Are the Two Political Parties About to Crack Up? By Michael Barone
America's two political parties seem to be coming apart.
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June 20, 2014
June 20, 2014
New High: 44% Say It's A Good Time to Sell A House
Americans’ confidence in the housing market continues to grow, and now more than ever believe it’s a good time to sell a home.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of American Adults say it’s a good time for someone in their area to be selling a house. That's up from last month’s recent high of 38% and is the first time this number has broken the 40% mark in over five years of regular surveying. Thirty-two percent (32%) don’t think it’s a good time to sell, but that's the lowest finding to date. One-in-four (24%) 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 American Adults was conducted on June 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.
June 19, 2014
74% Expect Higher Grocery Bills Next Year
Americans remain highly concerned about inflation, and the number who expects their grocery bill to rise is at its highest level in nearly two years.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 82% of American Adults say they are paying more for groceries than a year ago, down slightly from 85% in May but in line with surveys for much of the past year. Just 11% say they are not paying more than they were a year ago. (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 June 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.
June 19, 2014
New Jersey Senate: Booker (D) 48%, Bell (R) 35%
Democrat Cory Booker, running for reelection after less than a year in office, holds a double-digit lead over Republican challenger Jeff Bell in New Jersey’s U.S. Senate race.
The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely New Jersey Voters finds Booker with 48% support to Bell’s 35%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and 13% 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 New Jersey was conducted on June 17-18, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
June 19, 2014
Use Your Hands by Froma Harrop
Have you stopped using your hands? Do your fingers struggle to sign your name? Is chopping an onion with a knife hard work? Must you call someone to fix a cabinet door off the hinges? Is it agony to sew on a button?
For many, computers and laziness have sapped our manual skills. This is not progress.
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
June 19, 2014
39% Will Watch World Cup This Year
Most Americans do not plan on watching the World Cup soccer championships again this year, but if the U.S. team is able to advance to the finals, a majority says it will tune in.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone finds that 39% of American Adults will watch the World Cup this year, the highest level of interest to date. More than half (53%) do not plan on watching the international soccer tournament. Eight percent (8%) 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 American Adults was conducted on June 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.
June 19, 2014
21% Think Government Should Help With Mortgage Payments
Americans still aren’t enthusiastic about the government helping those who cannot afford to make their mortgage payments, but they’re also not concerned they’ll be in that situation themselves any time soon.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just one-in-five American Adults (21%) believe that if someone cannot afford to make increased mortgage payments, the government should assist them. That's down slightly from April and the lowest finding since December. Most (63%) still think people in that situation should sell their home and find a less expensive one. Sixteen percent (16%) 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 649 Adult Homeowners and 1,000 American Adults was conducted on June 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.
June 19, 2014
Picking Your Primary Poison By Sean Trende
Analysts are noticing the Democrats’ efforts to meddle in Republican primaries. In a Wall Street Journal article from last month, Janet Hook writes “Democrats increasingly are running ads against GOP candidates even before they win their party’s nomination. By attacking GOP candidates while they are still embroiled in a primary election campaign, some Democrats have seen an opportunity to promote the GOP candidate they think is easiest to beat, or to weaken the one they consider strongest.”
June 18, 2014
26% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Twenty-six percent (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 June 15.
This is down four points from the week before and the lowest finding since early December 2013. The number who say the country is heading in the right direction has been in the narrow range of 28% to 30% for 21 out of the 26 weeks since mid-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 on June 9-15, 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.
June 18, 2014
What America Thinks About Sending Soldiers Back to Iraq
Over two years after the last U.S. troops left Iraq, an al-Qaeda-led insurgency threatens to take over the country where Americans lost over 4,400 soldiers. Despite the fact that, historically, voters have consistently opposed returning their troops Iraq, President Barack Obama now faces the tough decision of whether or not to send them back. We decided to find out what America thinks.
June 18, 2014
39% Think U.S. Should Welcome All Immigrants Who Are Willing to Work Hard
Americans have mixed feelings about potential immigrants to this country and still tend to prefer those who can best help the economy. They also continue to believe that immigrants from countries with terrorist activity should get closer scrutiny.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of American Adults believe the United States should welcome all potential immigrants, other than national security threats, who are willing to work hard and able to support their family. That’s up a bit from 36% a year ago. But slightly more (43%) still disagree with a policy that welcoming. Eighteen percent (18%) 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 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on June 11-12, 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.
