An overwhelming majority of voters nationwide want members of Congress to take a pay cut until the federal budget is balanced, and a plurality also thinks the president should chop his salary in half until that time.
Candidates will fall by the wayside as the primary battle for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination gets under way. If the race were already down to just the three top candidates, Mitt Romney would still be just slightly ahead.
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.
The debt ceiling debate has highlighted the political difficulty of coming to grips with the federal government’s massive debt. Voters now are almost evenly divided over whether they prefer a congressman who would reduce that debt with spending cuts only or opt for a mix of spending cuts and tax increases.
The inclusion of likely candidate Rick Perry has tightened the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination dramatically, with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney still ahead – but just barely.
The number of voters who see President Obama's leadership style as too confrontational has reached its highest level since the health care issue was front and center.
Take this economy, puh-leez. And while you’re at it, take this Congress and this president with you, too. That’s the message from most Americans these days.
With the debate over the nation’s debt ceiling dragging on and consumer confidence near two-year lows, voters are souring even more on President Obama's handling of economic issues.
Positive ratings for the U.S. health care system peaked last year in the midst of the health care reform debate, but they have fallen since.
With less than five days left until the federal government could begin defaulting on its debts, voters continue to express unhappiness with both sides of the debt ceiling debate. While most voters continue to believe the debt ceiling will be raised before the government defaults, most don’t think the president and Congressional Republicans will agree on significant long-term spending cuts before the 2012 elections.
Though a majority of voters believe the system of employers providing health insurance to their workers is a good one, most believe employees should be allowed to pick their own.
Voters are more convinced than ever that most congressmen are crooks.
President Obama now earns his lowest level of support yet against a generic Republican candidate in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup.
Just over one-in-five Likely U.S. Voters (22%) now support government programs that give special treatment when hiring to women and minorities.
Both major political parties are looking to next year’s elections to resolve the nation’s budget stalemate, and for now most voters would opt for a congressional candidate who balances spending cuts with tax hikes over one who’s totally opposed to any tax increases.
Economic confidence was down, down, down this week, and therein, for now at least, lies the tale of the next presidential election.
Congressman Ron Paul may be a long shot to win the Republican presidential nomination, but he runs competitively with President Obama right now.
Most voters don’t care much for the way either political party is performing in the federal debt ceiling debate.
While Washington wrangles over how to avoid defaulting on the government’s massive debt load, voters are worried the final deal will raise taxes too much but won't cut spending enough.
Even if the president and Congress can agree on a plan to raise the debt ceiling that raises taxes on the wealthy and cuts spending, less than half of America’s voters believe the spending cuts would actually happen.
