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                            August 21, 2014Voters Pass On Chance to Tell Congress What They Think
Voters complain that their congressional representatives don't listen to them, but very few are likely to attend a local meeting held by any of those representatives during the current August recess. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 14% of Likely U.S. Voters have attended or are likely to attend a town hall meeting held by one of their local representatives while Congress is in recess. That’s down slightly from 18% this time last year. (To see 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 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.

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                            August 20, 2014Most Still Don’t Support Government Help on Mortgage Payments
Most homeowners have not been late on a mortgage payment recently and don’t expect to be anytime soon. But for those who are still struggling to make their payments, most Americans don’t think the government should step in and help.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 24% of American Adults believe that if someone cannot afford to make increased mortgage payments, the government should assist them. That’s up slightly from June’s low of 21% but similar to findings earlier in the year. Most (63%) still think people in that situation should sell their home and find a less expensive one. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure. This is in line with regular surveying since the spring of 2010. (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 640 Adult Homeowners and 1,000 American Adults was conducted on August 17-18, 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.

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                            August 20, 2014Montana Senate: Daines (R) 55%, Curtis (D) 35%
New Democratic candidate Amanda Curtis has a long way to go to keep Republicans from claiming one of Montana’s U.S. Senate seats this year. (To see 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 Montana was conducted on August 18-19, 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.

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                            August 20, 2014Despite Justice Department Challenges, Most Still Favor Voter ID Laws
A federal judge in North Carolina recently struck down the latest challenge by the U.S. Justice Department to a state law that requires voters to bring photo identification to the polls. Voters continue to strongly support voter ID laws and don't consider them discriminatory.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 74% of Likely U.S. Voters believe all voters should be required to prove their identity before being allowed to vote. Nineteen percent (19%) disagree. (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 14-15, 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 20, 2014Policing a Riot By John Stossel
Libertarians warned for years that government is force, that government always grows and that America's police have become too much like an occupying army.
We get accused of being paranoid, but we look less paranoid after heavily armed police in Ferguson, Missouri, tear gassed peaceful protesters, arrested journalists and stopped some journalists from entering the town.
August 20, 2014Missouri Burning: Why Ferguson's Inferno Is No Surprise By Joe Conason
The past week's unfolding tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri, with its militarized and overwhelmingly white police force confronting angry and hopeless African-Americans, is not a story unique to that place or this moment. Many cities and towns in this country confront the same problems of poverty, alienation and inequality as metropolitan St. Louis -- or even worse.
But beneath the familiar narrative, there is a deeper history that reflects the unfinished agenda of race relations -- and the persistence of poisonous prejudice that has never been fully cleansed from the American mainstream.

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                            August 20, 2014Voters, Feds Have Competing Immigration Agendas
Where are the feds when you need them? An increasing majority of voters believes gaining control of the border is the most important immigration reform needed, but they still think the federal government encourages illegal immigration instead.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters think gaining control of the border is more important than legalizing the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States. This is up slightly from 58% in May but is the highest level of support for border control in over two years.Thirty-three percent (33%) believe it’s more important to legalize those already living here, but that's at a two-year low. (To see 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 14-15, 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 19, 2014New High: 43% Say U.S. Doesn’t Spend Enough on National Security
As tensions remain high with Russia and much of the Middle East, more voters than ever believe the United States is not putting enough money into national security.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters think the United States does not spend enough on the military and national security. This finding is up from 36% in May and is the highest finding in three years of regular tracking. Twenty-three percent (23%) still believe the United States spends too much on defense, but that's down 17 points from the record high of 40% in January 2013. Thirty percent (30%) say the amount spent in this area is about right. (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 12-13, 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 19, 2014Confidence in Short-Term Housing Market Slips to 2014 Low
Homeowners are slightly less confident than they’ve been in over a year that their home’s value will increase in the short-term. Confidence in their home's current value has fallen back as well. Thirty-four percent (34%) of U.S. homeowners now think the value of their home will go up in the next year, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s down four points from July and is the lowest level of confidence measured since July of last year. Fourteen percent (14%) expect the value of their home to go down over the next year, while 48% still expect it to stay about the same. (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 640 Adult Homeowners was conducted on August 17-18, 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.

