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August 6, 2014

Are States, National Guard the Answer to Illegal Immigration?

Most voters rate the federal government’s handling of illegal immigration as poor and think states should be able to act on their own to stop the problem. They also favor use of the National Guard in their own state to deal with illegal immigrants.

Just 13% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the federal government is doing a good or excellent job dealing with the illegal immigration problem in this country. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% rate the government’s performance in this area as poor. (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 August 4-5, 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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August 6, 2014

Patrolmen Without Borders By John Stossel

If I drive across a U.S. border, I expect to stop at a Border Patrol checkpoint. But imagine driving to the grocery store, or Mom's house, well inside America, and being stopped by the Border Patrol. Many Americans don't have to imagine it -- it's how they live.    

August 6, 2014

Just A Few Are Attracted to Internet Giving

The Internet is becoming a destination for fundraising as “crowdfunding” websites like Kickstarter, GoFundMe and IndieGoGo are being used to fund everything from medical expenses to major motion pictures and even making potato salad.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of American Adults would donate money to a fundraising website. Fifty-seven percent (57%) would not, but 11% 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 survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 30-31, 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.

August 5, 2014

44% View Kerry Favorably

Despite his increased involvement in foreign policy hotspots like Israel and Ukraine, Secretary of State John Kerry continues to draw decidedly mixed views from U.S. voters.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters hold at least a somewhat favorable opinion of Kerry, while just as many (44%) view him unfavorably. This includes 12% with a Very Favorable opinion of the former Massachusetts senator and 26% with a Very Unfavorable one. (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 July 29-30, 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.

August 5, 2014

6% Think Congress Is Doing A Good or Excellent Job

As Congress heads off on a five-week recess, voters continue to express a very low opinion of the legislators they elect.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just six percent (6%) of Likely U.S. Voters think Congress is doing a good or excellent job, while 63% rate its performance as poor. (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 July 29-30, 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.

August 5, 2014

Immigration? Obama’s Negatives Jump

Just over half of voters now give President Obama poor marks for his handling of immigration issues, the highest level of criticism we’ve found to date.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that only 27% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the president is doing a good or excellent job when it comes to immigration. That’s down five points from 32% in June and his lowest positives in monthly surveying since January of last year. Fifty-one percent (51%) rate Obama’s performance on immigration issues as poor, a seven-point jump from 44% in the previous survey and a new high. (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 July 31-August 1, 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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August 5, 2014

Blue vs. Blue Does Not Equal Red by Froma Harrop

They are all Democrats, blue and blue. But like Republicans, they have opposing visions duking it out in the primaries.

August 5, 2014

Voters Oppose Obama Acting Alone But Don’t Think House Can Stop Him

Most voters agree with Republicans in Congress that the president does not have the right to change laws without Congress’ approval, but they doubt a House lawsuit will stop him from acting on his own. The House voted last week to sue President Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority by making changes in the new national health care law after it had been passed by Congress. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 22% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the president should be able to change a law passed by Congress if he thinks the change will make the law work better.

(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 July 31- August 1, 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.

August 5, 2014

Americans Feel More Charitable - But Not Toward Politics

Charitable giving is up, but not when it comes to political parties or candidates.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 19% of American Adults say that, compared to a year ago, they are giving more to charity. That's up six points from last December and the highest level of giving measured since 2009. But 32% say they are giving less to charity, also up slightly from the previous survey. A plurality (44%) says they are giving about the same amount. (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 was conducted on July 30-31, 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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August 5, 2014

Big Government Worked Better in the Industrial Age; Not so Much in Digital Era By Michael Barone

Earlier this week, I was thinking of writing a column about the lying and duplicity of Obamacare backers who argued that the difference between provisions providing subsidies in states with state-run health exchanges and providing no subsidies in states with federal exchanges resulted from inadvertence or a typographical error.

Typical among them was MIT health care expert Jonathan Gruber. The folks at the Competitive Enterprise Institute found video of him in 2012 arguing that all or most states would create their own exchanges because they wouldn't get subsidies if they let the federal government run their exchanges. That was just a "speako" (the oral equivalent of a typo), Gruber replied.

