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November 19, 2011
What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending November 19, 2011
For President Obama and congressional Democrats, it was a breakthrough week of sorts. For Republicans, yet another presidential hopeful appears headed for the top. For all of us, it was another week of economic business as usual.
The Rasmussen Consumer and Investor Indexes, which measure daily confidence among both groups, showed slight improvement this week over recent months, but roughly 60% of both groups say the country is still in a recession.
November 18, 2011
North Carolina: Generic Republican 44%, Obama 42%
Barack Obama managed to win North Carolina’s Electoral College votes by less than a percentage point in 2008. That was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate had won the state since 1976, and the Tar Heel State looks to be competitive once again.
New Rasmussen Reports polling data shows that a Generic Republican currently attracts support from 44% of Likely Voters in North Carolina, while President Obama picks up 42% of the vote.
November 18, 2011
Florida Senate: Mack (R) 43%, Nelson (D) 39%
Republican Congressman Connie Mack changed his mind late last month about challenging longtime Democratic Senator Bill Nelson in 2012, and now he finds himself with a modest edge over the incumbent in the first Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Florida’s U.S. Senate race.
The latest statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state shows Mack with 43% to Nelson’s 39%.
This Florida survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on November 17, 2011 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.
November 18, 2011
77% Have Unfavorable Opinion of Freddie Mac, 73% Say Same of Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are seeking billions more in taxpayer money to stay afloat, and Americans have a lower opinion than ever of the government-backed mortgage lenders. Both remain in deep financial trouble after lending to many who couldn’t afford their mortgages, and Americans continue to strongly oppose that policy.
(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 nationwide was conducted on November 16-17, 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 18, 2011
Will Obama's Foreign Policy Wins Lead to a Win Next Year? By Thomas F Schaller
Presidents do not have a lot of leisure reading time, so it's unlikely that Barack Obama has had time to flip through the pages of Harper's November issue. And that's probably good news for the president, because here are the first two entries of the famed "Harper's Index" this month:
November 18, 2011
New High: 65% Oppose Automatic Citizenship for Children Born Here to Illegal Immigrants
Voters oppose more strongly than ever granting automatic U.S. citizenship to a child born to an illegal immigrant in this country.
Now, nearly two-out-of-three Likely U.S. Voters (65%) say if a woman enters the United States as an illegal alien and gives birth to a child here, that child should not automatically become a U.S. citizen.
November 17, 2011
43% Have Put Off Medical Procedures To Save Money
More Americans than ever say they’ve avoided the doctor’s office because they cannot afford it.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% say they’ve postponed a medical checkup or procedure to save money in the past six months. That finding shows little change from last September, but is up six points from March 2009.
The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on November 14-15, 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 17, 2011
Iowa: Gingrich 32%, Romney 19%, Cain 13%
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has already picked up steam among Republican primary voters nationwide, and now he jumps to the front of the GOP pack among caucus-goers in Iowa.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Iowa Republican caucus-goers shows Gingrich with 32% followed by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at 19%. Georgia businessman Herman Cain, who led in Iowa last month, drops to third with 13% of the vote. Texas Congressman Ron Paul draws 10% of the vote in Iowa, while Texas Governor Rick Perry and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann each grab six percent (6%).
November 17, 2011
Obama 45%, Bachmann 33%
President Obama continues to lead Congresswoman Michele Bachmann by double-digits in a hypothetical 2012 Election matchup.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds Obama earning 45% of the vote, while Bachmann receives 33% support.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on November 15-16, 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 17, 2011
69% Say Federal Government Lacks Authority To Force Purchase of Health Insurance
As the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the health care law, American voters overwhelming reject the notion that the federal government has the authority to force anyone to buy health insurance.
(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 U.S. Voters was conducted on November 15-16, 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 17, 2011
Clean Energy Worth the Political Muck By Froma Harrop
Princely U.S. government subsidies have made developing wind, solar and other clean energy nearly risk-free to investors -- and that's bad. But the price of this domestically produced power has tumbled, thanks in part to such aid. That helps clean energy compete with the fossil kind, which is definitely good.
November 17, 2011
Scott Rasmussen Explains to Megyn Kelly Why Obama is Considered 'Slight Underdog' in 2012 Race
Scott Rasmussen Explains to Megyn Kelly Why Obama is Considered 'Slight Underdog' in 2012 Race
November 17, 2011
Obama Has a Knack for Ticking off America's Friends By Michael Barone
The election of Barack Obama, we were told, would bring new respect and friendship for America in the world.
November 17, 2011
59% Say Government Bailouts Were Bad For America
More voters than ever look back negatively on the government bailouts of banks, auto companies and insurance companies. They remain divided as to what role they’d like the government to play in the struggling economy.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. voters shows that 59% believe the government bailouts of the auto industry and financial sector were bad for the country.
November 16, 2011
18% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction
Eighteen percent (18%) 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, November 13.
The latest finding is up a point from a week ago and three points from a month ago, but is down eight points from this time last year.
The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports November 7-13, 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 16, 2011
Michigan: President Tied With Generic Republican
As President Obama seeks re-election, a couple of traditionally Democratic states may be more competitive than usual.
In 2008, the president won Michigan’s Electoral College votes by sixteen percentage points but most Michigan voters now disapprove of the way he’s handled his tenure in the White House. Just 47% of Likely Voters in the state approve of the way that the president is performing his job, while 52% disapprove, according to new Rasmussen Reports polling data.
November 16, 2011
60% Put Border Control Ahead of Legalizing Undocumented Workers
Most voters continue to believe immigration policy should focus first on border control. At the same time, they favor a welcoming immigration policy that excludes criminals and other threats to society.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely Voters believe it is more important to gain control of the border than to legalize the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States.
November 16, 2011
27% Want President to Act Alone on Jobs, 63% Say Work With Congress
President Obama this week announced his $1 billion taxpayer-funded plan to increase the health care workforce through new programs and grants. The effort is to counteract the stalemate in Congress over his previous jobs bill proposal. A modest plurality of voters nationwide opposes the health care jobs plan, and most think the president should wait to reach an agreement with Congress before enacting any jobs plan.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 36% favor the president’s program to “develop innovative new health care programs with special emphasis on hiring, training and deploying new health care workers.”
The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on November 14-15, 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 16, 2011
Voters Want Taxes Simpler but Not Flat
Support is strong for replacing the entire income tax code with something simpler with lower rates. Many believe a reformed tax code would help the economy, but a flat tax is not what most voters want to see.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 77% think it’s at least somewhat important to replace the entire federal tax code with something simpler. Only 17% say it’s not important, while five percent (5%) are not sure. Those figures include 44% who say it’s Very Important and just four percent (4%) who say it’s Not at All Important.
(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 U.S. Likely Voters each were conducted on November 13-14, 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.
