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May 17, 2012

57% Think Spending Increases Should Be Limited to Population Growth and Inflation

Most voters continue to disagree with the pace of federal spending and favor a law that limits how much it can grow in any given year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 76% of Likely U.S. Voters recognize that government spending in America has gone up over the past 10 years. Just nine percent (9%) think spending has gone down, and another nine percent (9%) believe it has stayed about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 14-15, 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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May 17, 2012

Grief Is Not a Mental Illness By Froma Harrop

We moderns seem determined to suppress all unhappiness with one exception: grief. The intense sadness following loss of a loved one still occupies a warm spot in our culture. We want that pain protected from the deadening analgesics of pharmaceuticals.

That explains the American Psychiatric Association's decision to retreat from a plan to categorize ordinary grief as an adjustment disorder. Some wanted to classify a response to significant loss -- deep sadness, insomnia, poor appetite, inability to concentrate, crying -- lasting more than two weeks as a depression rather than normal grief, drawing fire from both mental-health professionals and ordinary folk.

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May 17, 2012

North Carolina Governor: McCrory (R) 50%, Dalton (D) 41%

In the first Rasmussen Reports survey since their primary wins last week, Republican Pat McCrory reaches the 50% level of support against Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton in North Carolina’s 2012 gubernatorial contest.

The former Charlotte mayor now leads Dalton 50% to 41% in a telephone survey of Likely Voters in North Carolina. One percent (1%) prefers some other candidate, and eight percent (8%) 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 North Carolina was conducted on May 14, 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.

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May 17, 2012

Recent News Could Cause Panic for Obama Campaign By Michael Barone

Is it panic time at Obama headquarters in Chicago? You might get that impression from watching events -- and the polls -- over the past few weeks.

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May 16, 2012

Radio Update: Romney Takes the Lead in North Carolina

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

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May 16, 2012

Radio Update: Polls of Likely Voters Show Romney Ahead

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

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May 16, 2012

28% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-eight percent (28%) 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, May 12.

This week’s finding is down three points from the previous two weeks.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports May 7-12, 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.

May 16, 2012

88% Say They're Paying More for Groceries Than A Year Ago

Americans still say overwhelmingly that they are paying more for groceries than they were year ago which helps explain why a majority continues to lack confidence in the Federal Reserve Board’s ability to keep inflation down. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 88% of American Adults report paying more for groceries compared to a year ago, a finding that has ranged from 75% to 93% since April 2009. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on May 11-12, 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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May 16, 2012

35% Give Supreme Court Positive Marks

Positive ratings for the U.S. Supreme Court are down slightly from last month when they jumped following the highly publicized hearings on the constitutionality of the national health care reform law. However, voters still view the court more positively than they did for most of 2011.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 35% rate Supreme Court’s performance as good or excellent. Sixteen percent (16%) say the high court is doing a poor job. (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 May 14-15, 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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May 16, 2012

35% Give Supreme Court Positive Marks

Positive ratings for the U.S. Supreme Court are down slightly from last month when they jumped following the highly publicized hearings on the constitutionality of the national health care reform law. However, voters still view the court more positively than they did for most of 2011.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 35% rate Supreme Court’s performance as good or excellent. Sixteen percent (16%) say the high court is doing a poor job. (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 May 14-15, 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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May 16, 2012

Radio Update: The American People Are Right and The Political Class Needs to Change

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

May 16, 2012

71% Say Government Should Let Big Troubled Banks Fail

With JPMorgan Chase Bank, one of the nation’s biggest financial institutions, under scrutiny for its recent $2 billion in trading losses, Americans feel more strongly than ever that no bank is “too big to fail.”

Seventy-one percent (71%) say the government should let troubled banks, even ones that big, go out of business rather than find a way to keep them going, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults. That’s up 15 points from 56% in July 2010.

Just 19% think that if some of the largest banks in the country reach a point where they can no longer meet their obligations, the government should find a way to keep them in business. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 14, 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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May 16, 2012

Making Life Fair By John Stossel

When my wife was a liberal, she complained that libertarian reasoning is coldhearted. Since markets produce winners and losers -- and many losers did nothing wrong -- market competition is cruel. It must seem so. President Obama used the word "fair" in his last State of the Union address nine times.

May 16, 2012

North Carolina: Romney 51%, Obama 43%

Mitt Romney has moved out to an eight-point lead over President Obama in North Carolina after the two men were virtually tied a month ago.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Tar Heel State shows the putative Republican nominee earning 51% of the vote to Obama’s 43%. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and four percent (4%) 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 North Carolina was conducted on May 14, 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.

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May 15, 2012

Radio Update: JP Morgan Loses Big, Americans Want The Right People to Pay

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

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May 15, 2012

Radio Update: Same-Sex Marriage Issue Reinforces Political Generation Gap

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

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May 15, 2012

Voters Still Trust Their Own Economic Judgment Over Romney's, Obama's

Voters may trust Mitt Romney's economic judgment more than President Obama's, but they continue to have a lot more confidence in themselves than in either presidential contender. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of Likely U.S. Voters trust their own judgment over the president’s when it comes to the economic issues facing the nation.  Just 29% say they trust Obama’s judgment over their own. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

This national survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on May 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.

May 15, 2012

62% Predict 'Arab Spring' Nations Will Not Soon Become Free and Democratic

New governments are being established as a result of last year’s so-called “Arab Spring" revolt, but most Americans don’t expect them to become peaceful and democratic any time soon.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 27% of Likely U.S. Voters believes it’s at least somewhat likely that countries such as Egypt, Libya and Tunisia will become free, democratic and peaceful over the next few years.  That includes only three percent (3%) who say it’s Very Likely. Sixty-two percent (62%) think such a transformation is unlikely, with 16% who say it’s Not At All Likely to occur.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 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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May 15, 2012

Radio Update: Right Now, National Polls Matter More Than Electoral College Guessing Games

Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

May 15, 2012

36% Support More Government Regulation of Financial Industry

Wall Street banks are once again drawing national criticism, this time due to JPMorgan Chase’s $2 billion loss from high-risk trades.  Yet while Americans believe the federal government is doing a poor job keeping an eye on the banking industry, most still aren’t convinced more regulations are needed.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that just 14% rate federal government oversight of the banking industry as good or excellent. Fifty-three percent (53%) say the government is doing a poor job monitoring banks. (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 May 14, 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.