed.
Out of a list of five Republican candidates running for the White House in 2012, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is the only one a plurality of all voters considers qualified for the job. But Republican voters tend to see three top candidates as qualified.
A generic Republican candidate has fallen into a near tie with President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election match-up for the week ending Sunday, September 25.
A month ago, they were neck-and-neck. Now President Obama has a 10-point lead over Texas Congressman Ron Paul in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup.
Voters strongly support term limits for all members of Congress but don’t think it’s very likely the national legislators will vote to limit how long they can serve. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of Likely U.S. Voters favor establishing term limits for all members of Congress. Just 14% oppose setting such limits, and 15% are undecided about them. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The execution of Troy Davis last week for murdering a Georgia policeman prompted controversy here and abroad, but it did little to shift opinions on the death penalty. Still, a sizable majority of Americans worries that people may be executed for crimes they didn't commit.
Rasmussen Reports periodically asks Likely U.S. Voters to rate political labels, and the latest national telephone survey finds that 39% consider it a positive when a political candidate is described as being “pro-gun.”
