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July 2, 2012

Only 43% Now Believe America Is The Last Best Hope of Mankind

Americans continue to believe strongly that their nation offers them more opportunities than any other country in the world, but they’re not nearly as confident in America’s place in the world.

Just 43% of American Adults now view the United States as the last best hope of mankind, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s down from 51% who felt that way in May 2010. Thirty percent (30%) say America is not the last best hope of mankind, as Ronald Reagan famously described it, but nearly as many (27%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Americans nationwide was conducted on June 30-July 1, 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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July 2, 2012

Obamacare Survives, but Political Playing Field Has Changed by Michael Barone

The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision upholding the Obama administration's health care legislation was a victory for the president, his administration and his party. Their most ambitious legislative achievement has not been nullified, and they are not left in obvious disarray.

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July 2, 2012

52% Favor Repeal of President’s Health Care Law

The U.S. Supreme Court declared that President Obama’s health care law is constitutional, but they were unable to make it popular.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters favor repeal of the health care law, while 39% are opposed. That’s little changed from a week ago.  Indeed, support for repeal has barely budged since the law was passed.

(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 June 29-30, 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.

July 1, 2012

30% Say America Better Off Today Than Four Years Ago

Most Americans don’t believe the county is better off today than it was four years ago, but they'd still rather live here than anywhere else in the world. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 30% of American Adults think the nation is better off today than it was four years ago. But twice as many (60%) don’t believe the United States is better off today. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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July 1, 2012

Approval Ratings for Supreme Court Slip Following Health Care Ruling

Public opinion of the Supreme Court has grown more negative since the highly publicized ruling on the president’s health care law was released. A growing number now believe that the high court is too liberal and that justices pursue their own agenda rather than acting impartially.

A week ago, 36% said the court was doing a good or an excellent job. That’s down to 33% today. However, the big change is a rise in negative perceptions. Today, 28% say the Supreme Court is doing a poor job. That’s up 11 points over the past week.

The new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, conducted on Friday and Saturday following the court ruling, finds that 56% believe justices pursue their own political agenda rather than generally remain impartial. That’s up five points from a week ago. Just half as many -- 27% -- believe the justices remain impartial. (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 June 29-30, 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.

June 30, 2012

58% Say An Overly Powerful Government Is A Bigger Danger Than A Weak One

As they have for years, Americans feel a government that is too powerful is a bigger problem than a government that is not powerful enough. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of American Adults say a government that is too powerful is the bigger danger in the world today, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  (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 June 24-25, 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.

June 30, 2012

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending June 30, 2012

A week ago, most voters nationwide wanted the Supreme Court to uphold the Arizona immigration law and overturn the president’s health care law. The Supreme Court did just the opposite and now the debate returns to the political arena.

In his weekly newspaper column, Scott Rasmussen notes that the court decision keeps the health care law “alive for now. But it's important to remember that the law has already lost in the court of public opinion. The Supreme Court ruling is a temporary reprieve more than anything else.” Fifty-four percent of voters nationwide still want to see the law repealed.

June 29, 2012

60% Say Border Control Should Be Top Immigration Priority

Most voters continue to favor a welcoming immigration policy that focuses on gaining control of the border.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of Likely Voters agree that the goal of immigration policy should be to keep out only national security threats, criminals and those who come to the United States to live off its welfare system. Twenty-five percent (25%) disagree.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 25-26, 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.

June 29, 2012

66% Put National Security Ahead of Human Rights

Former President Jimmy Carter complained earlier this week that the United States is “abandoning its role … as the global champion of human rights.” But most Americans put national security ahead of human rights when it comes to foreign policy and think the best thing the United States can do is be a good role model for others.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of American Adults think the United States is a positive role model for the rest of the world when it comes to human rights, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 19% disagree, but another 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 Americans nationwide was conducted on June 26-27, 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.

June 29, 2012

71% Say Democratic Leaders Liberal, Republicans Leaders Conservative

Voters continue to see a sharp ideological difference between the leaderships of the two major political parties, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of Likely U.S. Voters describe the leadership of the Democratic Party as liberal, and the identical number (71%) believe the leadership of the Republican Party is conservative. These findings include 43% who think Democratic leaders are Very Liberal versus 36% who feel the GOP leadership is Very Conservative.  (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.

