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Politics

Most Recent Releases

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September 3, 2009

51% Say Congress is Too Liberal, 22% Say It’s Too Conservative

Fifty-one percent (51%) of voters nationwide believe that Congress is too liberal while 22% hold the opposite view and say it is too conservative. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 14% say the ideological balance of Congress is about right and 12% are not sure.

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September 2, 2009

Virginia Governor: McDonnell 51% Deeds 42%

In the race to become the next Governor of Virginia, Republican Robert F. McDonnell retains a steady lead over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds.

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September 2, 2009

68% Say Passage of Health Care Reform Will Increase Deficit

Despite President Barack Obama’s promise that any health care reform legislation will be deficit-neutral, 68% of voters nationwide say that passage of the Congressional health care reform legislation is likely to create larger deficits.

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September 2, 2009

Democrats See Their Congressmen Holding Similar Views to Democratic Voters

Just 27% of Democratic voters say the average Democratic member of Congress is more liberal than the average Democrat.

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September 1, 2009

42% Say People Randomly Selected from Phone Book Better Than Current Congress

Forty-two percent (42%) of U.S. voters say a group of people randomly selected from the phone book would do a better job than the current Congress. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that an identical number (42%) disagree, but 16% are not sure.

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September 1, 2009

Republican Voters Say GOP Reps in Congress Still Out of Touch

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republican voters say their party’s representatives in Congress have lost touch with GOP voters nationwide over the past several years. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 18% of GOP voters believe their elected officials have done a good job representing the base.

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September 1, 2009

Obama Approval Index Month-by-Month: August 2009

When you track the President’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 has compiled the numbers on a full-month basis and the results can be seen in the graphics below.

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September 1, 2009

Fear of Potential Terrorist Attack Has Declined

Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans believe it is at least somewhat likely that there will be a significant terrorist attack in the United States in the next year. That figure is down from 70% in the summer of 2007 and 58% in December 2008.

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August 31, 2009

Climate Change Bill Gets Mixed Reviews

Since the flurry of activity surrounding its passage by the House in late June, little has been heard about the historic climate change bill aimed at curbing global warming. But the Senate will be tackling the controversial measure when it returns to Washington next week.

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August 31, 2009

29% Confident That Congress Knows What It’s Doing on Economy

Two-out-of-three American voters (67%) lack confidence that Congress knows what it’s doing when it comes to the economy.

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August 30, 2009

57% Would Like to Replace Entire Congress

If they could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress, just 25% of voters nationwide would keep the current batch of legislators.

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August 29, 2009

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending August 28, 2009

The death this week of longtime Democratic Senator Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy means one of two things for the troubled health care reform plan proposed by President Obama: Either the plan has lost one of its most powerful advocates or now its supporters have an emotional rallying point to successfully push for passage. Only time will tell.

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August 28, 2009

39% Like “Cash for Clunkers” Program for Appliances

Thirty-nine percent (39%) of Americans favor a “cash for clunkers”-like government program to give cash rebates to people who buy new, energy-efficient appliances, but 49% think it’s a bad idea, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

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August 27, 2009

60% Say Media Covers Obama’s Personal Life Too Much

Sixty percent (60%) of Americans say there is too much media coverage of President Obama’s personal life and family, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

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August 27, 2009

Support for Health Care Legislation Has Stopped Falling, But Most Still Opposed

As August winds down, the good news for President Obama and congressional Democrats is that support for their proposed health care legislation has stopped falling. The bad news is that most voters oppose the plan.

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August 27, 2009

49% Oppose Justice Department Probe of Bush-era CIA

Forty-nine percent (49%) of U.S. voters disagree with the Justice Department’s decision to investigate the treatment and possible torture of terrorists during the Bush administration, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

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August 27, 2009

New Jersey: Christie Still Leads, But It’s Getting Closer

Republican challenger Chris Christie continues to lead incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine in New Jersey’s closely watched gubernatorial race, but his lead is slipping a bit.

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August 26, 2009

24% Say Democrats Should Pass Health Care Reform Without GOP Votes

If Democrats agree on a health care reform bill that is opposed by all Republicans in Congress, 24% of voters nationwide say the Democrats should pass that bill.

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August 25, 2009

Voters Say They Know Health Care Bill Better Than Congress

Most voters think they understand the health care reform legislation proposed by President Obama better than Congress does - and about as well as the president himself.

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August 25, 2009

75% Worried That Gitmo Closing Will Set Dangerous Terrorists Free

Seventy-five percent (75%) of U.S. voters are at least somewhat concerned that dangerous terrorists will be set free if the Guantanamo prison camp is closed and some prisoners are transferred to other countries. Fifty-six percent (56%) are very concerned.