President Obama and senior congressional Republicans eked out a victory this week on the bill extending the Bush tax cuts for two years, cutting the federal payroll tax for a year, and extending emergency unemployment benefits for 13 months.
On a historic night this past Thursday, a new Tea Party Republican Congress completely transformed U.S. economic policy. Elections matter, and so do their ideas. Smaller government, low taxes, and less spending were key election themes in the Republican landslide. And those themes triumphed this week as a large tax-cut bill finally passed the House and a monstrosity of a spending bill was defeated in the Senate.
The federal government recently reported than 14% of the U.S. population or a record 42.9 million people received food stamps in September, with up to 20% getting them in some states.
For the first time since he became president, only 35% of voters say Barack Obama thinks society is fair and decent. That’s almost half as many as voters who hold that belief themselves.
Most Tea Party members view the candidates they elected in November as agents of change from government business as usual, but non-members are a lot more skeptical.
By the time you read this, it won't be my birthday anymore. Thankfully. But it is right now, and birthdays don't get easier as you get older.
Despite the stress and the expense of shopping at this time of year, Americans overwhelmingly like the idea of giving gifts.
Guess Americans have been a little nicer this year. More Adults think Santa will find them on his nice list this Christmas season compared to last year.
While a plurality of voters continues to give President Obama positive ratings on his handling of national security issues, his ratings on economic issues remain near all-time lows.
The politics of President Obama’s health care law have been fascinating from the start. Hailed as fulfillment of a popular campaign promise when introduced, the law proved to be a major drag on Democrats in the 2010 election. An issue on which Democrats once overwhelmingly trusted Democrats over Republicans has become a toss-up between the parties as 2011 approaches.
This past week, President Obama signed into law a measure that, for the first time, gives the federal government the authority to regulate all foods at schools, including what's in vending machines. But most Americans would rather see that authority in someone else's hands.
So you thought health care was fixed. Well, maybe not "fixed," but you assumed that the new law had put us on the path to solving one of America's most pressing problems -- spiraling health care costs amid surging numbers of uninsured citizens.
When former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich proclaims a measure to be "good for the country," that usually means it's good for Gingrich. When President Obama tells the media that his $858 billion compromise tax package is the fruit of negotiations with GOP "hostage-takers," you have to wonder if he even wants it to pass.
Even as support for the tax cut deal worked out by President Obama and senior congressional Republicans is falling, many Americans feel the two sides aren’t working hard enough to get along.
The measures of Republican success in the 2010 midterm are familiar. The GOP gained: (1) a House majority, with a net pickup of 63 seats, (2) six Senate seats leaving Democrats facing a more challenging Senate playing field in 2012 and 2014, (3) seven governorships, and (4) twenty legislative chambers, giving Republicans control of both legislative chambers in 25 states—an increase of 11. Republicans now control more state legislative seats than any time since 1928.
Just 26% 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, December 5. That’s down three points from last week and back to the level found the week following the midterm elections.
A sizable number of U.S. voters continue to believe that relations between Israel and the United States will worsen in the year ahead.
Voters still trust Republicans more than Democrats on seven out of the 10 most important issues regularly surveyed by Rasmussen Reports.
Most voters still approve of the tax cutting deal between President Obama and senior congressional Republicans, but support has fallen somewhat – in some surprising places.
With fresh data showing that students in the United States are falling further behind their international peers, a commitment to universal parental choice at all levels of government is needed now more than ever.