August 4, 2014

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 42%, Democrats 38%

Republicans have jumped out to a four-point lead over Democrats on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot after trailing for most weeks this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending August 3 finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead. It's the highest level of support for the GOP since late December.

(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 July 28-August 3, 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.

August 4, 2014

Few Voters See Post-Gadhafi Libya As Good for America

With Libya descending further into political chaos, voters aren’t sure it was a good idea for the United States to help overthrow the longtime dictator there and definitely don’t want any further U.S. involvement in the troubled North African country.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 19% of Likely U.S. Voters think the changes in Libya over the last three years including the death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi will be good for the United States. Twenty-five percent (25%) believe those changes will be bad for this country, while 29% say they will have no impact. Another 26% 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 2-3, 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.

August 4, 2014

What If? Americans Worry About Ebola in U.S.

Nearly half of Americans think it's likely Ebola will get into the U.S. population now that two patients will be receiving treatment in the United States, but most have some degree of confidence that the U.S. health care system will be able to contain the deadly disease - and eventually produce a vaccine to combat it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of U.S. Adults are at least somewhat concerned personally about the threat of Ebola disease which has now killed over 800 people in the latest outbreak in West Africa. Thirty-eight percent (38%) don't share that concern. This includes 18% who are Very Concerned about the disease and nine percent (9%) who are Not At All Concerned. (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 was conducted on August 1-2, 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.

August 4, 2014

Voters Still Fear The Worst Under New Health Care Law

Voters continue to give the U.S. health care system low marks but also remain convinced that Obamacare will only make things worse.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 34% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the nation’s health care system as good or excellent. Nearly as many (29%) give it poor marks, although that’s down from 35% in June, the highest negative in regular tracking since November 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.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 2-3, 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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August 4, 2014

From Clinton to Obama: Why GOP Impeachment Fever Is Now So Predictable By Joe Conason

Making predictions is a perilous practice for any political journalist. Too often, the would-be seers turn out to be dead wrong -- as can be attested to by George Will, Michael Barone, Larry Kudlow and the humiliated boy genius of Fox News, all of whom projected a big victory for Mitt Romney in 2012.

Yet there is at least one future event that could be safely forecast years ago, almost as soon as President Barack Obama entered the White House: a movement among House Republicans to impeach the president.

August 3, 2014

Americans Like the Look of Their Next Job

Americans are more optimistic about their job prospects than they have been for most of the past five years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Employed Adults believe their next job will be better than their current one, up two points from June and the highest level of confidence since May 2012. This finding has generally been in the high 20s and low to mid-30s since early 2009. Only 13% think their next job will not be better, while 22% plan to retire when they leave their current employer. Just as many (21%) 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 survey of 583 Employed Adults was conducted on July 28-29, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

August 2, 2014

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending August 2, 2014

Twenty-four percent (24%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction. Think about that for a minute.

August 1, 2014

Obama's Full-Month Approval Hits 2014 Low in July

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 president’s monthly job approval rating fell two points to 46% in July, his lowest monthly approval rating this year. It's up just a point from his two-year low of 45% reached in November during the troubled rollout period for the new national health care law. Obama’s approval rating hit a year-to-date high of 49% in May and in February.

(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.

Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night. The monthly numbers in this article are based on approximately 15,000 interviews each month with likely voters. The margin of sampling error is less than +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

August 1, 2014

Florida Governor: Scott (R) 42%, Crist (D) 41%

Republican Governor Rick Scott and his predecessor Charlie Crist are now neck-and-neck in Florida’s 2014 gubernatorial race.

Scott picks up 42% of the vote to Crist’s 41% in a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Florida Voters. Eight percent (8%) prefer some other candidate, while nine percent (9%) are undecided. (To 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 900 Likely Voters in Florida was conducted on July 29-30, 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.

August 1, 2014

Illinois Governor: Rauner (R) 44%, Quinn (D) 39%

Republican challenger Bruce Rauner has edged further ahead in his battle with Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn for the governorship of Illinois.

The latest Rasmussen Report telephone survey of Likely Illinois Voters finds Rauner with a five-point lead – 44% to 39% - over Quinn. Seven percent (7%) like some other candidate in the race, and 10% are undecided. (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 750 Likely Voters in Illinois was conducted on July 29-30, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.