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Politics

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May 6, 2011

Obama’s National Security Ratings Jump Following bin Laden Death

Even more than the improvement in his overall job approval ratings, grades for President Obama’s national security performance have bounced higher following the weekend killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. Navy SEALs. But ratings for the president’s handling of economic issues have held relatively steady.

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May 6, 2011

84% Think It’s Likely Pakistan Knew Where Osama Was Hiding

What did Pakistan know and when did it know it? Americans overwhelmingly believe top Pakistani officials knew Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts and strongly oppose further U.S. aid to the country where the top terrorist was found.

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May 6, 2011

Just One-in-Five Think They Share The Ideology of the Average Democrat or Republican in Congress

Most voters continue to feel they have very little in common ideologically with the average member of Congress. But Republicans in Congress are now seen as more conservative than they were a month ago.

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May 5, 2011

Just 15% Believe Trump is Seriously Seeking Presidency

Most voters seem to think The Donald is mostly a media creation and isn’t a serious contender for the presidency. They also increasingly don’t like him.

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May 5, 2011

Bin Laden Death Hasn’t Raised Terrorism Fears in U.S.

Americans remain highly concerned about the possibility of a terrorist attack in the United States in the near future, but that concern has not increased because of the killing of Osama bin Laden. Most also feel bin Laden’s death will not worsen U.S. relations with the Muslim world.

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May 4, 2011

86% Approve of Obama’s Decision to Kill bin Laden

Americans overwhelmingly endorse President Obama’s decision to kill Osama bin Laden and don’t believe a greater effort should have been made to bring the terrorist mastermind to trial.

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May 4, 2011

51% See Free Market As Better Way To Reduce Health Care Costs

While support for repeal of the national health care law has fallen to its lowest level yet, most voters still believe free market competition rather than more government is the better way to reduce the cost of health care in America.

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May 3, 2011

Christie Leads, Trump Loses When GOP Voters Asked Who They’d Definitely Vote For or Against

The real Republican presidential primary race is still months away, but for now New Jersey Governor Chris Christie appears to have the solidest support when likely primary voters are asked who they would definitely vote for. More primary voters say they would definitely vote against Donald Trump than for him.

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May 2, 2011

Obama’s Full-Month Rating Remains Stable

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.

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May 2, 2011

Support for Repeal of Health Care Law Falls to New Low at 47%

For the first time since Democrats in Congress passed the national health care bill in March of last year, support for repeal of the measure has fallen below 50%.

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May 2, 2011

Americans Celebrate Following bin Laden Death

As news circulated on Sunday night about the death of al Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, Americans responded to the end of the manhunt with expressions of joy, satisfaction and patriotism.

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April 30, 2011

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending April 29, 2011

The names have it. At this stage of the presidential campaign process, name-recognition is what it’s largely all about.

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April 29, 2011

Bachmann Leads GOP Dark Horse Pack

What if they held a Republican Primary contest and the front-runners didn’t show up? Or what if voters look for anybody but the front-runner? How do primary voters view the dark horses who are possible contenders for the party’s 2012 presidential nomination?

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April 29, 2011

Romney, Christie Neck-and-Neck Among GOP Primary Voters If Some Big Names Don’t Run

In the past few days Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump have both removed their names from consideration for the 2012 GOP Presidential nomination.

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April 28, 2011

76% See China as Bigger Economic Threat Than Military One

The International Monetary Fund has now projected that China will surpass the United States as the world's number one economy by 2016, and Americans overwhelmingly believe China represents a bigger threat to America economically than militarily these days.

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April 28, 2011

National GOP Primary Poll: Trump 19% Romney 17% Huckabee 15%

Republican primary voters at this early stage of the game now give billionaire developer Donald Trump the edge over presumptive favorites Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee in the race to be the GOP’s presidential nominee in 2012.

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April 27, 2011

Americans Are Reluctant to Defend Any of These Allies

The United States has military defense treaties with over 50 other nations. In addition to surveys about countries regularly in the news, Rasmussen Reports has been periodically asking Americans how they feel about defending some of these treaty countries if they are attacked. On the most recent list of nine countries, American Adults don’t feel strongly about defending any of them.

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April 27, 2011

72% Say Taxpayers Not Getting Their Money’s Worth from Public Schools

Voters overwhelmingly believe that taxpayers are not getting a good return on what they spend on public education, and just one-in-three voters think spending more will make a difference.

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April 27, 2011

45% Say States, Not Feds, Should Set Health Care Standards

Most voters favor repeal of the national health care law, but they’re more narrowly divided when asked whether the federal government should set health care standards for the entire country.

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April 26, 2011

67% Say U.S. Society Fair and Decent, 43% Think Obama Agrees

Most voters continue to believe U.S. society is fair and decent, but far fewer feel President Obama agrees with them.