What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending April 14, 2018

Tugs of war seemed ubiquitous this week, occurring between President Trump and federal prosecutors, teachers and the states employing them, the struggle for income equity, and even between Facebook and Congress.

Following Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s invasion of the office and home of President Trump’s personal lawyer, voters increasingly believe Mueller’s probe is a partisan witch hunt. But they also tend to think he is unlikely to nail the president for anything criminal.

While Trump has ordered the National Guard to the border with Mexico to help stop illegal immigration, support for using the military there has fallen dramatically. Few voters think posting troops at the border would boost U.S. national security.

On a more local level, teachers in several states have gone on strike for better pay in recent weeks, and more Americans than ever agree that school teachers aren’t paid enough.

As teachers protest for higher wages and more school funding, an increasing number of Americans see teachers’ unions as a good thing and fewer feel those unions prioritize protecting their members over the quality of education. Still, more than half believe the interests of these unions are more self-serving.

Americans also believe young people in this country are more likely to think highly of themselves than their academic performance merits.

Meanwhile, some states are attempting to tackle income inequality at the state level, but when it comes to salaries, Americans think decisions should stay in the hands of the employer and want to keep employee salaries private.

A recent court ruling found that employers can't pay women less than men just because they had a lower salary at a prior company. Most Americans support equal pay for men and women, but they’re not convinced that discrimination is the sole reason for wage disparities.

Although employed Americans work long hours, most enjoy their workday.

Mark Zuckerberg’s work this week included testifying before Congressional  committees Wednesday and Thursday, and this week’s Rasmussen Minute shares the Facebook CEO’s own words promising to protect your personal information. 

In other surveys last week:

-- As Tax Day draws near, Americans are feeling better about the U.S. tax system than they have in the past, but half still believe they’re paying more than their fair share of taxes.

-- Most voters believe the United States is superior to other nations around the world, but suspect that creates higher expectations from other countries.

-- Late last month, two commercial pilots flying over the Arizona desert reported seeing an unidentified flying object pass overhead. Few Americans claim to have ever seen, or know someone who has seen, a UFO, but that doesn’t mean they don’t believe there’s intelligent life on other planets.

-- Democrats continue to hold a slight lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot, though that lead has narrowed since the beginning of the year.

-- Forty percent (40%) of voters now think the country is heading in the right direction.

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Remember, if it's in the news, it's in our polls.