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15% Expect Obama, Congress To Really Cut Spending

Even if Congress and President Obama reach a budget deal, voters aren’t optimistic that it will include real spending cuts.

Sometimes when politicians use the phrase “spending cuts,” they really mean just a reduction in the growth of spending. Only 15% of Likely U.S. Voters think any plan agreed to by the president and Congress will really cut federal spending. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% believe it will merely reduce the growth of future spending instead. Twenty percent (20%) aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 9-10, 2013 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.

41% Feel IRS Is Not Aggressive Enough

Voters are narrowly divided in their opinions of the Internal Revenue Service on Tax Day 2013 and tend to think it’s not aggressive enough in going after tax cheats. Perhaps that helps explain why voters aren’t enthusiastic about the IRS’s new role enforcing President Obama’s national health care law.

Forty-two percent (42%) of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the IRS, while slightly more (49%) view it unfavorably, according to a new Rasmussen reports national telephone survey. This includes just seven percent (7%) with a Very Favorable opinion of the federal tax collection agency and 17% with a Very Unfavorable one. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 13-14, 2013 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.

86% Intend to Hit Today's Tax Deadline

Eighty-six percent (86%) of American Adults plan to have their taxes filed by today's deadline, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. 

That includes 72% who had filed by Saturday, up 11 points from the end of March but down from 78% this time last year. Another 14% intended to get them done yesterday or today. Seven percent (7%) will seek an extension, with seven percent (7%) more not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on April 12-13, 2013 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.

34% Say U.S. Has Crony Capitalist Economic System

Americans are almost evenly divided when asked if the United States has a free market economy or a crony capitalist one. This helps explain why they think more government involvement in the marketplace makes it less fair.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of American Adults believe the United States has a system of free market capitalism. But nearly as many (34%) view it as a crony capitalist system. Twenty-nine percent (29%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 8-9, 2013, 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.

54% Think It's Not Possible to Work Hard and Get Rich in America

Most Americans (54%) believe it's no longer possible for anyone to work hard and get rich in this country, and just half (49%) think it’s possible for anyone to work his or her way out of poverty. They also remain deeply pessimistic about the future for the nation's children.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 26% of adults think it’s possible for anyone in America to work hard and get rich. That ties the lowest finding in more than three years of regular tracking. Another 20% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 31-April 1, 2013 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.

55% Think Most Rich People Earned Their Money Through Hard Work

Most Americans still believe most rich people earned their money the hard way – by working for it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of Likely U.S. Voters think, generally speaking, that most people get rich by working hard. Twenty-three percent (23%) believe most get their wealth by inheriting it, while 10% think they were lucky. Twelve percent (12%) aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 1-2, 2013 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.

50% Say Doing Taxes Worse Than Going to the Dentist

Filing income taxes can be like pulling teeth, but it's even worse as far as many Americans are concerned.

Fifty percent (50%) of American Adults, in fact, think filling out their income tax paperwork is worse than taking a trip to the dentist’s office. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% disagree. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on March 29-30, 2013 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.

Just 19% Think Stock Market Will Be Higher in a Year

Long-term economic confidence is at its lowest level yet, and Americans remain pessimistic about the housing and stock markets, too.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% of American Adults think the stock market will be higher a year from today, a finding which has been trending down from a high of 25% in December. Thirty percent (30%) believe it will be lower in a year's time, while 37% think it will be about the same. Another 13% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 31-April 1, 2013 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.

48% See Government As More Concerned With Making Wall Street Firms Profitable

In the wake of economic crises in Cyprus and other European nations like Greece, Ireland and Italy, nearly half of American Adults think the federal government puts more focus on making Wall Street profitable than on making sure the United States financial system works well for all Americans.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of American Adults think the federal government is more concerned with making Wall Street firms profitable, while just 27% think they are more concerned with making sure the U.S. financial system works well for all Americans. One-in-four (25%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 27-28, 2013 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. 

Just 36% Expect Stronger Economy in Five Years

Long-term economic confidence continues to fall and is now at its lowest level yet.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 36% of American Adults think the U.S. economy will be stronger five years from today. Just as many (36%) think it will be weaker. Eleven percent (11%) believe the nation’s economy will be about the same in five years, but another 17% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 31-April 1, 2013 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.

