America succeeds because Americans fail and forgive. That's the intriguing message -- or part of it -- of Megan McArdle's new book "The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success."
The U.S. Marine Corps postponed one of its fitness requirements for women scheduled to go into effect on January 1 because more than half of women could not complete a minimum of three pull-ups. But more than half of voters still believe women should be allowed to perform the same combat roles as men do.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the growing role of women in the armed services is good for the military. Only 17% think the growing role of women is bad for the military, while 28% say it has no impact. (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 U.S. Voters was conducted on February 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.
One-in-four workers are not willing to commit to their current job.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 24% of Employed Adults are looking for a job outside of their current company, consistent with surveys for the past three years. A sizable majority (71%) still says it’s not looking for a job elsewhere. But that's up from 64% in December, the lowest finding in regular surveying since the spring of 2009. (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 614 Employed Adults was conducted on February 3-4, 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.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced last week that it will seek the death penalty for accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. More voters than ever support that decision, but they're less confident that the death penalty is an effective tool against terrorism.
Sixty-three percent (63%) of Likely Voters think the Boston Marathon bombing suspect should receive the death penalty if convicted. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% do not think Tsarnaev should receive the death penalty if convicted. 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 national survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on February 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.
Congressman Tom Cotton holds a five-point lead over incumbent Democrat Mark Pryor in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the 2014 U.S. Senate race in Arkansas.
A new statewide survey of Likely Arkansas Voters finds Cotton with 45% support to Pryor’s 40%. Five percent (5%) 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 500 Likely Voters in Arkansas was conducted on February 4-5, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Rarely has a bad-news story offered so little real bad news. We refer to the Congressional Budget Office report that the Affordable Care Act may reduce the number of hours worked by the equivalent of 2.5 million full-time jobs. But to be precise, millions of workers will choose to cut their working hours. What's bad about that if that's what they want?
Americans are more likely to watch figure skating than any other sport at this year's Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of American Adults are most likely to follow figure skating at the winter games. In distant second are hockey and skiing, the favorites of 12% each. Seven percent (7%) each are more likely to follow ski jumping and snow boarding. Eleven percent (11%) will most likely follow some other sport. Seventeen percent (17%) haven't made up their minds yet. (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 February 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.
Twenty-nine percent (29%) 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 February 2.
That’s down one point from the week before. This finding has fluctuated between 29% and 30% every week since mid-December and is consistent with attitudes for much of the Obama presidency. A year ago, 39% said the country was heading in the right direction.
(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 January 20-26, 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.
Most adults think American children need to spend more time in school, but they still oppose extending the school year to all 12 months. In part, that's because a lot of Americans think summer vacation is good for kids.
Much of the media attention leading up to the Winter Olympic games in Sochi, Russia has focused on terrorist threats from Islamist militants. But Americans aren’t entirely convinced an attack will happen, and few have been discouraged from watching because of the threat.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 69% of American Adults say they are at least somewhat likely to watch some of the Winter Olympics coverage on television, with 39% who are Very Likely to watch. Thirty percent (30%) say they are unlikely to watch, including 12% who are Not At All Likely to tune in. (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 February 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.
Voters continue to be pessimistic when asked if the new national health care law is likely to be fixed anytime soon, but they also remain evenly divided over the impact of the law on their vote in the upcoming elections.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters believe most of the current problems with the health care law are unlikely to be fixed within the next year, with 35% who say it’s Not At All Likely. Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree and think it is likely that the most of the problems will be fixed that soon, but that includes just 19% who say it’s Very Likely. (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 February 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.
Do you like to cook? Throw dinner parties? Many people enjoy that, but paying for the food, plus accessories, is expensive. Would you host more often if you could get your guests to cover the costs?
Americans think children need to spend more time in school but not at the expense of summer vacation.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of American Adults still think American children need to spend more time in school. Thirty-three percent (33%) disagree, while 15% 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 January 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.
Half of U.S. Voters worry the federal government will not do enough to help the economy, but even more think cutting government spending is the way to go.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters Voters are worried the government will not do enough in reacting to the nation's economic problems. Thirty-nine percent (39%) fear instead that the feds will do too much. (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 Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 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.
The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence rose less than half a point in January, just barely continuing the upward trend it began in November.
At 90.2, worker confidence is still at its highest level since June but is down five points from the all-time high of 94.4 in May of last year. The index hit a low for 2013 of 81.2 in October. It stood at 87.1 in January 2013.
Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government report on job creation will be stronger than the prior month’s report.
(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 9,060 working Americans was conducted in January 2014 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.
Republicans leaders in Congress are now pushing an immigration reform measure that paves a way to citizenship for those here illegally after the border is completely secured. Most voters still favor such a plan but remain highly skeptical that the federal government will actually close the border to stop future illegal immigration.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a comprehensive immigration reform plan that would give legal status to those who entered the country illegally but have otherwise obeyed the law – if the border is really secured to prevent future illegal immigration. Twenty-five percent (25%) oppose such a plan, while 19% are undecided about it. (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 January 31-February 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.
Philip Seymour Hoffman's death at the end of a heroin needle again spotlights the dangers of a poisonous drug. And so did the Vermont governor's plea last month to confront the "full-blown heroin crisis" plaguing his rural state.
Henry Waxman and George Miller are retiring from the House and not running for re-election after 40 years as congressmen from southern and northern California.
Also retiring and not running for re-election is Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana will resign if, as expected, he is confirmed as ambassador to China. Both were first elected to the House in 1974 and were later elected to the Senate.
These four are just about the last members serving in Congress of the 75 Democrats first elected to the House in the Watergate year of 1974.
Michael Barone, senior political analyst for The Washington Examiner (www.washingtonexaminer.com), is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Fox News Channel contributor and a co-author of The Almanac of American Politics. To find out more about Michael Barone, and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2014 THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER - DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM
President Obama in his State of Union address renewed his call for expanded early childhood education, an initiative several states have already devoted funding to. Most Americans agree with the president that mandatory early childhood education is likely to improve student performance but are unwilling to pay any extra money to fund it.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of Adults favor mandatory pre-kindergarten schooling for all children in America beginning at age four. Forty-three percent (43%) oppose such a requirement. Twelve percent (12%) 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 survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 30-31, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Republicans have taken the lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the first time this year.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending February 2 finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today. Thirty-nine percent (39%) would choose the Democrat instead. Democrats led by five points - 42% to 37% - the previous week. This is the first time since the week ending December 22, 2013 that the Republicans have held the lead. Democrats had led for four weeks in a row.
(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 January 27-February 2, 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.
