62% Hold Populist, or Mainstream, Views
Sixty-two percent (62%) of voters nationwide now hold populist, or Mainstream, views of government. That’s up from 55% earlier in the year. These voters are skeptical of both big government and big business.
Public Content
Most Recent Releases
September 18, 2009
September 18, 2009
51% Say Congress Should Stop Funding ACORN
Fifty-one percent (51%) of U.S. voters now say Congress should end all federal funding of the controversial community organizing group ACORN.
September 18, 2009
57% Say GM Will Need More Bailout Funds
A new government report concludes that taxpayers are unlikely ever to be repaid for much of the bailout money already given to General Motors, but 57% of Americans believe it’s likely the government will have to provide even more bailout funding to keep GM in business. That figure includes 23% who say an additional funding request is very likely.
September 18, 2009
The Presidential Jinx By Larry J. Sabato
It was nearly twenty years ago. While assessing L. Douglas Wilder's 1989 victory for governor of Virginia, I first noticed that for four consecutive elections (1977, 1981, 1985, and 1989), the Old Dominion had voted for the gubernatorial nominee of the party opposite to the one controlling the White House. It merited a paragraph, but nothing more.
September 18, 2009
Opposition to Health Care Plan Hits New High of 56%
One week after President Obama’s speech to Congress, opposition to his health care reform plan has reached a new high of 55%. The latest Rasmussen Reports daily tracking poll shows that just 42% now support the plan, matching the low first reached in August.
September 18, 2009
What Americans Really Want Is Health Care Reform By Froma Harrop
"Obama's Speech Doesn't Turn the Tide," reads an ABC News headline about new poll results on public reaction to the president's address on health care reform. An interesting take, given that the tide doesn't need turning.
September 18, 2009
Economy Still Tops List of Voter Concerns
No matter how we ask the question, voters continue to put economic issues such as jobs and economic growth highest on their list of concerns.
September 18, 2009
Job-Killing Policies Could Doom Democrat Hopes By Michael Barone
"The level of unemployment is unacceptably high. And will, by all forecasts, remain unacceptably high for a number of years."
September 17, 2009
53% Oppose More Regulation of U.S. Financial System
President Obama in a speech on Wall Street this week repeated his call for greater oversight of the U.S. financial system, but opposition to more government regulation in that area of the economy has now risen to 53%.
September 17, 2009
48% Want Abortion Coverage Banned in Health Care Plan
The health care reform legislation working its way through Congress faces many obstacles primarily because it touches so many aspects of life. The abortion issue is one more with the potential to create a lose-lose situation for advocates of the plan.
September 17, 2009
Consumers Can Read The Writing On the Wall, Why Can't Government? By Howard Rich
Over the last three decades, American consumers have demonstrated precious little in the way of fiscal responsibility. Rather than adopting a motto of "spend only what you earn" and carrying on the frugality of previous generations, we've witnessed the dawning of an "age of credit." Little plastic cards have promised (and delivered) instant gratification to tens of millions of consumers - only to hit them later with double-digit interest rates, "fine print" which ruins their legitimate borrowing potential and condemns many to a downward cycle of debt and despair.
September 17, 2009
Joe Wilson's Dixie Partisans By Joe Conason
The stupid misconduct of entertainer Kanye West and politician Joe Wilson demonstrated, if any fresh proof is necessary, that thoughtless rudeness isn't confined by ethnicity, ideology or background. With their highly public episodes of misconduct, both earned sharp public censure.
September 17, 2009
Support for Health Care Reform Hasn’t Budged Since July
One week after President Obama’s speech to Congress, opposition to his health care reform plan has reached a new high of 55%. The latest Rasmussen Reports daily tracking poll shows that just 42% now support the plan, matching the low first reached in August.
September 17, 2009
Virginia Governor’s Race Now a Toss-up
The race to become the next governor of Virginia has gotten a lot closer. Right now, it’s effectively a toss-up between Republican Robert F. McDonnell and Democrat R. Creigh Deeds.
September 17, 2009
Inside the Glorious Nation of ACORN By Debra J. Saunders
I would not go see the film "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" because I found more cruelty than humor in deliberately exposing unwitting civilians to the easy ridicule of smug sophomores.
September 17, 2009
Hutchison Catches Perry to Make Texas GOP Gov Race a Toss-Up
The volatile 2010 Republican Primary race for governor in Texas has become a toss-up, with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison currently inching ahead of incumbent Rick Perry by two points – 40% to 38%.
September 17, 2009
2010 North Carolina Senate: GOP’s Burr Tops Foes by 10 Or More
Richard Burr’s U.S. Senate seat has a recent history of high turnover, but the incumbent Republican holds double-digit leads over three Democratic challengers in an early look at North Carolina’s 2010 Senate contest.
September 16, 2009
Democrats’ Lynch Has Little To Fear So Far in 2010 New Hampshire Governor’s Race
For New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, his closest competitor in 2010 is the man who so far isn't even interested in the race.
September 16, 2009
35% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Thirty-five percent (35%) of likely voters believe the United States is heading in the right direction, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
September 16, 2009
2010 Colorado Senate: Norton 45%, Bennet 36%
Next year’s U.S. Senate race in Colorado is a lot more crowded this week, and incumbent Michael Bennet has some serious competition on hand.
