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What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 23, 2013

Voters want new thinking in Washington, D.C., but what they get is more of the same.

Consider the deficit-cutting plans rolled out by the two parties in recent days.  Voters don’t care much for either one. Thirty-five percent (35%) favor Republican Congressman Paul Ryan's plan that calls for a balanced budget in 10 years through spending cuts only. Ryan’s plan includes cuts to Medicare but not the military. Nineteen percent (19%) support Democratic Senator Patty Murray's plan that doesn’t balance the budget but includes a trillion dollars in tax increases and a trillion dollars in spending cuts over the next decade.

Interestingly, Murray is personally more popular than Ryan, the GOP’s 2012 vice presidential nominee, even though she is much less well-known.  Ryan is now more disliked than former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who long has reigned as the most unpopular congressional leader.

Voters Again Trust GOP More Than Democrats on Economy

Voters continue to trust Democrats more than Republicans on nine of 15 major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports, but the GOP has regained the trust advantage on the key issues of the economy and national security. 

New Rasmussen Reports national telephone surveying finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats when it comes to handling the economy. Forty percent (40%) trust Democrats more. (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.

Three national surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on March 10-11, March 14-15 & 18-19, 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.

31% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-one percent (31%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, March 17.

Voter optimism in the nation’s current course is up two points from the previous week but still remains at a level not seen since August of last year. Confidence in the nation's course peaked at a high of 43% the week before Election Day but has gradually come down since then.

In the latest survey, 60% of voters think the country is heading down the wrong track. That's down four points from 64% the week before which tied the highest level of pessimism measured since August 2012. From January 2009 until October 2012, belief that the country was on the wrong track ranged from 55% to 80%, but it tracked in the low 50s from just before Election Day until early December.

(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 national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen March 11-17, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 43%, Republicans 38%

Democrats hold a five-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending March 17.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Republican instead.

(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 national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 11-17, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

45% Want Their Governors To Help Implement Health Care Law, 45% Don’t

Voters are now evenly divided over whether they want their governor to help make President Obama’s health care law a reality in their state.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters would like their governor to support the implementation of the law in their state. But just as many (45%) would like their governor to oppose implementation. Eleven percent (11%) are undecided. (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 Likely Voters was conducted on March 16-17, 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 16, 2013

Beware of the new elites who are rewriting the rule book, so that special privilege takes the place of hard work, Scott Rasmussen warns in his latest weekly newspaper column.  “The United States is supposed to be a land of opportunity where everyone can pursue their dreams,” he writes. “But those on top today are busy rewriting the rules to limit entry into their club.”

Voters Are More Critical of Obama on National Security

Voter perceptions of how President Obama is handling national security have dropped to their lowest level since October. 

Forty-six percent (46%) of Likely U.S. Voters now give the president good or excellent marks for his handling of national security issues, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That's down five points from late last month. Thirty-three percent (33%) rate the president's performance in this area as poor. generally consistent with views since late 2010. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

How did you do in this week’s Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leaderboard. 

(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 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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.

Reid, Boehner Are Disliked by One-Out-of-Two Voters

Half of voters don’t like the men in charge of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters have an unfavorable opinion of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, while 49% feel that way about House Speaker John Boehner. This includes 32% with a Very Unfavorable view of Reid and 30% with a Very Unfavorable opinion of Boehner. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

29% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, March 10.

Voter optimism in the nation’s current course is up a point from the previous week but remains at a level not seen since August of last year. Confidence in the nation's course peaked at a high of 43% the week before Election Day but has gradually come down since then.

(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 national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen March 4-10, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

46% Give Obama Poor Marks for Deficit Reduction

A plurality of voters continues to question President Obama’s handling of deficit reduction.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters think the president is doing a good or excellent job handling issues related to reducing the federal budget deficit. But 46% rate Obama’s handling of these issues as poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Take the Rasmussen Challenge! Answers must be submitted by 11:59pm ET on Wednesday, March 13.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 10-11, 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.