This national survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on June 23-24, 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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June 29, 2012

2012 Gubernatorial Update: Republicans Aim For Their High-Water Mark By Geoffrey Skelley

A record-tying year could be in store for Republicans in 2012. No, we’re not talking about Mitt Romney -- even if he wins, Romney will not equal Richard Nixon’s 60.7% popular vote share in 1972 or Ronald Reagan’s 525 electoral votes in 1984. Rather, Republicans can tie a record in another category: the number of state governorships the party has held at one time.

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June 29, 2012

35% Give Supreme Court Good or Excellent Marks

Thirty-five percent (35%) of Likely Voters nationwide say the U.S. Supreme Court is doing a good or excellent job. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% think the court is doing a fair job, and 22% rate its performance as poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

In March, just before oral arguments on the health care law, only 28% gave the high court such positive ratings. Those were the lowest ratings ever earned by the court in more than eight years of polling by Rasmussen Reports. But those oral arguments convinced many that the president’s health care law might be overturned, and positive ratings for the court jumped 13 points to 41%.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 27-28, 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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June 29, 2012

Fox's Brazen Star: Karl Rove Rebukes Obama on Executive Privilege Claim By Joe Conason

Forever incapable of embarrassment, let alone sober reflection, Karl Rove is very well suited to his current roles as Fox News commentator and Crossroads Super PAC smear sponsor. But he achieved a moment of near-perfection last Thursday when, appearing on a Fox morning news broadcast, he spoke up about President Obama's invocation of executive privilege against a House committee subpoena of Justice Department documents.

June 29, 2012

Supreme Court Keeps Health Care Law on Life Support By Scott Rasmussen

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision that President Obama's health care law is constitutional keeps it alive for now. But it's important to remember that the law has already lost in the court of public opinion. The Supreme Court ruling is a temporary reprieve more than anything else.

June 28, 2012

New Low: 46% Think U.S. Economy Can Recover If Europe Remains Troubled

Fewer Americans than ever are confident that the U.S. economy can recover as long as Europe's fiscal problems continue.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of American Adults still have faith that the U.S. economy can recover even if the European economy remains troubled. Thirty percent (30%) do not believe the U.S. economy can recover as long as the European economic crisis continues. Twenty-five percent (25%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Americans nationwide was conducted on June 22-23, 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.

June 28, 2012

Arizona Senate: Flake (R) 47%, Carmona (D) 31%

Republican front-runner Jeff Flake continues to hold a double-digit lead over Democrat Richard Carmona in the race to fill Arizona's soon-to-be-vacant U.S. Senate seat.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Arizona finds Flake, a U.S. congressman, earning 47% of the vote, while Carmona receives 31% support. Five percent (5%) prefers some other candidate in the race, but a sizable 17% are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

This Arizona survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on June 26, 2012 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.

June 28, 2012

60% Favor Building Keystone Pipeline

Completion of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Texas remains on hold, but most voters continue to support the building of the pipeline and believe it will be good for the economy.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters at least somewhat favor building the Keystone XL pipeline, including 33% who Strongly Favor it. Just 22% oppose construction of the pipeline, with eight percent (8%) who are Strongly Opposed. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here).

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 25-26, 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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June 28, 2012

Here's to the Yankee Doodle Liberal By Froma Harrop

In 1940, a Los Angeles jury released testimony linking James Cagney to the Communist Party, or at least to "communist members, sympathizers or heavy contributors." He had supported something called the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, apparently not knowing that it was a Soviet front.

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June 28, 2012

Supreme Court Sets Stage for Immigration Reform by Michael Barone

The Supreme Court's decision announced Monday in the Arizona v. United States case opens the way for sensible reform of our immigration laws.

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June 28, 2012

The House's 15 Closest Races By Kyle Kondik

The conventional wisdom in the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives is that Democrats will pick up at least some seats, perhaps netting somewhere in the high single or low double digits, but won't pick up enough seats to seriously threaten John Boehner's speakership. Indeed, if we had to project the House right now, we'd say a net Democratic gain of less than 10 seats.