34% Have Favorable Opinion of the Fed
Most voters don’t like the Federal Reserve, the nation’s central banking system, which at least one presidential candidate would like to abolish.
Business
Most Recent Releases
October 21, 2011
October 20, 2011
New High: 80% Say Now Isn’t Time To Sell Home
Though the government reported a modest climb in housing starts in September, the number of adults nationwide who say now is not the time to sell a home has reached an all-time high.
October 19, 2011
34% Say Their Home Is Worth Less Than What They Still Owe
One-out-of three U.S. homeowners continue to say their home is worth less than what they owe on it.
October 18, 2011
Confidence in Future Home Values Remains Shaky
Homeowners continue to worry about the short- and long-term value of their homes, with findings still below what they were two years ago.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. homeowners shows that just 16% believe their home’s value will go up over the next year. That’s up slightly from 13% in September and August and is the highest level of confidence since June. Still, this finding was above 20% for much of 2009.
October 18, 2011
54% Still See Bailouts As Bad for the Country
Voters are closely divided over the role they want the federal government to play in the current economy, but they remain positive that bailouts are one way they don’t want to go.
October 15, 2011
53% Favor Tax Code That Treats All Taxpayers Equally
Most voters like the concept behind a flat tax more than the complicated tax system the United States has today with numerous deductions and breaks for certain businesses.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think it’s more important for the government to treat all taxpayers equally than for the tax code to be used to encourage things like home ownership, charitable contributions and industries favored by government policy. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree and believe the government should use the tax code to advance its agenda in certain areas. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
October 13, 2011
47% Favor Candidate Who Raises Taxes on Wealthy Over One Who Opposes All Tax Increases
More voters support a candidate who plans to raise taxes for the wealthiest Americans over one who promises to oppose all tax increases.
October 13, 2011
59% Lack Confidence In Fed To Keep Inflation, Interest Rates Down
While few Americans report paying higher interest rates than they did a year ago, they still lack confidence in the Federal Reserve Board to keep interest rates down and inflation under control.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that just 33% are at least somewhat confident that the Fed will be able to keep inflation under control and interest rates down, including just seven percent (7%) who are Very Confident.
October 13, 2011
51% Say U.S. Economy Can Still Recover Despite Europe’s Troubles
The United States is putting pressure on Europe to deal with its debt crisis as quickly as possible to avoid a global economic meltdown. Though most Americans expect at least one of the European countries to default on its debt in the next few years, half believe it’s still possible for the U.S. economy to recover even if Europe’s remains in trouble.
October 12, 2011
New Low: 35% Confident in U.S. Banking System
Confidence in the stability of the nation’s banking industry has fallen to a new low. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that just 35% are even somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry.
October 10, 2011
Most Still Think Government Workers Better Off Than Those in Private Sector
Most Americans nationwide continue to believe that government workers get more pay and better job security but don’t work as hard as their counterparts in the private sector.
October 10, 2011
56% of GOP Voters Like Cain’s ‘9-9-9’ Tax Reform Plan
Voters aren’t well versed on surging Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain’s “9-9-9” tax reform plan, but most agree that if it becomes law, Congress won’t wait long to raise the tax rates higher.
October 6, 2011
32% Say Government Should Do Nothing for the Long-Term Unemployed
Americans continue to have mixed feelings about how the government should respond to the long-term unemployed. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults finds that 32% feel the government should do nothing at all, while 25% think it should pay for their retraining. Ten percent (10%) say the government should extend unemployment benefits indefinitely, and 21% think the government should hire those long out of work, down from June's high-to-date of 24%.
October 6, 2011
60% Oppose Financial Bailouts; 74% Say Wall Street Benefited Most
The bailouts of the financial industry still leave a sour taste in the mouths of most Americans who feel as strongly as ever that the government was looking out for bankers rather than taxpayers and that crimes on Wall Street remain unpunished.
October 5, 2011
26% Have Favorable Opinion of Bernanke, 51% Unfavorable
Half of Americans nationwide believe the Federal Reserve Board chairman has too much power over the economy. Meanwhile, favorability ratings for current Chairman Ben Bernanke are at their lowest level yet recorded.
October 5, 2011
Public Divided on Occupy Wall Street Protesters
As they marched through Manhattan, they chanted of how the “Big Banks Got Bailed Out, We Got Left Behind.” The Occupy Wall Street protesters found a slogan that resonates with the American people but not many people embrace the protesters views of an economy more regulated by the government.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Americans agree with the statement that the “The big banks got bailed but the middle class got left behind." A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American adults found that just 10% disagree with that statement and 11% are not sure.
October 5, 2011
36% Expect More Unemployment One Year From Today, 21% Expect Less
As 2011 rolls along, Americans have become far more pessimistic about the employment outlook.
October 4, 2011
Only 29% Think U.S. Has World's Best Economy
Perhaps these views are driven in part by the increased skepticism that Americans have about President Obama's economic advisers. Just 31% are at least somewhat confident in those who advise the president on economic policy, with only 14% who are Very Confident. Sixty-three percent (63%) lack confidence in the president’s economic advisers, including 44% who are Not At All Confident in them.
The number of adults confident in Obama’s economic advisers has fallen from 41% in September 2010. Fifty-seven percent (57%) put little or not faith in those advisers at that time.
October 3, 2011
Rasmussen Employment Index Inches Up Slightly In September
The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, regained some lost ground in September following August’s 2011 low.
At 73.4, the Employment Index is up four points from August but is still down four points from the beginning of 2011 and down 10 points since last November when hiring expectations peaked. Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be better than prior months.
October 3, 2011
51% Still Say Bailouts of GM and Chrysler Were A Bad Idea
From their beginning in 2008, the bailouts for Wall Street and the auto industry have been among the most unpopular government actions in recent American history. New polling shows that even after three years, the attitudes haven’t changed all that much.