June 18, 2014
Here Comes Tomorrow By John Stossel
Ray Kurzweil -- inventor of things like machines that turn text into speech -- has popularized the idea that we are rapidly approaching "the singularity," the point at which machines not only think for themselves but develop intellectually faster than we.
At that point, maybe we no longer talk about "human history." It will be "machine progress," with us along for the ride -- if machines keep us around. Maybe they'll keep us in a zoo, like we do with our monkey ancestors.
June 18, 2014
55% Expect Government Spending to Go Up Under Obama
Most voters still think government spending will increase under President Obama, but the number who expect tax hikes during the remainder of his second term remains at its recent low. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% of Likely U.S. Voters expect their own personal taxes to go up under the Obama administration. That is unchanged from March and ties the lowest level measured since November 2012. A year ago, 47% expected taxes to increase. Still, just nine percent (9%) now expect their taxes to go down under Obama, while 44% predict that they will 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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 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.
June 17, 2014
52% Still Trust America's Banks
Americans remain slow to recover their faith in the nation's banks since 2008's financial meltdown.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the nation’s banks again this month, including eight percent (8%) who are Very Confident. Forty-three percent (43%) are not confident in the banking industry, with 12% who are Not At All Confident. (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 June 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.
June 17, 2014
39% Expect Their Home’s Value to Go Up in Next Year
Homeowners remain confident in the short-term housing market, while long-term confidence is at its highest level this year.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of American homeowners feel the value of their home is more than what they still owe on their mortgage. That’s up slightly from 58% in May, but generally consistent with views since last October. Twenty-nine percent (29%) now say their home is not worth more than they owe. Twelve percent (12%) 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 649 Adult Homeowners was conducted on June 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.
June 17, 2014
Obama Follows Polls in Foreign Policy but Public Turns Against Him By Michael Barone
Polls show that most Americans wanted the United States to withdraw from Iraq. Barack Obama did indeed withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq, not troubling to negotiate a readily negotiable status of forces agreement that would have left a contingent of American soldiers there.
June 17, 2014
So Mixed Up on Immigration By Froma Harrop
Right-wing primary voters booted Eric Cantor over signs he might back "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, it is said. If so, the partisans are once again taking a position totally opposed to what they claim to want. Legalizing the status of most undocumented foreigners is the condition for closing the door on future illegal immigration. There is no other politically passable road to get there.
One may err in assuming that the hard right actually desires to solve the problem, punishing others being the more satisfying activity. The targets would include both Republicans not dancing to the right's dissonant tune and brown people in general.
June 17, 2014
31% Favor Increasing Legal Immigration If Border Is Secured
Americans are slightly more supportive of increasing the number of legal immigrants allowed into the United States if the federal government can fully secure the border first to prevent future illegal immigration. But most still want to decrease legal immigration or keep it about the same.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 31% of American Adults now think the government should increase the number of immigrants allowed to legally enter the country if it actually secures the border and prevents illegal immigration. That’s up from 26% a year ago.
But nearly as many (29%) want to decrease the level of legal immigration instead, while another 29% prefer to leave things unchanged. This compares to 38% who wanted to decrease legal immigration in May of last year and 24% who felt things should stay 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 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on June 11-12, 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.
June 16, 2014
Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 39%, Republicans 37%
Democrats lead Republicans by two points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, June 15.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 37% would choose the Republican instead.
Democrats led by four points – 41% to 37% - the week before and have been ahead for most weeks this year, with support ranging from 38% to 42%. This is the first time since late April that Democratic support has dipped below 40%. Support for the GOP has ranged from 35% to 41% since January 1. Democrats and Republicans were tied at 39% a year ago.
(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 June 9-15, 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.
June 16, 2014
Economy, Health Care Are Still Most Important Voting Issues
The economy and job creation are now most important to voters on the list of 15 major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports.
Seventy-six percent (76%) of Likely U.S. Voters consider the economy Very Important in terms of how they will vote in the next congressional election, according to a new national telephone 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 and Facebook.
The surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on June 4-5, 8-9 and 10-11, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error for each survey 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.
