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December 27, 2012Veterans Denounce Neoconservative 'Swiftboating' of Chuck Hagel By Joe Conason
If Chuck Hagel is nominated by President Obama to serve as Secretary of Defense, there will be at least three compelling arguments in his favor. He served with distinction in the military and would  -- like Secretary of State nominee John Kerry -- bring a veteran's perspective to his post. He has adopted and articulated a sane perspective on the grave foreign policy blunders whose consequences still haunt the nation, including the Iraq and Vietnam wars. And as we have learned ever since his nomination was first floated, he has made all the right (and right-wing) enemies.

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                            December 27, 201243% Think U.S. Safer Today Than Before 9/11
With Americans focused on the U.S. economy, there has been little change in perceptions of the War on Terror. However, belief that the country is safer today than before 9/11 has fallen to levels found before the killing of Osama bin Laden.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror. That’s little changed from a month ago. Over the past year-and-a-half, confidence that the U.S. is winning has stayed between 44% and 51%.
Prior to the killing of Osama bin Laden, confidence in the War on Terror had been lower, falling to 32% in April 2011.
Currently, 18% think the terrorists are winning, while another 28% say neither side is ahead. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 22, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 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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                            December 26, 201235% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Thirty-five percent (35%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, December 22.
That's down from 37% last week and the lowest finding since early September. After Election Day, confidence in the nation’s course initially tracked in the low 40s, the highest level of optimism during the Obama years. The latest finding is more in line with attitudes in September and October but is still slightly higher than was found earlier in 2012. This week’s finding is up 11 points from the beginning of the year and up 15 points from 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 December 17-22, 2012. 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.

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                            December 26, 201238% Favor More Regulation of U.S. Financial System
Support for more regulation of the U.S. financial system is at an all-time high, but a plurality of voters still thinks more competition is best for the markets.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 49% believe more competition and less regulation is better for the financial system than more regulation and less competition. But 38% now take the opposite view and think more regulation and less competition is the way to go. Another 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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 20-21, 2012 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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                            December 26, 201252% Favor Reducing or Eliminating Tax Deductions for Wealthier Americans
Voters tend to think income tax deductions help wealthier Americans more than taxpayers in the middle class, and most favor reducing or eliminating those deductions for those who earn more than $250,000 a year. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters believe tax deductions help upper-income Americans the most. Thirty-nine percent (39%) think those deductions are more beneficial to middle-class taxpayers. Sixteen percent (16%) 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 December 22, 2012 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.
December 26, 2012Charity Begins With Wealth Creation By John Stossel
Charity -- helping people who have trouble helping themselves -- is a good thing two times over. It's good for the beneficiary and good for the donor, too. Stephen Post's fine book, "The Hidden Gifts of Helping," reveals that 76 percent of Americans say that helping others is what makes them most happy. Giving money makes us feel good, and helping face-to-face is even better. People say it makes them feel physically healthier. They sleep better.
Private charity is unquestioningly better than government efforts to help people. Government squanders money. Charities sometime squander money, too, but they usually don't.
December 26, 2012Getting More for Less in Health Care By Froma Harrop
Sad, sad, sad that in talking about budget cuts, we use painful words like "extracting billions from Medicare" or "slashing the Medicare entitlement." Has it ever occurred to the gladiators that improving the quality of health care can also save money? If Medicare spends less on a patient because the hospital does a good job the first time, that's what we call a win-win situation. The patient gets better care. The taxpayers get billed only once. Yay.

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                            December 26, 2012Most Expect 2013 Recession With Or Without 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal
Most voters nationwide expect a recession in 2013 regardless of whether a deal is reached to avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff.” If a deal is reached and the December 31 fiscal cliff of big tax hikes and automatic across-the-board spending cuts is avoided, 54% of voters believe a recession is likely next year. If no deal is reached, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 70% think a recession is likely.
These figures include 26% who believe a recession is Very Likely with a deal and 42% who believe it is Very Likely without one. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 20-21, 2012 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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                            December 25, 201260% Celebrate Christmas As Religious Holiday
Merry Christmas. Today is one of America’s most celebrated holidays although the celebration takes many forms and has different meanings for different people. Seventy-six percent (76%) of those who celebrate opened Christmas presents this morning. Nineteen percent (19%) opened them last night.
Sixty percent (60%) of Americans celebrate Christmas primarily as a religious holiday. To Christians, it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Fifty-seven percent (57%) will attend a religious service during the holiday season. (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 December 21, 2012 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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                            December 24, 2012Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 44% Republicans 38%
Democrats now hold a six-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending December 23, 2012.
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 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from December 17-22, 2012. 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.
December 24, 2012Here Comes the Cliff By Michael Barone
Last week, Republicans proved they are not a governing party. Next week we will see whether Democrats are.
A governing party would have, reluctantly, passed Speaker John Boehner's Plan B, which would have preserved the current tax rates on everyone with incomes under $1 million.
Passage would have put Senate Democrats on the spot, since they voted for a similar measure in 2010. They might have engaged in negotiations with Boehner that could have been more productive than his negotiations with Barack Obama this month and in the summer of 2011.

