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                            February 6, 2013Most Believe Political Leaders Put U.S. Troops At Risk Too Often
Americans continue to believe that our nation’s elected politicians favor a far more interventionist foreign policy than the public supports.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters believe our political leaders send U.S. soldiers into harm’s way too often. Just five percent (5%) think the policy makers don’t use the nation’s military might often enough. Twenty-seven percent (27%) believe the balance 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 January 31-February 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.
February 6, 2013Ban This! Ban That! Ban This and That! By John Stossel
I like to bet on sports. Having a stake in the game, even if it's just five bucks, makes it more exciting. I also like playing poker. "Unacceptable!" say politicians in much of America. "Gambling sometimes leads to 'addiction,' destitute families!"
Well, it can.
So politicians ban it. It's why we no longer see a poker game in the back of bars. Half the states even ban poker between friends -- though they rarely enforce that.

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                            February 5, 2013Just 15% Think Today’s Children Will Be Better Off Than Their Parents
Optimism about the future of today’s children continues to hover around all-time lows. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 15% of American Adults believe today’s children will be better off than their parents, but 61% disagree. Twenty-four percent (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 January 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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                            February 5, 201356% Support Right to Choose Your Own Social Security and Medicare Retirement Age
Most voters continue to believe Americans should be able to choose their own Social Security and Medicare retirement age, but support is down from two years ago. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 56% of Likely U.S. Voters think that, as long as they are able to cover the cost of their decision, people should have the right to pick their own Social Security and Medicare retirement age. Those who want to retire earlier could pay more in Social Security taxes now. Those who would prefer lower taxes today could pay less in taxes and retire later. Twenty-four percent (24%) don’t think Americans should have that option, while another 19% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Play this week’s Rasmussen Challenge! Answers due by 11:59pm ET on Feb. 6.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 31-February 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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                            February 5, 201311% Say U.S. Should Be World’s Policeman
Very few voters think the United States should take on the responsibility of ensuring peace and democracy in the world, a view that has changed little over the years.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 11% of voters think the United States should be the world’s policeman, virtually unchanged from findings in 2011 and 2009. Seventy-two percent (72%) disagree, but 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 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.

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                            February 5, 201349% Think They Personally Pay More Than Their Fair Share in Taxes
Half of Americans still think they pay more than they should in taxes and question the fairness of the current tax system.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 49% of American Adults believe that, compared to people who make more or less than they do, they pay more than their fair share of taxes. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree and don’t think they pay more than their fair share. Twenty-three percent (23%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Play this week’s Rasmussen Challenge! Answers due by 11:59pm ET on Feb. 6.
(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, 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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                            February 5, 201370% Want Navy to Protect U.S., Not Be 'Global Force for Good'
New recruiting commercials present the U.S. Navy as "a global force for good," a description that aggravates some policy analysts.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that it doesn’t do too well in the court of public opinion either. Seventy percent (70%) of Likely U.S. Voters nationwide believe the Navy’s primary mission is to protect and defend the United States. Only 20% prefer having the Navy serve as a global force for good. (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, 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.
February 5, 2013'Baby Bust' Baloney By Froma Harrop
America's alleged "baby bust" is pushing the country over "a demographic cliff." So argues Jonathan V. Last in The Wall Street Journal. Stacking one highly debatable claim on the next, Last builds a palace of hooey, in the basement of which sits a conservative agenda that's not very conservative.
Here are the agreed-on facts: America's fertility rate -- the number of children born by the average woman -- has dipped below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. Were it not for immigrants' having more children, it would be lower still. All arrows point to it going down further, as the Latino fertility rate plummets. (In Mexico, it's at the replacement level.)

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                            February 4, 2013Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 44%, Republicans 38%
Democrats hold a six-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending February 3, 2013.
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 38% 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 3,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from January 28-February 3, 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.

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                            February 4, 201349% Say Wealthy Americans Pay Less Than Fair Share in Taxes
Americans are less likely to think wealthy taxpayers aren’t paying their fair share, but most still believe the middle class pays a larger share of its income in taxes than the wealthy do.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that only 24% of U.S. Adults believe wealthy Americans pay their fair share in taxes. Twenty-one percent (21%) think wealthy Americans pay more than their fair share in taxes, while half (49%) feel they pay less than their fair share. (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, 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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                            February 4, 201357% Say Economic Concerns Bigger Threat Than Terrorists, Military Attack
While politicians in Washington wrangle about the new secretary of Defense and a reduction in growth of the military budget, most voters see economic concerns as a much bigger threat to the nation. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 57% of Likely U.S. Voters believe economic challenges represent the biggest threat to the United States. Half as many (27%) see terrorist attacks as the biggest threat. Only six percent (6%) believe the biggest concern comes from conventional military attacks. (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 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.