35% Think Obama Too Confrontational

Following the political battle over the March 1 sequester spending cuts, President Obama's positive ratings for leadership have fallen back to pre-election levels, and more voters than ever regard him as too confrontational.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters now consider the president a good or excellent leader. That's down from 53% last month and 55% at the start of the year which were his highest positives since May 2009.  Thirty-eight percent (38%) rate Obama as a poor leader. The new findings are more in line with the president's leadership ratings in 2012 prior to Election Day. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Take the Rasmussen Challenge! Answers must be submitted by 11:59pm ET on Wednesday, March 13.

(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 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 43%, Republicans 40%

Democrats continue to hold a three-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot, this time for the week ending March 10.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 40% would choose the Republican instead.

(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 national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from March 4-10, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

45% Favor President's Health Care Law, Most Want More Consumer Choice

Voters continue to give the president's health care law tepid reviews and believe overwhelmingly that individuals should have the power to pick the kind of coverage they want. 

Forty-five percent (45%) view it favorably, while 48% share an unfavorable opinion of it. This includes 18% with a Very Favorable view and 33% with a Very Unfavorable one. These attitudes have held steady since last November's election.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Likely U.S. Voters think the government should require every health insurance company and health insurance plan to cover the exact same set of medical procedures. Thirty-four percent (34%) disagree and oppose such requirements. Thirty-one percent (31%) 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 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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.

Obama Earns Low Marks on Taxes and Spending

Voters are more critical of President Obama’s handling of issues related to taxes and remain unhappy with how he's dealing with spending.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the president is doing a good or excellent job in the tax area. That's down five points from 44% last month. Forty-two percent (42%), on the other hand, think he is doing a poor job, up from 39% in February. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

How did you do in the new Rasmussen Challenge? Check the leader board to find out. 

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 6-7, 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 8, 2013

Despite record stock market gains and a slightly improved jobs picture this week, Americans still express a lot of uncertainty about the economy and the future in general.

Like long-term economic confidence a month ago, short-term confidence in the U.S. economy is now at a new low. Just 25% of Americans think the economy will be stronger a year from today.

At week’s end, just 14% of consumers rated the U.S. economy as good or excellent, while 46% deemed it poor. Among investors, 18% scored the economy as good or excellent. Forty percent (40%) rated it poor. 

Americans don’t have much hope for the stock and housing markets either. Only 20% think the stock market will be higher a year from now. Most (54%) still believe it will take more than three years for the housing industry to fully recover from the downturn that began in 2008.

Voters Are Slightly More Aware of New Treasury Secretary

Voters haven’t changed their opinions much about newly confirmed Obama Cabinet members John Kerry and Jack Lew.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 18% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, including five percent (5%) who view him Very Favorably. Twenty-five percent (25%) view Lew unfavorably, with 11% who share a Very Unfavorable opinion of him. A majority of voters (56%) still have no opinion of the new secretary of the Treasury. (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 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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.

28% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Twenty-eight percent (28%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, March 3.

Voter optimism in the nation’s current course is down six points from the previous week and is the lowest level measured since August of last year.

(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 national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen February 25-March 3, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

8% Think Congress Is Doing A Good or Excellent Job

The sequester hoopla of recent weeks hasn't changed a thing: Positive ratings for Congress remain in single digits for the third straight month.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just eight percent (8%) of Likely U.S. Voters think Congress is doing a good or excellent job. Sixty-seven percent (67%) rate Congress’ performance as poor. (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 Likely Voters was conducted on March 4-5, 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.

Rasmussen Employment Index Dips Two Points in February

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence slipped almost two points in February but remains above monthly levels measured for much of 2012.

At 85.6, the Employment Index is down two points from February 2012 but is up seven points from February 2011. In December 2012, the Index hit a five-year high of 91.2.

The survey of 8,952 working Americans was conducted in February 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 43%, Republicans 40%

Democrats hold a three-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending March 3.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 40% would choose the Republican instead.

(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 national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from February 25-March 3, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.