Majorities in liberal states often back policies that most folks in conservative states abhor -- and vice versa. The difficulty of reaching accord among warring but heartfelt views partly explains Washington's paralysis.
With world markets suddenly sagging under the weight of the Standard & Poor's Aug. 5 downgrade of Treasury bonds, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., is disturbed by the monopolistic power of the ratings agencies -- and still determined to curb their abuses, as he tried to do last year with an amendment to the Dodd-Frank banking reform bill.
There has been much talk lately about declining enthusiasm for President Obama among the political left.
There are currently 17 states that offer a “sales tax holiday” – a brief suspension of sales taxes – to encourage back-to-school shopping. Most Americans nationwide support this idea.
Confidence among Americans in the stability of the nation’s banking industry has hit rock bottom.
Things look different in the Midwest. Back in Washington, people are talking about President Barack Obama's poor showing this past week. (Did you see that Maureen Dowd has turned against him?) In Iowa, they're focused on the state Republicans' presidential straw poll in Ames next Saturday. And in Wisconsin, they just got through counting the votes in a recall election that has great national significance.
Support for bringing home U.S. troops from Afghanistan is on the rise as few American voters think we have a clearly defined mission anymore in that troubled country.
Tonight marks the third televised debate of the 2012 campaign for the Republican contenders, and by far the most important one yet. It's not that the audience in Iowa or on TV will be enormous in the midst of August vacations and summer doldrums.
The number of Americans who believe the federal government should assume financial responsibility for the long-term unemployed has increased throughout 2011. Most, however, still reject that approach.
Just 16% 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, August 7.
While voters aren’t convinced government spending will actually be cut, the number that thinks government spending will increase under President Obama is at the lowest level since he took office.
The number of voters who consider the Republican agenda in Congress as extreme has risen to its highest level yet, while a plurality continues to view the Democrats' that way.
More voters still think the average Tea Party member has a better handle on America’s problems than the average member of Congress does, but there’s a sharp difference of opinion between Democrats and Republicans.
Except according to the Lord's plans -- which are not known to man -- the "end of the world" is not nigh, although to listen to politicians and pundits, we should be packed and ready to go by next Thursday.
Damn the torpedoes! Up periscope! Full speed ahead! Ben Bernanke and the Fed to the rescue!
Congress and presidents have been playing the “spending cuts” game for years, but most voters know what they’re really talking about.
For the fifth week in a row, a generic Republican candidate edges President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election match-up.
Overall confidence in the U.S. job market is at its lowest level in two years.
Defense spending, along with Social Security and Medicare, accounts for over 50% of the federal budget and is sure to come under the knife as Congress and President Obama look for ways to cut the nation’s staggering deficit. Most voters think that’s a good idea.
Faced with continuing high unemployment, voters feel strongly that the government needs to launch a job-creating program, but they still have far more faith in business leaders to create new jobs. They give mixed reviews to President Obama’s new plan to create jobs for military veterans.
