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June 12, 2012

New High: 42% Worried They’ll Lose Their Money Due To Bank Failure

Over half of Americans now lack confidence in the U.S. banking system, and more than ever are worried about losing the money they have in the bank. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry, but 52% are not. This includes 11% who are Very Confident and 12% who are Not At All Confident. (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 June 10-11, 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 12, 2012

Iowa: Romney 47%, Obama 46%

President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are in a near tie in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the critical battleground state of Iowa.

A new telephone survey of Likely Iowa Voters shows Romney earning 47% support to Obama’s 46%. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Iowa was conducted on June 11, 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 12, 2012

69% Believe Ex-Penn State Coach Guilty of Some Child Abuse Charges

The trial of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has just begun, but most Americans think they've already heard enough.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 69% believe Sandusky is guilty of at least some of the child sexual abuse charges against him. Just one percent (1%) don’t think he’s guilty of any of the charges, but 29% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on June 8-9, 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 12, 2012

A Modern Economy Has Universal Health Care By Froma Harrop

For now, let's drop the talk about wanting a liberal America or a conservative America. What we truly need is a modern America. No country can be modern spending twice what its rich competitors do on health care while leaving millions without any coverage.

June 12, 2012

67% Rate Volunteer Work More Important Than Politics

Even as the presidential campaign increasingly catches fire, voters continue to believe overwhelmingly that doing volunteer work is more important than playing politics.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters feel that in terms of being a good citizen, it is more important to do volunteer work for church and community organizations than it is to get involved in politics and political campaigns. Only 16% disagree and put political involvement first, while another 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 June 9-10, 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 11, 2012

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 45%, Democrats 39%

Republicans lead Democrats by six points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, June 10.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 39% would choose the Democrat instead. Republicans led by seven points the week before, 44% to 37%.

(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 June 4-10, 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.

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June 11, 2012

34% Say Next President Very Likely To Be Republican

Though slightly more voters believe President Obama is governing on a bipartisan basis, a majority remains convinced that the next president will be from the Republican Party.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely Voters say it’s at least somewhat likely that the next president will be a Republican, including 34% who see this scenario as Very Likely. Twenty-five percent (25%) say it’s not likely the next president will be from the GOP, but that includes only six percent (6%) who believe it is Not At All Likely. Another 15% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 5-6, 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 11, 2012

Voters Trust Bill Clinton More Than Obama, Romney When It Comes to Economy

Former President Bill Clinton recently got himself in hot water in his own party when he disagreed with the current occupant of the White House and called for an extension of the so-called Bush tax cuts. But most voters support extending those tax cuts and express more confidence in Clinton’s economic judgment than that of both President Obama and Mitt Romney.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of Likely U.S. Voters trust Clinton’s judgment more than Obama’s when it comes to the economy. Just 26% trust the president’s judgment more. Twenty percent (20%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 7-8, 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 11, 2012

53% Favor Repeal of National Health Care Law

Most voters continue to support repeal of the national health care law and feel it will increase the federal budget deficit. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely Voters at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, while 39% are at least somewhat opposed.  Those figures include 44% who Strongly Favor repeal and 28% who are Strongly Opposed. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 9-10, 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 11, 2012

A Good Day for the GOP in Wisconsin and California By Michael Barone

We pundits have been busy crunching the results in last Tuesday's Wisconsin recall election and have noted that the public-employee unions sustained a huge defeat.

June 11, 2012

45% Favor 10% Pay Cut For All State Employees, 41% Oppose

Most Americans still say their home states are having major budget problems, and a plurality now favors a 10% pay cut for all state employees to help reduce government spending.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of American Adults say their state is having a budget crisis, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty percent (20%) report no budget crisis in their state, while 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 survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 6-7, 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 10, 2012

49% View United Nations Unfavorably

Voters are a little less enthusiastic about the United Nations these days.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters now view the international organization at least somewhat favorably. However, slightly more (49%) share at least a somewhat unfavorable opinion of it. This includes 10% with a Very Favorable view and 24% with a Very Unfavorable one. Another 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 1-2, 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 9, 2012

61% in Colorado Favor Legalizing, Regulating Marijuana

Coloradoans will be voting whether to legalize marijuana this November, a ballot initiative that some say could impact the presidential race there. Most Colorado voters are in favor of legalizing the drug under certain conditions.

Sixty-one percent (61%) of Likely Voters in Colorado favor legalizing marijuana if it is regulated the way alcohol and cigarettes are. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Centennial State shows that 27% of voters oppose legalization even with government regulation, while 12% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Colorado was conducted on June 6, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

June 9, 2012

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls For The Week Ending June 8, 2012

Americans want a little less government in their lives, and they definitely don’t like the government telling them how big a Coke they can drink.

While surveys for years have told us that Americans prefer a government with fewer services and lower taxes, just over half (51%) also continue to believe the government is more of a threat to individual rights than a protector of them. At the same time, 51% think it’s more important for the government to protect individual rights than to promote economic growth.

June 8, 2012

37% Say It’s Bad For U.S. When Candidates Criticize President’s Foreign Policies

In the early years of the Cold War, most politicians subscribed to the adage that "politics stops at the water's edge," but since the Vietnam war, partisan sniping at a president's foreign policy has become commonplace. Just over a third (37%) of Likely U.S. Voters think it's bad for the country when candidates for the presidency criticize the foreign policy of the sitting president, but, not surprisingly, there's a partisan component to the findings.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 16% say such criticism is good for the United States, while 30% say it has no impact. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 5-6, 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 8, 2012

49% Favor Public Employee Unions, 46% Oppose

This week’s unsuccessful effort to recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is expected to prompt more states to cut the benefits of public employee unions in an effort to reduce sizable budget deficits. Americans still have mixed feelings about those unions but would much rather reduce their benefits than pay more taxes to fund them.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, taken since Tuesday’s recall vote, finds that 49% of American Adults at least somewhat favor unions for public employees, including 23% who Strongly Favor them. Nearly as many (46%) oppose those unions, with 30% who Strongly Oppose them. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 6-7, 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 8, 2012

Missouri: McCaskill’s Top GOP Challengers Again Hit the 50% Mark

Missouri Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill’s three leading Republican challengers all now earn 50% or more of the vote in matchups with her.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Missouri Voters shows former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman with the widest lead. She’s ahead of McCaskill by 12 points, 51% to 39%. Three percent (3%) like another candidate, and seven percent (7%) 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.

This Missouri survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on June 7, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 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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June 8, 2012

Silent Running: The Burgeoning Wisconsin Scandal That Major Media Ignored By Joe Conason

If the Wisconsin recall is truly second in importance only to the presidential race, as many media outlets have trumpeted lately, then why have those same outlets so badly neglected one of that election's most salient aspects?

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June 8, 2012

Missouri: Romney 49%, Obama 42%

Mitt Romney’s support continues to hover around the 50% mark in Missouri.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows that 49% of Likely Missouri Voters prefer Romney, while 42% support the president. Six percent (6%) favor some other candidate, and three percent (3%) 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 Missouri was conducted on June 7, 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 8, 2012

The Government Insists on Cutting Us Down to Size By Scott Rasmussen

Mayor Michael Bloomberg ignited a firestorm of debate with his proposal to ban super-size sugary drinks in New York City. Critics bashed his nanny-statism, but supporters like first lady Michelle Obama hailed his courage.