Politics

50% Consider GOP Congressional Agenda Extreme; 46% Say Same of Democrats

As the federal government shutdown enters its fourth day, voters are slightly more likely to identify with President Obama and congressional Democrats. But a surprising problem for congressional Republicans is that nearly one-out-of-four still thinks they are too liberal.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of Likely U.S. Voters view President Obama in political terms as about the same as they are. Thirty-one percent (31%) say the same of the average Democrat in Congress, but only 23% feel that way about the average congressional Republican. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 2-3, 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.

49% Say Founding Fathers Would See U.S. Today As a Failure

Abraham Lincoln famously declared at Gettysburg that the Founding Fathers "brought forth on this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." But half of Americans think the Founding Fathers would view the nation they created as a failure today.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% of American Adults think that if the Founding Fathers came back today, they would consider the United States a success. Forty-nine percent (49%), however, say the founders of this nation would view what it's become as a failure. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 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.

73% Favor Stricter Enforcement of Existing Gun Laws

Voters are evenly divided over the need for stricter gun control but continue to believe strongly that more enforcement of existing gun laws is needed.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of Likely Voters say the United States needs stricter gun control laws, while 47% disagree.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 26-27, 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% Believe Voter ID Laws Do Not Discriminate

The U.S. Justice Department announced Monday that it is challenging North Carolina's new voter ID law on the grounds that it is racially discriminatory. But voters nationwide continue to strongly support laws that require proof of identity before voting and don't believe they discriminate.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 70% of Likely U.S. Voters believe all voters should be required to prove their identity before being allowed to vote. Only 25% oppose such a requirement. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 30-October 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.

57% Support Building Keystone Pipeline

The Keystone XL pipeline that would run from Canada to Texas has already been mentioned as a potential bargaining chip in upcoming debt ceiling negotiations in Washington, as voter support for building the pipeline remains strong. However, belief that the structure can be built without significant environmental damage has softened a bit.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Likely Voters nationwide favor building the Keystone XL pipeline, including 35% who Strongly Favor. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 29% oppose building the pipeline, with 14% who Strongly Oppose. Another 15% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 26-27, 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.

57% of Republicans View Ted Cruz Favorably

Freshman Senator Ted Cruz of Texas may not be popular with the Republican establishment following his 21-hour Senate floor speech against the president’s health care law last week, but he’s a favorite of most GOP voters.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Likely Republican Voters have a favorable opinion of Cruz, including 30% who view the senator Very Favorably. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 19% of Republicans view Cruz unfavorably, with seven percent (7%) who view him Very Unfavorably. Another 16% of GOP voters have never heard of him. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 28-29, 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.

Support for Government Shutdown Drops from 53% to 45%

Most voters still think a federal government shutdown would be bad for the economy, and support for a shutdown to force budget cuts has fallen several points. Voters are now evenly divided over whether they want to risk a shutdown to cut federal spending.

Two weeks ago, 53% of Likely U.S. Voters said they’d rather have a partial government shutdown until Democrats and Republicans can agree on what spending to cut, while 37% said they’d rather avoid a shutdown by authorizing spending at existing levels. Now, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% favor a shutdown until spending cuts are agreed on, and 46% want to move ahead with spending at existing levels. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 28-29, 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.

60% Think Supreme Court Justices Have Political Agenda

Most Americans continue to believe the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court let their own political beliefs guide their decisions.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely Voters say most Supreme Court justices have their own political agenda.  Twenty-two percent (22%) disagree and say they generally remain impartial.  Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)  

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 22-23, 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.

25% Favor D.C. Statehood

Few Americans think it would be good for the country if there were more states, and most still agree that Washington, D.C. shouldn't be one of them. Support for making Puerto Rico a state isn't much higher. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 12% of American Adults think it would be good for the United States to add more states. A plurality (44%) believes it would be bad for the country, while 24% think it would have no impact. Twenty percent (20%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 23-24, 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.

70% Think Government, Big Business Often Work Together Against Consumers, Investors

Voters remain highly wary of crony capitalism in the United States. Seventy percent (70%) of Likely U.S. Voters think government and big business often work together in ways that hurt consumers and investors. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 13% disagree. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 22-23, 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.

