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51% Think Auto Bailouts Were Good for the United States

Most voters view the auto industry bailouts positively until they learn that the federal government will lose money because of them.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of Likely Voters say, looking back, the bailouts of the auto industry were good for the United States.  Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree and feel they were bad for the country, while 12% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 8-9, 2012 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.

9% of Working Americans Consider Themselves Poor

The number of working Americans who classify themselves as poor has fallen to its lowest level in more than three years.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Employed Americans shows that a majority (65%) believe they are in the middle class, while another 21% classify themselves as upper middle class. Nine percent (9%) say they are poor, while just five percent (5%) consider themselves wealthy. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 625 Employed Adults was conducted on November 5-6, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

45% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking Industry

Confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking system has fallen back below 50%, but most Americans are still not afraid of losing the money they have in the bank due to a failure. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry today, but only eight percent (8%) are Very Confident.  Fifty percent (50%) lack confidence, with 14% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on November 7-8, 2012 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.

51% Say Staying With Current Company Best Opportunity for Career Advancement

More working Americans believe the best opportunity for career advancement is to stay put, and fewer than ever are currently out on the job hunt.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of Employed Adults say staying with their current company provides the best opportunity for career advancement.  Thirty-two percent (32%) believe going to work for someone else is a better way to get ahead, while another 18% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 625 Employed Adults was conducted on November 5-6, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

24% Say Today's Children Will Be Better Off Than Their Parents

Fifty-three percent (53%) of Americans think today's children will not be better off than their parents, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But that's down six points from last month and the lowest level of pessimism since July 2009.

Still, only 24% think today's children today will be better off than their parents. However, that's up a point from a month ago and up from 18% a year ago. This finding has generally hovered around 20% for the past three years but dropped into the teens for much of this year. Twenty-three percent (23%) are not sure what the future holds for today's young people. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 22-23, 2012 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.

55% Say Home Is Worth More Than Money Owed

Short-term confidence among homeowners is at its highest level in several months, but a third of homeowners still say their homes are worth less than the amount owed on their mortgages.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Homeowners shows that 26% believe their home’s value will go up over the next year. Twenty-one percent (21%) say their home’s value will go down over the next year, while 49% expect it to remain about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 745 Homeowners nationwide was conducted on October 18-19, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

51% Think Government Spends Too Much on Poverty Programs

State and federal welfare spending passed the $1 trillion mark last year, more than is spent on Social Security and Medicare. Most Americans believe the government spends too much on poverty programs and that those programs increase the level of poverty in the country rather than decrease it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of American Adults think the government spends too much on poverty programs. That’s up 13 points from 38% in April 2011. Just 21% feel it doesn’t spend enough, while 20% say the amount spent is about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 20-21, 2012 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.

Ford Remains Far More Popular Than GM, Chrysler

More Americans than ever have a favorable opinion of Ford, the one Big Three automaker that didn’t take federal bailout money.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of American Adults have at least a somewhat favorable impression of Ford. That’s up slightly from 76% in February, the previous high, but consistent with findings since the 2008-2009 auto bailouts.  Thirteen percent (13%) have an unfavorable opinion of Ford.  The new findings include 44% with a Very Favorable impression of the Detroit-based manufacturer and just five percent (5%) with a Very Unfavorable one.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 4-5, 2012 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.

53% Are Confident in Stability of Banking System

Americans’ confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking system is at its highest level in over three years.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 53% are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry, while 42% lack that confidence. Still, these findings include just eight percent (8%) who are Very Confident in the system and 11% who are Not At All Confident. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 6-7, 2012 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% Are More Likely to Buy A Ford Because Of the GM Bailout

The bailouts still rankle a lot of car buyers. More Americans than ever are more likely to buy a Ford because it's made by the one Big Three automaker who didn't take a federal government bailout. By the same measure, most Americans are still unlikely to buy a General Motors product.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of American Adults say the fact that Ford did not take bailout money makes them more likely to buy a Ford car. Only eight percent (8%) say that makes them less likely to buy Ford, while 32% say the bailout has no impact on their buying decisions. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 4-5, 2012 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.

