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July 31, 2009

The Public’s View of Health Care Debate

Over the past few months, Rasmussen Reports has conducted many surveys on the topic of health care reform. As July comes to an end and Congress prepares to take a break from Washington, the following reports highlight public attitudes on a variety of health care topics.

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July 31, 2009

50% Favor Cutting Mail Delivery Over Government Subsidies for Postal Service

Half of Americans (50%) would rather cut back the number of days mail is delivered than have the federal government subsidize the U.S. Postal Service to maintain its current level of service.

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July 31, 2009

Rasmussen Reports Daily Prediction Challenge: School Year

The daily Rasmussen Reports Prediction Challenge for Thursday focuses on the school year.

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July 31, 2009

58% Concerned About Fall Outbreak of Swine Flu

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Americans are at least somewhat concerned that swine flu will become a more serious problem in the fall with the arrival of the traditional flu season. Twenty-four percent (24%) are very concerned, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

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July 31, 2009

Lieutenant Governor Mania By Larry Sabato

In the mid-nineteenth century, a delegate to a Virginia constitutional convention argued against the office of lieutenant governor, calling it, "the fifth wheel of a wagon, and much more useless." Worse has been said about the vice presidency over the centuries. Franklin Roosevelt's first VP, John Nance Garner, declared his position was not worth a pitcher of warm spit. He actually cited another bodily excretion, but the press of the day cleaned up the language.

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July 31, 2009

No Thin Line Between Murder and Hate By Debra J. Saunders

When the Senate passed a federal hate-crimes measure by a 63-28 earlier this month, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., proclaimed, "This legislation will help to address the serious and growing problem of hate crimes."

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July 31, 2009

41% Like Obama's Handling of National Security

Forty-one percent (41%) of U.S. voters now rate President Obama’s job performance in the area of national security as good or excellent, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

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July 31, 2009

Republicans Looking Crazy on Health Care By Froma Harrop

Some attacks on health care reform are so ludicrous that you don't think they need answering. A recent example invokes an evil plot to save money by knocking off the elderly. Though nuts, the charges have gotten so much attention that someone has to actually say, "No, they're not killing Grandma."

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July 30, 2009

Rasmussen Reports Daily Prediction Challenge: Hillary Clinton

The daily Rasmussen Reports Prediction Challenge for Thursday focuses on Hillary Clinton.

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July 30, 2009

32% of Women Have Read At Least One Harry Potter Book

Nearly one-out-of-three women in America (32%) have read at least one of the fictional Harry Potter books, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fourteen percent (14%) say they have read every one of the books by author J.K. Rowling.

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July 30, 2009

41% For, 37% Against Sotomayor’s Confirmation to Supreme Court

The Senate next week is expected to confirm the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, but voters remain closely divided over whether that’s a good idea.

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July 30, 2009

Are Republicans the Economic Pessimists? By Lawrence Kudlow

Are Republicans too pessimistic about the economy? I put this question to Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., this week, and it would be hard to describe his response as optimistic. The senator trash-talked Vice President Joe Biden's recent defense of the stimulus in The New York Times, and he warned that any economic rebound will be short-lived because of the runaway spending-and-borrowing plans of the Obama administration.

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July 30, 2009

30% Give Obama Good Marks for Handling of Gates Incident

In an effort to defuse a national controversy, President Obama is hosting a black Harvard professor and the policeman who arrested him at the White House today, but just 30% of U.S. voters give the president good or excellent marks for his handling of the situation over the past week.

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July 30, 2009

A Time, Again, for Bill Clinton By Joe Conason

In his struggle to change the nation's health care system, Barack Obama again faces certain obstacles that almost stopped his amazing march to the presidency. Aside from the Washington chattering class and the right-wing media, which always oppose progressive reform, Mr. Obama is losing his grip on the middle class and working families in swing states. He is losing Democratic senators and members of Congress in places like Florida and Arkansas. He is losing the propaganda war with his professorial style of explanation.

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July 30, 2009

35% Favor Vick’s Return To NFL, 39% Oppose

The National Football League on Monday partially reinstated Michael Vick after his 18-month prison term for running a dogfighting ring, but Americans are closely divided over whether it’s a good idea for the league to let the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback play again.

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July 30, 2009

Obama Has Aura but Doesn't Know How To Legislate By Michael Barone

Aura dazzles, but argument gets things done. Consider the debate on the Democrats' health care bill and the increasingly negative response to Barack Obama's performance.

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July 29, 2009

34% Say U.S. Headed in Right Direction

Thirty-four percent (34%) of likely voters now believe the United States is heading in the right direction, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s up three points over the past week and ties the level found during the first week of July.

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July 29, 2009

75% Favor Auditing The Fed

So much for the ongoing secrecy of the nation’s independent central banking system. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of Americans favor auditing the Federal Reserve and making the results available to the public.

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July 29, 2009

52% Like Bernanke’s Public Outreach, but Fed Chairman’s Favorables Are Down

Ben Bernanke’s unprecedented appearance at a town hall forum this week is part of the Federal Reserve Board chairman’s increasing public outreach, and 52% of Americans think it’s good for the economy for Bernanke to be speaking out more.

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July 29, 2009

Rasmussen Reports Daily Prediction Challenge: Swine Flu

The daily Rasmussen Reports Prediction Challenge for Wednesday focuses on an experimental vaccine for swine flu.