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                            December 24, 201242% Waited Till Final Weekend to Finish Holiday Shopping
If the stores seemed a little crowded the past few days, it’s partly because an amazing 42% of Americans had not finished their holiday shopping heading into the final weekend before Christmas.
In fact, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 20% waited until the final weekend to begin their shopping. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in this week’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 Twitter or Facebook. 
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 21, 2012 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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                            December 23, 201217% Say There Is Too Much Individual Freedom In America
The Bill of Rights was written to ensure every citizen in this country his or her personal freedoms, but 17% of Americans believe there is too much individual freedom in the United States today.
Sixty-six percent (66%) of Adults do not believe this to be true, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  Another 18% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The Rasmussen Challenge has a winner!   
The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on December 19-20, 2012 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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                            December 23, 2012Just 52% Now Want to Avoid Going Over Fiscal Cliff
While the failure of House Speaker John Boehner's “Plan B” sent shudders through the stock market and Washington’s political elite, it had little impact on public expectations.
A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe it is at least somewhat likely that Congress and the president will reach a deal to avert the December 31 “fiscal cliff” of big tax increases and automatic across-the-board spending cuts. The survey was conducted on Thursday and Friday night, meaning that just over half the survey was conducted after Republicans failed to find the votes for their Plan B to raise taxes on millionaires only. There was no significant change in public expectations before or after the legislative debacle.
Additionally, public expectations have changed little since Election Day. The number who think a deal is likely has stayed consistently between 49% and 51% prior to the latest results. The consistency of public opinion stands in marked contrast to the roller coaster assessments coming from “sources” in Washington. Just 17% of voters nationwide think a fiscal cliff deal is Very Likely. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The Rasmussen Challenge has a winner!  
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 20-21, 2012 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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                            December 22, 2012What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 22, 2012
‘Twas the week before Christmas, and the question remains: Will taxes go up, or will they stay just the same?
Voter confidence is fading that Congress and the president will reach a deal to avoid the December 31 “fiscal cliff” of big tax hikes and automatic across-the-board spending cuts. But voters still see President Obama as more willing than congressional Republicans to accept a compromise, and that’s a big problem for the GOP.
As the fiscal cliff deadline approaches, Obama continues to enjoy some of the highest job approval ratings of his presidency. On the other hand, House Speaker John Boehner has now passed his Democratic predecessor Nancy Pelosi to become the least-liked major congressional leader, a title Pelosi has held for several years. 
Obama has turned the fiscal cliff issue into a debate about fairness. Overall, voters are evenly divided as to whether or not the economy is fair. Half believe it’s fair to lower-income Americans, only 41% think it is fair to the middle class.

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                            December 22, 201271% Think Mentally Ill Should Be Under Stricter Observation
Following the recent horrific elementary school shooting in Connecticut, most Americans think the mentally ill should be monitored more closely. But a majority doesn’t think government officials should be allowed to ban movies and games that feature excessive violence.A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 71% of Adults believe people diagnosed with a mental illness should be placed under stricter control and observation. Just 11% disagree, but another 18% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
How did you do in the Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard to find out the winner.
(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 December 19-20, 2012 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.
December 21, 2012What Americans Should Learn From the 'Republican Apocalypse' By Joe Conason
What may finally consume the House Republicans is their boundless contempt for the American public -- a contempt bluntly demonstrated in their refusal to consider any reasonable compromise with President Obama to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" on Dec. 31. They know from the election results (and every poll) that the public believes taxes should be raised on the wealthy. They know that the public wants bipartisan compromise. And they know that the approval rating of the House Republicans, in contrast to the president's upwardly trending numbers, are veering toward historic lows.
December 21, 2012Announcing the First Rasmussen Challenge Winner…
More than 15,000 people participated in this year’s first-ever Rasmussen Challenge, with an average of 2,900 people playing weekly. And now we have a winner – Bill Kerins of Bucks County, PA.

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                            December 21, 201246% Think America Overtaxed, 42% Disagree
Fewer voters than ever think the United States is overtaxed.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the nation is overtaxed. But nearly as many (42%) disagree. 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 Voters was conducted on December 16-17, 2012 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.

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                            December 21, 201255% Favor Assault Weapons Ban, But 62% Oppose Complete Gun Ban
Most Americans favor taking semi-automatic and assault-type weapons off the market but also are wary of a society in which only the government has guns. Very few would opt for a neighborhood where they couldn’t own a gun. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of American Adults think there should be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault-type weapons. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree and oppose such a ban. (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 December 19-20, 2012 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.