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                            August 19, 2014Minnesota Governor: Dayton (D) 49%, Johnson (R) 41%
Former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton has an eight-point advantage in his bid for a second term as governor of Minnesota.
(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 Minnesota was conducted on August 13-14, 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.

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                            August 19, 2014How Would the Media React If the Cop Was Black and the Victim Was White?
Most Americans think the media would be less interested in the incident in Ferguson, Missouri if a white teenager had been shot by a black police officer. They also reject the idea that most policemen are racist. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 35% of American Adults rate the media’s coverage of the police shooting and subsequent events in Ferguson as good or excellent. Twenty-three percent (23%) say the media have done a poor job covering the story. (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 August 15-16, 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.
August 19, 2014Racing Through Nature by Froma Harrop
The story of a young man's speed-hiking the 2,663-mile Pacific Crest Trail has raised some environmentalist eyebrows, albeit only slightly. He was racing from California's border with Mexico to Washington state's with Canada.
The cause was a good one -- to raise money for the families of cancer patients. And it wasn't like he was making noise and pollution.
Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

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                            August 19, 201447% Say A Family Member Has Been Diagnosed with Depression
The shocking suicide of comedian-actor Robin Williams has highlighted the dangers of clinical depression, and Americans strongly agree more needs to be done to identify and treat it. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 87% of American Adults think clinical depression is a serious problem in America today, with 52% who view it as a Very Serious one. Just six percent (6%) regard it as not very or Not At All Serious following Williams' death.(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 Adults nationwide was conducted August 13-14, 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 19, 2014Hillary Clinton Not Campaigning Much for her Party in 2014, Unlike Richard Nixon in 1966 By Michael Barone
Just about everyone noticed Hillary Clinton's scathing comments on President Obama's foreign policy in her interview with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg.
But almost no one has noticed where Clinton hasn't been seen. That's on the campaign trail or at fundraisers for Democrats running for the Senate.

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                            August 18, 2014Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 39%, Republicans 39%
For the second time in a month, Democrats and Republicans are tied on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending August 17 finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while the same number (39%) would choose the Democrat.
(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 August 11-17, 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.

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                            August 18, 2014Minnesota Senate: Franken (D) 50%, McFadden (R) 42%
Live from Minnesota, it’s Democratic Senator Al Franken’s bid for reelection, and he’s got an eight-point lead over Republican challenger Mike McFadden.
(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 Minnesota was conducted on August 13-14, 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.

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                            August 18, 2014A Tale of Two Cities? Blacks, Whites Sharply Disagree About Ferguson
The shooting incident in a St. Louis suburb is still under investigation, and just over half of Americans are not sure yet whether the police officer involved is guilty of murdering a black teenager. But most blacks have already made up their minds that the policeman should be found guilty. Blacks are also more convinced that the violent protests since the shooting occurred are mostly legitimate outrage rather than criminal activity.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 23% of all American Adults believe the police officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri should be found guilty of murder. Twenty-six percent (26%) think he was acting in self-defense. Fifty-one percent (51%) 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 national telephone survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on August 15-16, 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.

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                            August 18, 2014Business Is Steadily Growing At New Health Insurance Exchanges
Nearly half of voters remain unaware whether their state has established a health insurance exchange under the new national health care law, but the number who are buying health insurance through one of these exchanges is steadily increasing.
Nineteen percent (19%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say they or a member of their immediate family has bought health insurance though a new health care exchange, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s up from 15% last month and up from just four percent last November after the problem-plagued launch of the federally-operated exchange and state-run exchanges around the country. (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 16-17, 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 17, 2014Iowa Governor: Branstad (R) 52%, Hatch (D) 35%
Incumbent Republican Terry Branstad has widened his lead over Democratic challenger Jack Hatch in Iowa’s gubernatorial race.
Branstad picks up 52% of the vote to Hatch’s 35% in a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Iowa Voters. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, while seven percent (7%) 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 Iowa was conducted on August 11-12, 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.

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                            August 17, 2014Iowa Governor: Branstad (R) 52%, Hatch (D) 35%
Incumbent Republican Terry Branstad has widened his lead over Democratic challenger Jack Hatch in Iowa’s gubernatorial race.
Branstad picks up 52% of the vote to Hatch’s 35% in a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Iowa Voters. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, while seven percent (7%) 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 Iowa was conducted on August 11-12, 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.