Most Say IRS Broke Law When It Targeted Tea Party, But Few Expect Punishment

Most voters believe the Internal Revenue Service broke the law when it targeted conservative groups, but very few think any government employees will be charged with criminal activity.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think the IRS broke the law when it targeted Tea Party and other conservative groups. Just 24% disagree, while nearly as many (23%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 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.

17% Would Vote to Secede and Form New State

Some residents in Maryland, California, Michigan and Colorado are looking to secede from their respective states, and nearly one-out-of-five Americans think that's a good idea. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 17% of American Adults say they would vote for their section of their state to secede and form a new state. Seventy percent (70%) would vote to keep things the way they are, but another 13% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Just 22% believe sections of individual states have the right to secede and form a new state. Fifty-five percent (55%) disagree, but a sizable 23% are not sure.

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 23-24, 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.

63% Believe Most Americans Want Government to Have Less Power and Money

Most Americans continue to believe politicians want more power and money for the government while their fellow citizens want the opposite. Sixty-three percent (63%) of Adults nationwide believe most Americans want the government to have less power and money, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey. Just 18% believe their fellow Americans want the government to have more power and money. Nine percent (9%) think they want things to remain about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 23-24, 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.

42% Conservative on Fiscal Issues, 36% Social Liberals

Voters remain more conservative on money issues than on those dealing with social policy.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters identify themselves as conservative on fiscal issues such as taxes, government spending and business regulation. Just 21% are liberal in this area, while 34% view themselves as moderates. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 20-21, 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% Think Iran Unlikely To Slow or Stop Its Nuclear Program

The new president of Iran has signaled that he is looking for a less hostile relationship with the United States, although most U.S. voters still think that country is unlikely to halt its nuclear development efforts. But voters are even more opposed to U.S. military action against Iran.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is at least somewhat likely that Iran will slow or stop its nuclear program in the next year in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Sixty-six percent (66%) consider this unlikely. This includes four percent (4%) who say Iran is Very Likely to slow or stop its nuclear efforts in exchange for the lifting of sanctions and 23% who think it is Not At All Likely. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 22-23, 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.

23% Use Social Media To Follow Unfolding News Events

Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are playing an increasing role in how people consume information worldwide, and nearly a quarter of Americans now say they regularly use social media to follow major news events in real time.

Forty-three percent (43%) of American Adults say that social media keep more people informed of major news events, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty-nine percent (29%) don’t believe social media keep people more informed of major stories, but just as many (28%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 21-22, 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.

84% Think Most Major News Organizations More Concerned With Speed Than Accuracy

Americans strongly believe that news outlets should be more concerned with getting stories right than getting them first but feel it works the opposite way in most cases. An overwhelming 86% of American Adults believe that when it comes to reporting of news events, it is more important for the media to get the story right than to get it first. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) believe it’s more important for the news media to get the story first instead. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 21-22, 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.

Most Still Favor Stricter Controls on Coal Plants Despite Higher Energy Costs

Most voters agree with the Obama administration’s decision to go ahead with tougher controls on coal plant emissions even though they recognize it will drive up energy costs. A sizable number, however, overestimate the importance of coal to the production of electricity.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters favor new environmental regulations to place stricter limits on carbon dioxide emissions from new power plants. Thirty-three percent (33%) are opposed, while 14% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 20-21, 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.

On Health Care, 43% Trust GOP More, 42% Democrats

While some Republicans in Congress hope to stop President Obama’s national health care law by defunding it, voters are evenly divided over which political party they trust more to handle health care.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters trust Republicans more to handle issues related to health care, but just as many (42%) trust Democrats more. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 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. 

54% Think Media Cover Mass Shootings Too Much

Most Americans think the media overdo it when it comes to coverage of shooting incidents like the one Monday at the Washington Navy Yard.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of American Adults believe the media offer too much coverage of mass shootings like the one in Washington, DC. Just five percent (5%) think the media do not cover these incidents enough. Thirty-six percent (36%) rate the level of coverage about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 17-18, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.