Just 9% Say U.S. Has World’s Best Tax System

Americans continue to believe strongly that the United States does not have the world's best tax system, perhaps in part because half still think they are paying more than their fair share to Uncle Sam.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just nine percent (9%) of American Adults believe the United States has the best tax system in the world. Sixty-four percent (64%) disagree, and another 27% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on March 29-30, 2013 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.

59% Say Another 2008 Financial Meltdown Likely

While confidence in the U.S. banking industry has rebounded slightly, most Americans fear the financial industry is heading towards another downturn like the one in 2008.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of American Adults think it’s at least somewhat likely that the United States will soon face another financial industry meltdown similar to the 2008 crisis.  Thirty percent (30%) think this is unlikely to occur.  These figures include 26% who feel another Great Recession is Very Likely, compared to four percent (4%) who feel it’s Not At All Likely.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 27-28, 2013 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.

46% Think Feds Might Try To Tax Bank Accounts Like Cyprus

Americans don’t believe the federal government has the constitutional authority to tax bank deposits as they did in Cyprus, but a plurality worries they might try it anyhow.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of American Adults think it’s at least somewhat likely that the U.S. government might try to tax money in individual bank accounts. Nearly as many (41%), however, view this as unlikely to occur Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 27-28, 2013 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.

61% Have Filed Their Income Taxes

With two weeks until the April 15 deadline, 61% of American Adults say they have filed their federal income taxes, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  That’s a 23-point jump from a month ago and nearly identical to findings a year ago at this time.

Twenty-five percent (25%) more plan to file by April 15, while seven percent (7%) intend to get an extension. Another seven percent (7%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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(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 American Adults was conducted on March 29-30, 2013 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.

66% Oppose Cyprus Bailout Plan to Tax Bank Deposits

Most Americans don’t approve of the decision to tax bank accounts as part of a bank bailout in Cyprus but think it’s likely other European countries will resort to similar plans to fight their massive deficit problems.

24% Think Poverty Very Severe in U.S.

Most Americans continue to see poverty as a problem in the United States, but few actually claim they are living in poverty.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of American Adults think poverty is at least somewhat severe in this country. That's down nine points from 80% in September but includes 24% who say it is Very Severe.  Twenty-three percent (23%) think poverty in the United States is not very or Not at All Severe.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on March 25-26, 2013 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.

Americans Favor Work Over Welfare As Response to Poverty

Americans overwhelmingly agree that the best way to stay out of poverty is to work and like the idea of shifting government money spent on welfare programs to jobs for the poor.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 80% of American Adults agree with the statement, “Work is the best solution for poverty.” Only nine percent (9%) disagree, while 11% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on March 25-26, 2013 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.

64% Think Too Many Are Dependent on Government Aid

Americans continue to believe that too many of their fellow citizens are financially dependent on the government, but they’re less critical of programs to help the poor.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of American Adults think there are too many Americans dependent on the government for financial aid. Only eight percent (8%) believe not enough Americans are dependent on this aid, while 17% feel the level of dependency is about right. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on March 25-26, 2013 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.

45% Say Sequester Didn’t Cut Government Spending Enough

Just over three weeks after the sequester cuts in the growth of federal spending kicked in, voters feel a bit more strongly that they didn’t cut deep enough.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 22% of Likely U.S. Voters still think the sequester cut the projected growth in spending too much. But twice as many (45%) disagree and think it didn’t cut enough. Fourteen percent (14%) feel the amount cut was about right. Nineteen percent (19%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 24-25, 2013 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.

12% Say Sequester Cuts Have Hurt Them in a Major Way

Just over half of U.S. voters now say the March 1 sequester cuts in the growth of federal government spending have had no impact on their lives.

Only 12% say the sequester cuts have had a major impact on them personally. Despite predictions that the sequester impact would grow over time, there’s no indication of that happening yet. The number experiencing a major impact is basically unchanged from the weekend the sequester first took effect. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 24-25, 2013 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.