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                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/business/general_business/july_2012/38_express_confidence_in_fed_to_keep_inflation_interest_rates_in_check/726234-1-eng-US/38_express_confidence_in_fed_to_keep_inflation_interest_rates_in_check.jpg" />
                
            
                            July 14, 201238% Express Confidence In Fed To Keep Inflation, Interest Rates In Check
Americans’ confidence in the Federal Reserve Board keeping inflation under control is the lowest its been in 2012, as many continue to report paying more for groceries now compared to last year.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 38% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Fed can keep inflation under control and interest rates down, including just 13% who are Very Confident. Fifty-six percent (56%) lack confidence in the Fed in this area, with 22% 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 July 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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                            July 14, 2012What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls -- For The Week Ending July 14, 2012
Election Day is less than four months away, and Rasmussen Reports this week opened its Election 2012 roundup page to bring you the one stop you’ll need to make every day for the latest in political polling news. It features our breaking news polls, in-depth looks at how the presidential candidates stack up the Electoral College, how Senate races nationwide are going, even the Twitter feeds from the candidates themselves.
President Obama and Mitt Romney continue to run neck-and-neck in our daily Presidential Tracking Poll. But right now, Rasmussen Reports Electoral College Projections show states with 207 Electoral Votes in President Obama’s column, while states with 170 Electoral Voters are projected to go for Mitt Romney. When leaners are included, it’s Obama 247, Romney 191. Seven states, with 100 Electoral College votes, are currently rated as Toss-Ups. 
One of those toss-ups is the key swing state of Florida where new polling finds Romney with 46% support to Obama’s 45%. This is little changed since April after the president posted slight leads earlier in the year.
Romney's well ahead in North Dakota – 51% to 36% - a state that’s considered Safe Republican. Republican Congressman Rick Berg is leading former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp by nine points – 49% to 40% - in the U.S. Senate race in North Dakota.
July 13, 201260% Say Congress Doing Poor Job
Positive ratings for Congress continue to hover in the single digits, and a plurality of voters still believes most members of the national legislature are corrupt.  
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that just seven percent (7%) say Congress is doing a good or excellent job. Sixty percent (60%) say the legislators are doing a poor job, a slight improvement from the last several months. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 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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                            July 13, 2012North Dakota: Romney 51%, Obama 36%
Mitt Romney's well ahead in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the presidential race in North Dakota. 
A new telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state finds Romney earning 51% support to President Obama’s 36%. Six percent (6%) prefers some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 400 Likely Voters in North Dakota was conducted on July 10-11, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/business/taxes/july_2012/obama_position_on_extending_tax_cuts_tops_gop_proposal/726029-1-eng-US/obama_position_on_extending_tax_cuts_tops_gop_proposal.jpg" />
                
            
                            July 13, 2012Obama Position on Extending Tax Cuts Tops GOP Proposal
Most voters favor temporarily extending the so-called Bush tax cuts for those who earn less than $250,000 a year but are less enthusiastic about continuing those tax cuts permanently for all Americans.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with President Obama’s plan to extend the tax cuts for a year for those who make less than $250,000 annually. Just 20% oppose this temporary extension, and 13% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 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.
July 13, 2012If We're Headed Toward Greece, Republicans Are Driving Us There By Joe Conason
When Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters on Tuesday that Mitt Romney's foreign investment accounts don't trouble him because "it's really American to avoid paying taxes," he must not have realized that he was calling his party's nominee-to-be a liar.
July 13, 201247% Think U.S. and Allies Are Winning War on Terror
Confidence in how the United States is doing in the War on Terror has fallen to its lowest level this year.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror. That's down from 51% last month and the lowest finding since November.  Fifteen percent (15%) say the terrorists are winning. Twenty-nine percent (29%) feel neither side is ahead, also the highest finding since November. (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 July 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.
July 13, 2012An Over/Under on Democratic House Gains By Kyle Kondik
In sports betting parlance, an “over/under” is a bet on whether there will be more or less of a given statistic in a certain game. So, in a football game, say the over/under is 50; gamblers would bet whether the total points scored would be more or less than 50. We include this reference just to make sure readers know what we’re talking about here, and also to include a regular Crystal Ball disclaimer: It’s our policy to never bet money on elections because we do not want to compromise our ratings.