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                            February 4, 201375% View Hagel’s Confirmation As Likely
Despite his weak performance at last week’s Senate confirmation hearings, opinions of Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel are little changed, and most voters think he is likely to be confirmed.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of Hagel, while 32% view him unfavorably. Thirty-five percent (35%) still don’t know enough about the former Republican senator from Nebraska to venture any kind of opinion. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in the new Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard to find out.  
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 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.

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                            February 4, 201380% Rate Their Health Care As Good or Excellent
Voters continue to give high marks to the health care they receive but worry that the U.S. health care system is going to get worse in the near future.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 80% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. Just three percent (3%) consider the health care they receive as poor. (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, 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.
February 4, 2013Fewer Dollars and Babies Threaten Social Programs By Michael Barone
Our major public policies are based on the assumption that America will continue to enjoy growth. Economic growth and population growth.
Through most of our history, this assumption has proved to be correct. These days, not so much.
Last week, the Commerce Department announced that the gross domestic product shrunk by 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012. And the Census Bureau reported that the U.S. birth rate in 2011 was 63.2 per 1,000 women age 15 to 44, the lowest ever recorded.

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                            February 3, 201353% Expect Housing Market to Take More Than Three Years to Recover
Most Americans (53%) still expect housing prices to take more than three years to fully recover from the 2008 downturn. That's consistent with findings since last June.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% of American Adults think it will take three years or less for housing prices to recover, with four percent (4%) who see full recovery within a year. That's in line with attitudes in December but slightly more optimistic than Americans had been for several months prior to that.  Fourteen percent (14%) 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 January 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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                            February 3, 2013Game Day: Fans Pick 49ers to Win
The San Francisco 49ers were picked to win it all at the beginning of the season, and with kick off to Super Bowl XLVII just hours away, fans' views haven’t changed.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of American Adults who plan to watch the Super Bowl think the 49ers are most likely to win this year, while 33% believe the Baltimore Ravens are most likely to be the champions. Nineteen percent (19%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
When it comes to what team viewers want to win, however, they're more closely divided:  43% say the ‘Niners, while 39% say the Ravens.
(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 1,058 Adults Who Will Watch the Super Bowl was conducted on January 26-29, 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.

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                            February 2, 201342% Think U.S., Allies Winning War on Terror
Confidence that the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror has slipped to the lowest level since the killing of Osama bin Laden nearly two years ago. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror. That’s down from 45% in December and the lowest level of confidence since April 2011. Confidence peaked at 55% in May 2011 just after bin Laden’s death was announced. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in the new Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard to find out. 
(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 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.

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                            February 2, 2013What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending February 2, 2013
The week began with a bipartisan immigration reform plan that includes a pathway to citizenship for the millions of illegal immigrants already here and ended with a worsening of the national unemployment rate. Voters have little faith in their elected representatives to set either issue right.
Voters continue to favor a welcoming immigration policy and rate both border control and legalizing the status of those here illegally as important goals. However, voters are dubious that the government will actually make more of en effort to stop illegal immigration if the plan is passed by Congress. 
“Despite the broad support for the outlines of the bipartisan legislation, the prospects for its passage are far from clear,” Scott Rasmussen explains in his latest weekly newspaper column. “The reason has little to do with the immigration issue itself and everything to do with the lack of public trust in the government.”

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                            February 1, 201335% of Super Bowl Watchers Find the Ads Better Than The Game
The Super Bowl is just two days away, but a sizable number of Americans who plan to watch it will be more focused on the ads.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 35% of adults who will watch the Super Bowl think the big game’s commercials are more interesting than the game itself.  Fifty-five percent (55%) find the game more interesting. Eleven percent (11%) 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 525 Adults Who Will Watch the Super Bowl was conducted on January 26-29, 2013 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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                            February 1, 2013New Low: 39% Expect Stronger Economy Five Years From Now
Fewer Americans than ever expect the U.S. economy to be stronger in five years, while the number who think it will be stronger 12 months from now is little changed from findings over the past three years. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 39% of American Adults think the economy will be stronger in five years. That's down from 44% in December and the first time this finding has fallen below the 40% mark in four years of regular surveying. In February of last year, 47% predicted that the economy would be stronger in five years' time. In January 2009, 62% felt that way.
Thirty-one percent (31%) now expect the economy to be weaker in five years, compared to 21% in February 2012. Twelve percent (12%) think the economy will remain about the same, while 18% 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 January 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.