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September 5, 2013

China's Rich, Yearning to Breath Free By Froma Harrop

Thousands of Chinese are fleeing to the United States. We are not talking about impoverished peasants hiding in cargo containers. We're talking about millionaires flying first class and buying condos in the choicest ZIP codes. A big reason for this relocation, real estate agents say, is a desire for America's clean air, as opposed to China's suffocating smog.

September 4, 2013

30% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty percent (30%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey for the week ending September 1.

The latest finding is up one point from the previous week.  Confidence in the country's direction rose steadily last fall, peaking at a high of 43% the week before Election Day. It fell steadily after that to a low for the year to date of 26% in mid- to late July.

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

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on August 26-September 1, 2013. 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.

September 4, 2013

23% Now Use Online Movie Streaming Services

Despite the growing popularity of online movie streaming services such as Netflix, most Americans are still more likely to watch a film on network or cable TV. 

Just 14% of American Adults rarely or never watch movies at home, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty-three percent (23%) watch a film at home at least once a week, while another 30% do so at least once a month. Thirty-one percent (31%) say they only occasionally watch movies at home.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 22-23, 2013 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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September 4, 2013

Milk of Human Blindness By John Stossel

The Denver Post warns, "Milk, food prices could rise if Congress fails to act."

Congress is working on a farm bill, which, among other things, will set limits on how high or low milk prices can be in different regions of the country.

September 4, 2013

38% Oppose Raising Federal Debt Ceiling

Voters expect Congress and President Obama to reach an agreement to raise the government’s debt ceiling by October 1, but they’re evenly divided over whether that’s a good idea.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 73% of Likely U.S. Voters think it’s at least somewhat likely that the debt ceiling will be raised before the federal government begins defaulting on its debts. This includes 44% who feel it’s Very Likely. Just 13% say it’s not very or Not At All Likely that the debt ceiling will be raised in time. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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(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 September 2-3, 2013 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.

September 4, 2013

25% Say U.S. Job Market Better Than Year Ago, 31% Say Worse

Americans are more pessimistic about the U.S. job market than they've been all year. 

Only 25% of American Adults now believe the job market is better than it was a year ago, down from 29% in late June but comparable to findings a year ago. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 31% believe the job market is worse today than it was a year ago, a five-point jump from 26% in June and the highest finding since December. In August of last year, though, 44% thought the job market was worse. Forty percent (40%) now say the job market's about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The surveys of 1,000 Adults each were conducted on September 1-2, 2013 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.

September 3, 2013

68% Think School Children Should Say Pledge of Allegiance Every Morning

The Massachusetts Supreme Court will hear arguments tomorrow challenging the legality of the Pledge of Allegiance. But most Americans continue to believe the daily Pledge of Allegiance to the flag should be kept in schools and that it should include the words “under God.”

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 68% of American Adults believe students should be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at school. One-in-four (25%) do not think children should be required to say the daily pledge. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 28-29, 2013 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.

September 3, 2013

Economy, Health Care Are Still Most Important Voting Issues

The economy and health care remain at the top of the list of 15 important voting issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. 

Seventy-five percent (75%) 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 Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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(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 August 19-20, 25-26 & 29-30, 2013 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.

September 3, 2013

New Low: 28% Think Passage of Immigration Reform Likely This Year

Most voters still want the emphasis on border control, and with this in mind, fewer than ever think Congress is likely to pass immigration reform this year.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of Likely U.S. Voters favor a reform plan that gives legal status to many of those now here illegally as long as the border is really secured to prevent future illegal immigration. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% are opposed to this plan even with the guarantee of stricter border control. Seventeen percent (17%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 31-September 1, 2013 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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September 3, 2013

Spending Behind Your Mate's Back By Froma Harrop

A little infidelity, a little cheating, is OK in a marriage -- or even protective of it -- if the sneaking is just about money. Note the emphasis on "little."

September 3, 2013

Rasmussen Employment Index Rebounds in August

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence rose more than three points in August and more closely matches the level measured at the start of the year.

At 86.5, worker confidence is up from July’s 2013 low of 83.1. Worker confidence is down just over half a point from the beginning of the year but is still up nearly 15 points from a year ago. The Employment Index reached a near six-year high of 94.4 in May. However, the Index is down 13 points from August 2007.

(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 9,200 working Americans was conducted in August 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 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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September 3, 2013

With Crime Down, the Nation Moves to Ease Get-Tough Policies By Michael Barone

Americans change their minds on some issues. One of them is crime and punishment. 

September 2, 2013

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 39%, Republicans 37%

Democrats lead Republicans by two points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending September 1.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows 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.  The week before, the GOP held a one-point advantage, 39% to 38%.

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September 2, 2013

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 39%, Republicans 37%

Democrats lead Republicans by two points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending September 1.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows 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.  The week before, the GOP held a one-point advantage, 39% to 38%.

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September 2, 2013

President Obama’s Full-Month Approval Rating Holds Steady at 47% in August

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.

President Obama’s total job approval remained unchanged at 47% in August, still tying the president’s lowest approval rating since December 2011. The president’s ratings for the past three months are more in line with his approval during most of his first term in office.

(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.

September 2, 2013

41% View Health Care Law Favorably

Most voters still don’t like President Obama’s national health care law, but they favor more strongly than ever government-mandated guidelines for health insurance coverage as long as individuals still can decide how much coverage they want to buy.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the health care law, while 52% view it unfavorably. This includes 18% with a Very Favorable opinion of it and 39% with a Very Unfavorable one. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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(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 31-September 1, 2013 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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September 2, 2013

Startling Findings About Race Relations: Then and Now

Five things you may not know that people are thinking about race relations 50 years after Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I have a dream" speech...

September 2, 2013

35% Celebrate Labor Day to Honor Working Americans

For most Americans, Labor Day is not a very important holiday, but one-in-three still view it as a celebration of the working man as it was originally intended.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 20% of American Adults regard Labor Day as one of the nation’s most important holidays. Nearly as many (19%) consider it one of the least important holidays. For 57%, it’s somewhere in between. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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(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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 26-27, 2013 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.

September 1, 2013

44% Have Favorable View of Unions, 45% Unfavorable

Americans continue to have closely divided views of organized labor, but there's a much clearer difference of opinion between Republicans and Democrats.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of American Adults have at least a somewhat favorable impression of labor unions, but that includes just 14% with a Very Favorable opinion.  Forty-five percent (45%) view labor unions unfavorably, with 24% who have a Very Unfavorable impression of them.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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How did you do in this summer’s Rasmussen ChallengeCheck the leaderboard.

(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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 26-27, 2013 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 31, 2013

65% Think Congress Should Decide About Syria

Despite Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement yesterday that the United States has proof of the Syrian government’s use of chemical weapons against its opponents, just 37% of Likely U.S. Voters think the United States should provide increased military assistance to protect the citizens of Syria.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, taken Thursday and Friday nights, finds that 40% do not think the United States should get more involved militarily in Syria. Twenty-three percent (23%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Special Offer: Rasmussen Reader is now just $24.95 for a subscription through December 31, 2014. Sign up today!

How did you do in this summer’s Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard

(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 Twitterand Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 29-30, 2013 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.