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November 26, 2014

26% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Just 26% of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending November 23.

For the previous three weeks, this finding held steady at 27%. The number of voters who think the country is on the right course has now ranged from 23% to 27% nearly every week since early June and has been below 30% most weeks since June of last year.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
     
 The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from November 17-23, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 26, 2014

More Americans Have Thanksgiving Travel Plans

One-in-four Americans plan to be out of town this Thanksgiving.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 25% of American Adults plan to travel away from home over the long holiday weekend, up from 22% last year and 18% in 2012. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook

This survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on November 25, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 26, 2014

Just 28% Favor Expanded U.S. Combat Role in Afghanistan

Voters aren’t enthusiastic about President Obama’s plan to expand the military's fighting mission in Afghanistan, but they’re slightly more confident an American win is possible in the nation’s longest-running war.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now consider Afghanistan a vital national security interest for the United States, up slightly from 32% in February and 36% in late May. Just as many (39%) disagree, but that’s down from 48% six months ago. A sizable 22% are still not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 24-25, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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November 26, 2014

Thanks, Property Rights! By John Stossel

This Thanksgiving, I give thanks for something our forebears gave us: property rights.

People associate property rights with greed and selfishness, but they are keys to our prosperity. Things go wrong when resources are held in common.

Oliver Hoffmann / Shutterstock.com
November 26, 2014

Americans Worry About Credit Card Use But Not Their Own

There remains a large gap between the number of adults who feel most Americans use their credit cards too much and the number who think those overspenders include them.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 82% of American Adults have at least one credit card, including 40% who have three or more. Forty-two percent (42%) report having one or two credit cards. Just 16% say they don’t have any. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook

This survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on November 23-24, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Eugene Parciasepe / Shutterstock.com
November 25, 2014

Americans Say Wait For Official Charges Before Pulling Cosby Shows

Though nearly half of Americans think it’s likely the recent sexual assault allegations against comedian Bill Cosby are true, they still think television networks should hold off on pulling his shows until he is officially charged with a crime.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of American Adults have a favorable impression of Cosby, including 16% who have a Very Favorable impression of him. Thirty-six percent (36%) view “The Cosby Show” star unfavorably, including 14% with a Very Unfavorable impression. Another 22% are not sure what they think of Cosby. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).    Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on November 23-24, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 25, 2014

75% Say It’s Very Important to Be a U.S. Citizen

Americans put a great deal of importance on being a U.S. citizen, but nearly one-in-three think it’s too easy to become one.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 92% of American Adults think being a citizen of the United States is at least somewhat important, including 75% who think it’s Very Important. Just six percent (6%) don’t see the importance, including three percent (3%) who say it’s Not At All Important to be a U.S. citizen. This shows little change from last September. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).   Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on November 21-22, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 25, 2014

Clinton Still Leads Democrats, GOP Race Wide Open for 2016

Hillary Clinton remains the heavy favorite for her party’s presidential nomination in 2016, but the Republican race is still in flux less than two years before the election.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 62% of Likely Democratic Voters would choose Clinton if the 2016 Democratic presidential primary were held in their state today. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts is a distant second with 17% support. Vice President Joe Biden draws seven percent (7%) of the vote, while former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley are each the choice of just two percent (2%) of Democratic voters. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 20-21, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology

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November 25, 2014

Loving Uber Less by Froma Harrop

Some Uber customers are reportedly deleting the car-hailing service's app from their cellphones. Here is the reason, which may come on top of other reasons:

An Uber exec talked about hiring an investigative team to find dirt on journalists writing unflattering things about the company. Emil Michael, a senior VP, told BuzzFeed News that he might spend $1 million to dig deep into their "personal lives" and "families."

November 25, 2014

8% Rate Congress Good or Excellent

Even though they just voted in a new Republican majority, voters still give Congress dismal marks and the majority believe members get reelected because the system is rigged.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) of Likely U.S. Voters rate Congress’s performance as good or excellent, unchanged from the last two months. Sixty-four percent (64%) rate their performance as poor, also in line with earlier surveys. (To see survey question wording, click here).

