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November 16, 201118% 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, 2011Michigan: 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, 201160% 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            November 16, 201127% 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            November 16, 2011Voters 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.
November 16, 2011An Important New Book By Tony Blankley
A just released book, "Bowing to Beijing" by Brett M. Decker and William C. Triplett II, will change forever the way you think about China -- even if, like me, you already have the deepest worries about the Chinese threat. As I opened the book, I was expecting to find many useful examples of Chinese military and industrial efforts to get the better of the United States and the West.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            November 16, 201190% Say They're Paying More For Groceries Compared To A Year Ago
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke insists that the Federal Reserve is keeping inflation down, but Americans overwhelmingly say they are paying more for groceries these days and expect to pay even more in a year's time.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. Adults shows that 81% are at least somewhat concerned about inflation, including 47% who are Very Concerned. 
November 15, 2011Election 2012: Obama 45%, Generic Republican 44%
After trailing in nearly four months of weekly surveys, President Obama is now essentially tied with a generic Republican candidate in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup for the week ending Sunday, November 13.  The president earns his highest level of support in nearly six months. 
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds Obama earning 45% support, while the generic Republican picks up 44% of the vote.
The survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted November 7-13, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
November 15, 2011Election 2012: Generic Republican 46%, Obama 43%
A generic Republican candidate has moved slightly ahead of President Obama again in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup for the week ending Sunday, November 20, highlighting how close the race remains. 
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds the generic Republican earning 46% support to Obama's 43%.  Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) 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 survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted November 14-20, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2 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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                            November 15, 2011Confidence in U.S. Banks Dips to New Low
For the second straight month, Americans are less confident than ever in the nation’s banking industry.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. Adults shows that just 34% are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry, including only five percent (5%) who are Very Confident.
November 15, 2011Election 2012: Obama 46%, Cain 36%
Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain still trails President Obama by double digits in the latest Election 2012 matchup of the two men.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds the president with 46% support, while Cain earns 36%.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            November 15, 201181% Express Concern That Europe’s Financial Problems Will Drag Down U.S. Economy
Most Americans still expect at least one of the financially troubled countries in Europe to default on its debt and worry that Europe’s bad economy will ultimately have a major negative impact on the United States.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of American Adults believe it is at least somewhat likely that one of the economically troubled European countries like Greece, Ireland, Portugal or Spain will default on its debt in the next five years, but that’s down from 73% a month ago.
(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 Americans nationwide was conducted on November 10-11, 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 15, 2011The Angst in Giving Thanks By Froma Harrop
Americans typically eat over 1,000 meals a year. But for many, Thanksgiving dinner seems to be the one that, like a magnet, gathers the iron shavings of every food anxiety. Why should that be? You'd think that this feast with family and friends would be accepted for what it is -- an innocent once-a-year gorge. In a country where disciplined eating is sadly lacking, why pile on the one time we traditionally throw caution to the wind?
November 15, 201158% Expect More Partisanship in Washington, D.C.
Most voters continue to believe that politics in the nation’s capital will grow even more partisan, although the number is down slightly from earlier in the year.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 58% believe politics in Washington, D.C. will grow more partisan over the next year.
November 14, 2011Generic Congressional Ballot:  Republicans 41%, Democrats 41%
For the first time in nearly two-and-a-half years, Democrats and Republicans are tied on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, November 13.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election was held now, while the identical number (41%) would choose the Democrat instead.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            November 14, 2011Generic Republican Leads Obama in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a must win state for President Obama’s reelection bid, but early polling shows the state might be competitive.
Just 48% of Likely Voters in the state approve of the way that the president is performing his job, while 51% disapprove, according to new Rasmussen Reports polling data. Those figures include 19% who Strongly Approve and 39% who Strongly Disapprove, giving the president an Approval Index rating of -20.
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Pennsylvania was derived from nightly presidential tracking poll surveys conducted October 22-November 13, 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 14, 2011Election 2012: Obama 50%, Gingrich 38%
President Obama has opened a wider gap over Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, even as the former House Speaker seems to be enjoying a bounce in support nationally among Republican primary voters.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds Obama earning 50% support to Gingrich’s 38%.
November 14, 201138% Favor Military Action If Diplomacy Fails to Stop Iran's Nuclear Program
Voters are strongly convinced that Iran will develop nuclear weapons in the near future and are pessimistic about diplomatic efforts to prevent this from happening. But they're narrowly divided over whether U.S. military force should be used if diplomacy fails to dissuade Iran from its course.
Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States should use military force to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons if diplomatic efforts fail.
The survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters each were conducted on November 11-12, 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 14, 2011New Low: 50% Expect Costs To Rise Under Health Care Law
Most voters still favor repeal of the national care law, but concern about its impact on the federal deficit and the cost of health care are down to new lows.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 55% at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, with 42% who Strongly Favor it. Thirty-seven percent (37%) at least somewhat oppose repeal, with 26% who are Strongly Opposed.
(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 11-12, 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 14, 2011Tea Partiers, Like Peaceniks, Upset Political Order By Michael Barone
It irritates members of both groups when I note the similarities of the tea party movement that swept the nation in the 2010 election and the peace movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s.