58% Think Government Workers Make More Than Those in Private Sector

Most Americans continue to believe that government employees don't work as hard as those in the private sector but earn more money and have more job security anyway. Sixty-four percent (64%) of American Adults say workers in the private sector work harder than government employees, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 11% think government workers work harder, while 25% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 2-3, 2012 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.

48% Know Someone Who’s Quit Looking for Work in Bad Job Market

Confidence in the U.S. job market remains near record lows for the year.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 21% of American Adults think the job market is better than it was a year ago. That’s down three points from early August and the lowest finding since February. Forty-one percent (41%) think the job market is worse than it was this time last year, down slightly from the previous survey but only the second time this year that pessimism has climbed into the 40s.

Thirty-six percent (36%) say the employment picture is about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 2-3, 2012 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.

September Employment Index Rebounds Slightly From Recent Low

After falling to a 10-month low in August, the Rasmussen Employment Index rebounded slightly in September. At 76.6, the Employment Index is up five points from a month ago  but still down four points from July. With the exception of the last month, this is the lowest level of confidence measured since October of last year.

Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be stronger than the prior month’s report.

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The survey of 8,975 working Americans was conducted in September 2012 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.

49% Think America Weaker Today Than It Was Four Years Ago

Most voters don't rate the United State stronger today than it was four years ago when it comes to race relations, opportunities for women and young people and America’s relationships overseas.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of Likely U.S. Voters, in fact, think America as a nation is weaker now than it was in late 2008. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 29% believe the country is stronger today, while 18% consider it about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on September 27-28, 2012 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% Believe Today's Children Will Be Better Off Than Their Parents

The good news is that the number of Americans who believe today’s children will be better off than their parents is at its highest level of 2012. The bad news is that three-out-of-four Americans don't agree or aren't sure.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 23% believe today’s children will be better off than their parents. Fifty-nine percent (59%) disagree, and 18% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)    

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 22-23, 2012 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.

44% Think Fed Chairman Influenced by President

Belief among Americans that the Federal Reserve Board chairman has too much economic clout has softened a bit from previous years, but a plurality continues to feel the chairman of the independent agency is influenced in his decision making by the president.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 41% believe the chairman of the Federal Reserve has too much power over the economy. Six percent (6%) say the chairman does not have enough power, while 38% say the level is about right. Another 15% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 20-21, 2012 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.

50% Predict More Than Three Years for Housing Market to Fully Recover

Most Americans still don't see a full recovery of the housing and stock markets in the next three years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of American Adults think it will take more than three years for housing prices to fully recover from the downturn that began in 2008. That's down slightly from 52% in August  and 57% in June, the most negative assessment of the housing market since regular tracking began in January 2009.

Just five percent (5%) think full recovery is likely to occur within the next year. Fifteen percent (15%) say recovery is three years away, while 10% say it's two years away.  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 22-23, 2012 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.

31% Think Government Should Help Troubled Mortgage Holders

More Americans than ever think that if someone can’t afford their mortgage payments, the government should help them.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of American Adults still think that if someone can't afford to make their increased mortgage payments, it's better for them to sell their home and buy a less expensive one. But now 31% say the better option is for the government to assist them in making their mortgage payments. That's up from 22% in July. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on September 16-17, 2012 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.

Americans Like Free Trade But Like Protective Tariffs Better

A sizable number of Americans still see free trade as a good thing for the country, but they’re evenly divided over whether it’s a job killer or a job creator. That helps explain why most favor protective tariffs on countries that pay their workers less than we do.

55% Think Government Doesn’t Protect U.S. Industries Enough from Overseas Competitors

Most Americans blame the country’s bad economy on government policies at home rather than on overseas competitors, but they’d like to see the U.S. government protect domestic companies more. The latest Rasmussen Reports national survey finds that 59% of American Adults think the economic policies of the U.S. government are a bigger factor in creating the current problems with the economy than unfair business practices by countries like China and the ongoing economic problems in Europe. Only 12% blame unfair business practices by overseas competitors more, while just as many (11%) see the debt crisis and other problems in Europe as chiefly at fault. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 24-25, 2012 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.