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April 2, 2013

61% Say Finding New Energy More Important Than Fighting Global Warming

Most Americans continue to view global warming as a serious problem, but they still put their economic concerns well ahead of fighting climate change.  New Rasmussen Reports polling finds, for example, that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters think, generally speaking, it is more important to find news sources of energy than fight global warming. Only half as many (30%) rate the fight against global warming as more important.

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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.

April 2, 2013

42% Think Federal Government Should Set Environmental Policy

Fewer than half of U.S. voters believe the federal government should have the final say when it comes to environmental protection, and they remain critical of the Environmental Protection Agency and its impact on the economy. These findings come at a time when voters increasingly are blaming human activity more than planetary trends for global warming. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 42% of Likely U.S. Voters think the federal government should set the rules and regulations for environmental protection. Twenty-five percent (25%) think state governments should have that responsibility, while 17% would prefer to look to the United Nations or some other international organization. Just six percent (6%) would rely on local governments for environmental rules and regulations. (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 March 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.

April 2, 2013

Rasmussen Employment Index Slips a Point in March

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures worker confidence, slipped another point in March to 84.3.

Still, the Employment Index remains above levels measured for most of 2012. Worker confidence is up less than a point from March 2012 but is up 15 points from March 2011. In December of last year, the Index hit a five-year high of 91.2. 

Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be weaker 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 9,373 working Americans was conducted in March 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.

April 2, 2013

51% Think Background Checks for Gun Buyers Will Not Reduce Violent Crime

Support for requiring a strict background check to buy a gun remains high, but most voters believe these checks will not reduce the level of violent crime in America.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of Likely U.S. voters believe a strict background check should be required for anyone to buy a gun in the United States. Only 16% disagree.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 30-31, 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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April 2, 2013

Do Groups Really Foster Creativity? By Froma Harrop

We're not done with the Yahoo story yet. Much has been said about whether workers produce more at home and whether CEO Marissa Mayer had slowed women's progress by denying working mothers the opportunity to telecommute. That is not today's topic.    

April 2, 2013

46% Think Feds Might Try To Tax Bank Accounts Like Cyprus

Americans don’t believe the federal government has the constitutional authority to tax bank deposits as they did in Cyprus, but a plurality worries they might try it anyhow.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of American Adults think it’s at least somewhat likely that the U.S. government might try to tax money in individual bank accounts. Nearly as many (41%), however, view this as unlikely to occur Thirteen percent (13%) 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 nationwide was conducted on March 27-28, 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.

April 1, 2013

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 44%, Republicans 37%

Democrats hold a seven-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending March 31.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% 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.

(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 March 25-31, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

April 1, 2013

61% Have Filed Their Income Taxes

With two weeks until the April 15 deadline, 61% of American Adults say they have filed their federal income taxes, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  That’s a 23-point jump from a month ago and nearly identical to findings a year ago at this time.

Twenty-five percent (25%) more plan to file by April 15, while seven percent (7%) intend to get an extension. Another seven percent (7%) are not sure. (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 American Adults was conducted on March 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.

April 1, 2013

Obama’s Monthly Approval Down Another Point in March

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.

For the month of March, the president's Total Job Approval Rating fell another point from 53% in February to 52%. In December, it reached 56%, the highest level since May 2009. Prior to the election, that rating had remained in the narrow range of 44% to 49% for two years straight.

In March, 47% disapproved of the president's performance, up a point from the month before. The number who disapproved of Obama's performance stayed in the low to mid-50s from August 2009 until the election. That figure dropped to the low 40s in November but has inched up since.

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.

April 1, 2013

78% Say They Get Good or Excellent Health Care

Most voters continue to like the health care they get but remain more critical of the overall U.S. health care system. However, the majority also still expects the system to get worse in the near future.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. Only four percent (4%) consider the care they get to be poor. (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 March 30-31, 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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April 1, 2013

78% Say They Get Good or Excellent Health Care

Most voters continue to like the health care they get but remain more critical of the overall U.S. health care system. However, the majority also still expects the system to get worse in the near future.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. Only four percent (4%) consider the care they get to be poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Win an IPad: Take the Rasmussen Challenge!

(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 March 30-31, 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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April 1, 2013

Why Freight Rail Pays and Passenger Trains Flunk By Michael Barone

Forty years ago, American railroads were in trouble. The Penn Central, the largest railroad, had recently gone bankrupt.

April 1, 2013

66% Oppose Cyprus Bailout Plan to Tax Bank Deposits

Most Americans don’t approve of the decision to tax bank accounts as part of a bank bailout in Cyprus but think it’s likely other European countries will resort to similar plans to fight their massive deficit problems.

March 31, 2013

47% Will Attend Religious Service to Celebrate Easter

Belief in the importance of Easter is down slightly, but nearly half of Americans still will attend a religious service to celebrate the holiday.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of American Adults consider Easter one of the nation’s most important holidays, down from the mid- to upper 40s for the last several years. Just 18% think it’s one of the least important holidays, and 40% see it as somewhere in between. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on March 23-24, 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.

March 30, 2013

24% Think Poverty Very Severe in U.S.

Most Americans continue to see poverty as a problem in the United States, but few actually claim they are living in poverty.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of American Adults think poverty is at least somewhat severe in this country. That's down nine points from 80% in September but includes 24% who say it is Very Severe.  Twenty-three percent (23%) think poverty in the United States is not very or Not at All Severe.  (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 March 25-26, 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.

March 30, 2013

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 30, 2013

President Obama is focusing on immigration reform once again, a move signaled by his appearance on two Spanish language television networks this past week.

March 29, 2013

2013 World Series Champion is Anyone’s Guess

The field of contenders to win the World Series is wide open as the 2013 Major League Baseball season gets under way this weekend.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 11% of Baseball Fans think the Los Angeles Angels will win the World Series this year, but just as many (11%) say the Detroit Tigers will redeem themselves from last year’s series loss. Ten percent (10%) believe the San Francisco Giants will win a second straight championship, but nine percent (9%) think the Washington Nationals will bring a title to the nation’s capital. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

The national survey of 500 Baseball Fans was conducted on March 25-26, 2013 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.

March 29, 2013

64% Believe Jesus Christ Rose From the Dead

Easter is Sunday, and most Americans still strongly believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on that day.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of American Adults believe Jesus rose from the dead, while 19% reject the central Christian tenet of the Resurrection. Seventeen percent (17%) 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 March 23-24, 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.

March 29, 2013

Americans Favor Work Over Welfare As Response to Poverty

Americans overwhelmingly agree that the best way to stay out of poverty is to work and like the idea of shifting government money spent on welfare programs to jobs for the poor.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 80% of American Adults agree with the statement, “Work is the best solution for poverty.” Only nine percent (9%) disagree, while 11% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on March 25-26, 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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March 29, 2013

Cats vs. Dingoes By Froma Harrop

The fight goes on. Whether cats are bird-killing machines or soft balls of love (for themselves, anyway) remains a subject of painful debate.