July 13, 2012Why Obama's Still in the Race Despite the Bad Economy By Scott Rasmussen
There are plenty of reasons that the economy is the most important issue of Election 2012. Unemployment has remained high for a long time, and even 27 percent of those who have a job are worried about losing it.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            July 12, 2012Most Still Not Confident Social Security Will Pay All Promised Benefits
Voters continue to lack faith in the Social Security system and do not believe they will see all they've been promised.
Just 40% of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat confident that Social Security will pay them all their promised benefits in their lifetime, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  Fifty-six percent (56%) don't share that confidence.  These findings include only 14% who are Very Confident that Social Security will pay them all their benefits and 27% who are Not At All Confident. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 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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                            July 12, 2012North Dakota Senate: Berg (R) 49%, Heitkamp (D) 40%
Republican Congressman Rick Berg is leading former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp by nine points in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the U.S. Senate race in North Dakota.
A new telephone survey of Likely North Dakota Voters shows Berg with 49% support to Heitkamp’s 40%. Two percent (2%) prefer 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 400 Likely Voters in North Dakota was conducted on July 10-11, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 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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                            July 12, 201243% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking Industry
Confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking system has fallen to its lowest level in over a year of monthly tracking.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry today.  That’s down from 46% last month and from a recent high of 50% in May. By comparison, however, in July 2008 just before the Wall Street meltdown, 68% were confident in the banking system.
The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on July 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.
July 12, 2012Most Americans Define $50,000-A-Year As Middle Income
So how much money do you have to earn to be a part of the middle class, and when would most Americans consider you wealthy?
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of American Adults consider $50,000 a year middle income, while 32% describe it as lower income. That hasn’t changed since the last time Rasmussen reports asked these questions in March 2009. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on July 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.
July 12, 2012The Worst Financial Scandal Yet? By Froma Harrop
If only one in four American adults can name his or her U.S. senators, we can assume that even fewer know what Libor is. Libor (pronounced lie-bor) is at the center of another major financial scandal, but that may not improve its name recognition much. This is summer, after all, and making sense of financial manipulation requires effort.
July 12, 2012A Muddled Outlook for Olympics-ready London by Michael Barone
The best view of London's Olympic Park is from the picture windows at the top floor of the John Lewis department store in the vast Westfield Stratford mall five miles east of the Tower of London.
July 12, 201249% Favor Strict Legal Interpretation of the Constitution
Did the Founding Fathers mean what they said or did they view the U.S. Constitution as just a set of principles to guide the nation? That legal debate continues to this day.
But nearly half (49%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe the Constitution should be strictly interpreted as written, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Forty-three percent (43%) disagree and say they are more inclined to view it as a “living document” subject to constant reinterpretation depending on the changing times. (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 July 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.
July 11, 201232% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Thirty-two percent (32%) 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, July 8.
That's up two points from 30% the week before but in line with findings for most of this year. This marks the highest level of optimism since early March.
The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports July 2-8, 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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                            July 11, 201241% of Workers Expect To Earn More Money In A Year
Many working Americans continue to believe their earnings will be up a year from today, but younger workers are much more optimistic than their elders. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Employed Adults believe they’ll be earning more money a year from today. That's down slightly from 43% in March, the highest finding since November 2010.  Just 13% think they'll be making less. Thirty-nine percent (39%) expect their pay to be about the same in a year’s time. (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 637 Employed Adults was conducted on July 6-7, 2012 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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                            July 11, 2012Most Voters Favor Photo ID At Polls, Don’t See It As Discrimination
The Obama administration is in federal court this week challenging Texas’ new law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. Attorney General Eric Holder told the NAACP yesterday that such laws are like the poll taxes of old intended to keep blacks from voting.  But most voters don’t see it that way.
In fact, Rasmussen Reports polling finds that only 21% of Likely U.S. Voters nationwide think it’s discriminatory to require all voters to prove their identity before being allowed to vote.  Seventy-three percent (73%) disagree and say such a requirement does not discriminate against some voters. That's consistent with past polling on the topic.
But then 56% of voters oppose the Justice Department’s decision to challenge the legality of Texas’ new law in court.  Thirty-three percent (33%) agree with that decision, and 11% are undecided.
(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.
July 11, 2012Florida Senate: Mack (R) 46%, Nelson (D) 37%
Republican Congressman Connie Mack draws his highest level of support yet against incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in Florida’s 2012 U.S. Senate race.
A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Mack earning 46% of the vote to Nelson’s 37%. Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate, and 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Florida was conducted on July 9, 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.