Not much has changed in the dynamics over the past couple of months in early 2012 election polling. No matter which of 10 Republicans is matched against President Obama, the president earns between 42% and 49% of the vote. That same dynamic was found earlier this year and suggests the election is still shaping up as a referendum on the president. That’s typical when an incumbent runs for reelection.
Even as the political battle over Wisconsin’s recent state Supreme Court election continues, most voters favor the election of judges and think there should be term limits on how long someone can serve on the bench.
"My two brothers and I have run a successful service business for more than 20 years, which we run as a 'C' corporation.
Washington, D.C. is abuzz with Republican Congressman Paul Ryan’s plan to cut $4 trillion in federal spending over the next decade, but voters throughout the country aren’t paying that much attention.
If you think that academia is not the exclusive playground of the academic left, consider the fate of UCLA epidemiologist James Enstrom.
America's tailspin toward the cultural abyss has gained speed with an ad featuring single-mother celebrity Bristol Palin. Bloggers unfriendly to her mother, conservative entrepreneur Sarah Palin, have bashed a charity for paying Bristol $262,500 to warn against teen pregnancy while doling a pitiful $35,000 to social organizations that actually deal with its problems.
Most Americans still expect interest rates to be higher a year from now. But they're less likely to say they are paying higher interest rates than they were a year ago, and fewer owe more money than they did back then.
Over the years, the daily tracking of the Rasmussen Consumer Index has shown that a single factor generally tends to drive consumer confidence. In the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks, national security was the primary factor moving consumer confidence. At other times, it has been things like job creation or gas prices.
Confidence in America's conduct of the war on terror has fallen to its lowest level in four-and-a-half years.
Republicans hold a six-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending April 10, 2011.
A majority of voters still favor repeal of the health care law, but support for repeal has fallen to its lowest level since October. Confidence that the law will be repealed is down to its lowest point since the first of the year.
Just under half of voters understand that making major cuts in government spending over the long haul will require substantial changes in three of the most politically sensitive areas of the federal budget.
One of the things that fascinate me about American politics is how the voices of the voters as registered in elections and polls are transformed into changes in public policy. It's a rough-and-ready process, with plenty of trial and error. But for all its imperfections, the political market seems to work.
Confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking system is up a bit this month but still remains at discouraging levels.
Americans feel more strongly than ever that the lack of immigration law enforcement directly effects poverty in the country.
President Obama has dedicated his time in office to soaking up applause and shifting blame. Last year, when Democrats owned the White House, the House and the Senate, Congress didn't even bother passing a budget. Obama didn't seem to mind. But when Republicans put together a stopgap measure to fund the military and prevent a government shutdown, Obama promised to veto it. Obama called the measure "a distraction from the real work that would bring us closer to a reasonable compromise for funding the remainder of fiscal year 2011."
Washington shutdown fears are sinking the U.S. dollar, according to some news reports. Surely there's something to this, as investor confusion rises and confidence falls, and as Washington seems to be gridlocked over a few billion dollars.
The Who's last major hit was a catchy tune called "Who Are You," and it might well pertain to most members of a presidential Cabinet.
It’s the economy, stupid. Remember that one? It was the political mantra that propelled Bill Clinton into the White House. President Obama would do well to remember it now that he’s declared his candidacy for a second term.
Some Republican members of the House are crafting legislation that would include a work requirement for those who receive food stamps. Most Americans are on board with that plan.
