47% Say Congress Has More Power Over Economy Than President and Fed Chairman
Nearly half (47%) of U.S. voters say Congress has more control over the direction of the economy than the president and the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board.
Business
Most Recent Releases
October 27, 2008
October 27, 2008
Discover(R) Small Business Watch (SM): Small Business Economic Confidence Continues to Slide
The Discover (R) Small Business Watch (SM) dropped for the second straight month as news of a congressional rescue plan failed to lift the spirits or expectations of the nation's 22 million small business owners.
October 22, 2008
58% Favor Tax Cuts Over Another Stimulus Plan
Fifty-eight percent (58%) of U.S. voters say more tax cuts will better stimulate the economy than new government spending, even as Congress considers a second stimulus plan that could cost as much as $300 billion.
October 21, 2008
Americans' Financial Security Sentiments Drop in October
The mounting economic crisis is eroding Americans' optimism in their financial security. The COUNTRY Financial Security Index(SM) slid 1.1 points to 68.8 in October, fueled by dramatic declines among men, pre-retirees and high income individuals.
October 21, 2008
41% Say Government Should Encourage U.S. Auto Sales
Forty-one percent (41%) of Americans think the federal government should provide tax incentives for anyone who buys a car from a U.S. auto company, as two of the Big Three automakers talk merger to survive in the current economic climate.
October 15, 2008
62% Say Stock Market Will Be Higher in Five Years
Sixty-two percent (62%) of Americans expect stock market values to be higher in five years than they are today, even after a month of highly-publicized troubles on Wall Street.
October 13, 2008
47% Say Taxing Top Income Americans is Good for U.S. Economy
A plurality of voters (47%) say Barack Obama’s plan to raise taxes on those who earn over $250,000 a year is good for the troubled U.S. economy, even though 51% still believe that lower taxes are the best way to spur economic growth.
October 10, 2008
52% Favor McCain’s Mortgage Bailout Plan
A majority of voters (52%) favor John McCain’s plan for the federal government to buy up distressed mortgages and refinance them so homeowners can stay in their homes, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-five percent (35%) oppose the plan.
October 8, 2008
Discover (R) U.S. Spending Monitor (SM) Down 2.2 Points to 86.5
The Discover U.S. Spending Monitor dipped 2.2 points to 86.5 in September, as consumers grew increasingly concerned about the U.S. economy and worked hard to hold-the-line on future spending plans.
October 3, 2008
63% Say Wall Street, Not Taxpayers, Will Benefit From Bailout Plan
Sixty-three percent (63%) of U.S. voters say Wall Street will benefit more than the average taxpayer from the revised $700-billion economic rescue plan the House is expected to vote on today. Just 22% think the taxpayer will benefit more.
October 1, 2008
23% Say Their Firms Are Hiring, Up Two Points from Previous Month
The Rasmussen Employment Index, a monthly measure of U.S. worker confidence in the employment market, gained six points in September to 88.1.
October 1, 2008
Americans Favor Tax Cuts Just As Much As Rescue Plan
Just as many American adults think an across-the-board tax cut would help the economy as the number who favor Congress passing a financial rescue plan, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
September 30, 2008
Just 26% Have Confidence That Lawmakers Know What They’re Doing in Economic Crisis
Just 26% of American adults have even a little bit of confidence that the nation’s policy makers know what they’re doing when it comes to the current problems on Wall Street.
September 30, 2008
Voters Divided On Whether Wall Street Should Clean Up its Own Mess
Voters are evenly divided over whether Congress should take action to help the troubled financial industry or just let Wall Street work out its problems on its own, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
September 29, 2008
Discover (R) Small Business Watch (SM): Small Business Economic Confidence Falls Sharply
Economic confidence among small business owners declined sharply in September amid rising concerns about economic conditions for their businesses and a bleak vision of where the economy is headed. The Discover(R) Small Business WatchSM fell to 74.6 in September, down 12.3 points from August.
September 29, 2008
Opposition to Bailout Plan Falls Dramatically
As Congress prepares to vote on a proposed economic rescue plan, opposition to the measure has declined significantly. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey conducted Sunday found that 33% of Likely Voters now favor the plan while 32% are opposed and 35% are not sure.
September 27, 2008
51% Say Bailout Plan Is A Power Grab
Fifty-one percent (51%) of Americans think politicians are more interested in gaining additional power than in fixing the economy with the proposed $700-billion taxpayer-backed financial rescue plan.
September 27, 2008
Support for Bailout Plan Now Down to 24%
The more voters learn about the proposed $700-billion taxpayer-backed Wall Street rescue plan, the less they like it. Most voters remain largely unworried about their own money, too.
September 25, 2008
Just 30% Think Government Should Bail Out The Markets
Only 30% of U.S. voters think the federal government should step in to rescue the country’s troubled financial markets, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
September 24, 2008
Most Americans Still Say Home-Buying Is Best Investment
Two-thirds of Americans (66%) think buying a home is the best investment most families can make, despite the recent meltdown of the U.S. housing market. Just 19% disagree.