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 20-21, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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November 25, 2014

Nobody Is Pushing Thomas Piketty's Policies to Combat Economic Inequality by Michael Barone

Last spring, you may remember, the French economist Thomas Piketty was all the rage in certain enlightened circles. His book "Capital" shot up to the No. 1 spot on bestseller lists, and many economists praised his statistics showing increased income and wealth inequality. Piketty argued that, absent a world war, returns to capital will exceed economic growth, inevitably producing growing inequality in the 21st  century.

November 24, 2014

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 39%

Two weeks after they won full control of Congress, Republicans now lead Democrats by four points on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending November 23 finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while 39% would choose the Democrat. This is the largest lead the Republicans have held since early August.

November 24, 2014

Most Expect Violent Protests in Wake of Ferguson Decision

Americans strongly believe there will be violent protests if the white police officer who killed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri is not charged with murder, and they continue to think those protesters will mostly be criminals taking advantage of the situation.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 81% of American Adults think it’s at least somewhat likely that there will be violent protests if Officer Darren Wilson is not charged with murder in the shooting of Brown. Just 10% don’t think there will be violent protests. This includes 57% who say the protests are Very Likely and just two percent (2%) who say it’s Not At All Likely. Ten percent (10%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on November 19-20, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 24, 2014

40% Approve of Obama's Immigration Plan

Half of the nation’s voters don’t like President Obama’s recently announced changes to the U.S. immigration system and think it will be bad for the economy, and a majority believes the new plan will attract more illegal immigrants.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of the president’s new plan that will allow nearly five million illegal immigrants to remain in this country legally and apply for jobs. Fifty percent (50%) oppose the plan. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 22-23, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 24, 2014

35% Say They’ve Been Hurt By Obamacare

A growing number of voters say their health insurance coverage has changed as a result of the new national health care law, and the most in over a year now say that change has been negative.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now say their health insurance coverage has changed because of the law, up one point from last month. That number has been steadily climbing from 25% a year ago when the law made its public debut. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 22-23, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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November 23, 2014

Who’s Your Competition on Black Friday?

One-out-of-three Americans think they’ll be among the holiday shopping crowds this Black Friday, but there’s still not much enthusiasm for going to stores that begin their sales early on Thanksgiving Day.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of American Adults think they are at least somewhat likely to go shopping on the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of Black Friday sales deals. That includes 14% who are Very Likely to do so. But 66% consider Black Friday shopping unlikely, with 35% who say it is Not At All Likely they’ll be in the stores that day. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on November 17-18, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 22, 2014

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending November 22

Did someone miss the message on Election Day? Actions this week by President Obama and in the Senate suggest that we can look forward to another two years of hyper-intense partisanship.

The president on Thursday announced his long-anticipated plan – without congressional approval – that will allow nearly five million illegal immigrants to remain in this country legally and apply for jobs. Republican leaders, scheduled to take control of the full Congress in January, had asked Obama to delay the decision, saying it would poison their future relations. Most voters oppose the amnesty plan and think the government is not aggressive enough in deporting illegal immigrants.

November 21, 2014

38% Rate Obama’s Leadership Positively

For the second time this year, the number of voters who rate President Obama’s leadership positively has reached a three-year low.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the president is doing a good or excellent job. This ties the low first reached in August. Obama's positives have generally run in the mid-40s in regular surveys since he took office. Forty-four percent (44%) of voters think the president is doing a poor job, in line with findings for the past two years. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 18-19, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 21, 2014

48% Expect Higher Interest Rates Next Year

While most Americans say their interest rates haven’t changed over the past year, roughly half still expect them to go up over the next 12 months.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% of American Adults say they’re paying higher interest rates today than they were a year ago, in line with surveys the past few months but down from 24% in June and July.

Twelve percent (12%) are paying lower rates than a year ago. Most Americans (63%) say their interest rates have stayed about the same, also in line with recent surveys. (To see survey questions wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on November 15-16, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 21, 2014

Few Expect Ferguson Police Officer To Be Charged

Americans don’t expect the white police officer who killed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri to be charged with murder and oppose the U.S. Justice Department trying to prosecute him after that.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 23% of American Adults believe police officer Darren Wilson should be found guilty of murder in the Brown case. That’s unchanged from mid-August just after the shooting occurred. But now 39% think the officer was acting in self-defense, up from 26% three months ago. Thirty-eight percent (38%) are still undecided, but that compares to 51% in the first survey. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on November 19-20, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.