11% Have Finished Holiday Shopping, 49% Haven’t Started
After the much-hyped Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, only a few more Americans say they are done with their holiday shopping compared to last week. Nearly half still haven’t even started.
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December 1, 2011
December 1, 2011
Partisan Trends: Democrats Up in November
The number of Democrats in the United States increased by nearly two percentage points in November, while the number of Republicans held steady.
During November, 34.9% of Americans considered themselves to be Democrats, up from 33.1% in October. That’s just a tenth of a point below their best showing of 2011 which came in January.
Rasmussen Reports tracks this information based on telephone interviews with approximately 15,000 adults per month and has been doing so since November 2002. The margin of error for the full sample is less than one percentage point, with a 95% level of confidence.
December 1, 2011
National GOP Poll: Gingrich 38% Romney 17%
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has surged to the largest national lead held by any candidate so far in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters finds Gingrich on top with 38% of the vote. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is a distant second at 17%. No other candidate reaches double-digits. (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 Republican Primary Voters was conducted on November 30, 2011 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 1, 2011
59% Want US Troops Home from Afghanistan
As trouble with neighboring Pakistan shines a new spotlight on a troubled region, most voters are ready to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely Voters nationwide want the troops to come home either immediately or within a year. Twenty-nine percent (29%) oppose any firm timetable and 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 Likely Voters was conducted on November 28-29, 2011 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 1, 2011
Hipsters Without Walls by Froma Harrop
Dwell magazine is the Architectural Digest for hipsters. It promotes minimalist living stripped of color and frou-frou.
December 1, 2011
Untouched by the 60s, 'Romney reflects the Corny '50s By Michael Barone
One question I sometimes have been asked in this presidential campaign goes something like this: Why does Mitt Romney sound so corny?
December 1, 2011
6% Say Congress Doing Good or Excellent Job, 68% Say Poor
Ratings for Congress now match the lowest levels ever recorded and a solid plurality continue to believe that most Members of Congress are corrupt.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just six percent (6%) of Likely U.S. Voters rate the job Congress is doing as good or excellent. Sixty-eight percent (68%) view Congress’ job performance as poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
From January 2007 through December 2010, with Democrats in control of both the House and Senate, Congress earned good or excellent marks ranging from nine percent (9%) to 26%, although generally their rankings were in the low teens for most of this period.
December 1, 2011
Scott Discusses Newt Gingrich's Surge in a General Election Matchup on Fox News
Scott Discusses Newt Gingrich's Surge in a General Election Matchup on Fox News
November 30, 2011
16% Say Country Heading in Right Direction
Just 16% of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, November 27.
The latest finding is down a point from the previous week and is down 13 points from this time last year.
(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 November 21-22 and 27, 2011. 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.
November 30, 2011
Rasmussen Employment Index Moves to Highest Level Since June
The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, gained five points in November to reach 76.8. Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be better than the prior month.
November 30, 2011
National Poll: Gingrich 45% Obama 43%
The Newt Gingrich surge has moved him to the top of the polls in Iowa, big gains in New Hampshire and now a two-point edge over President Obama in a hypothetical general election match-up.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds Gingrich attracting 45% of the vote while President Obama earns support from 43%. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, and six percent (6%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
November 30, 2011
65% Want to End Aid to Pakistan
Hardly any Americans view Pakistan as an ally of the United States and there is strong support for ending all foreign aid to that country.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of Likely Voters want to all military and financial aid to Pakistan. Only 11% want it to continue while 24% are not sure.
Just 3% view Pakistan as an ally and 25% see it as an enemy. Most (62%) see it somewhere in between.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 28-29, 2011 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.
November 30, 2011
How to Break the Partisan Fever By Tony Blankley
Sunday on "Meet the Press" Colin Powell blamed divisive, poisonous Washington politics on the media and the Tea Party. The essence of Powell's argument was: "Republicans and Democrats are focusing more and more on their extreme left and extreme right. And we have to come back toward the center in order to compromise. ... The media has to help us.
November 30, 2011
71% Say Housing Market Will Take At Least Three Years To Recover
Americans continue to share gloomy assessments of the housing and stock markets, and half continue to believe another 1930s-like Depression is possible in the near future.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of American Adults now believe it will take at least three years for housing prices to recover. That figure includes 20% who think it will take three years and 51% who expect it will take even longer. It matches the most pessimistic assessment in nearly three years.
(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 November 27-28, 2011 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.
November 29, 2011
Election 2012: Generic Republican 48%, Obama 42%
A generic Republican candidate now holds a six-point advantage over President Obama in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup. This survey was conducted Nov. 21, 22 and 27.
November 29, 2011
Confidence in Short-Term Economic Growth Remains At Record Low
Confidence among adults nationwide that the U.S. economy will be stronger a year from now remains at an all-time low.
November 29, 2011
New Hampshire: Romney 34%, Gingrich 24%, Paul 14%, Huntsman 11%
What a difference a month makes in the race for the Republican nomination. In September, Rick Perry was leading in Iowa and running second in New Hampshire. In October, Herman Cain took the lead in Iowa and was running second in New Hampshire. Now, it’s Newt Gingrich’s turn.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary voters in New Hampshire shows former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney on top at 34%, followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 24%. This is the first survey of New Hampshire Primary voters conducted since the Manchester Union Leader endorsed Gingrich.
(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 New Hampshire survey of 762 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on November 28, 2011 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.
November 29, 2011
Gingrich Tells Protesters to Take A Bath, Get A Job: 43% Agree
Rising Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich made news recently when he suggested that the Occupy Wall Street protesters should stop protesting and get jobs after taking a bath. Voters are evenly divided over whether that’s a good idea.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with the former House speaker and think the protesters should take baths and get jobs. But an identical number (43%) disagree, and 14% more 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.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 27, 2011 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.
November 29, 2011
The Right's Health Care Fantasies by Froma Harrop
A real conservative would say: "Government should stay out of health care. Let Americans meet their medical needs in the free market." I respectfully disagree, but thanks for being clear.
November 29, 2011
70% Prefer 'Merry Christmas' Over 'Happy Holidays' on Store Signs
Holiday shoppers, as they have for several years, would prefer to be greeted with signs reading “Merry Christmas” rather than “Happy Holidays” this season.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 70% prefer that stores use signs that say “Merry Christmas.”
