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20% Believe Targeted Government Programs Will Help Housing Market

The Federal Reserve Board announced last week that it will attempt to help the housing market by buying mortgages to keep interest rates at record lows. But only 20% of American Adults believe it is possible for targeted government programs to help the housing market.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) think the housing market will improve only when the overall economy improves, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 14-15, 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.

47% Expect Higher Interest Rates One Year From Now

The Federal Reserve on Thursday announced it is extending its plan to keep interest rates low until 2015, but nearly half of Americans expect higher interest rates a year from now.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 47% of American Adults believe they will be paying higher interest rates one year from today. Just six percent (6%) expect lower interest rates in a year's time, while 34% believe they will be about the same. 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 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.

58% Lack Confidence in Fed To Keep Inflation Under Control, Interest Rates Down

Confidence in the Federal Reserve Board’s ability to keep inflation under control remains at the lowest level of 2012 as Americans overwhelmingly continue to report they are paying more for groceries compared to last year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Fed can keep inflation under control and interest rates down, but just 11% are Very Confident.  Fifty-eight percent (58%) lack confidence in the Fed, with 15% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

53% Now Say Auto Bailouts Were Good for the Country

Support for the bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler and the financial industry have jumped following the Democratic National Convention.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, taken just after the convention, shows that, for the first time, most Likely U.S. Voters (53%) think the auto bailouts were good for the United States. That’s up from a previous high of 47% in May. Just 36% now believe those bailouts were bad for the country. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 7-8, 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.

50% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking Industry

Fifty percent (50%) of American Adults are now at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry, but that still includes just 11% who are Very Confident. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% don't share that 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 American Adults nationwide was conducted on September 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.

Job Creation? 47% Trust Obama, 45% Romney

Following another dismal jobs report, voters overwhelmingly rate job creation as important to their vote but are almost evenly divided when it comes to which presidential candidate they trust more on the issue.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 95% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the issue of job creation as important to how they will vote in November. That includes 69% who consider it Very Important. Only three percent (3%) view job creation as not very or Not At All Important to their vote. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 9-10, 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.

46% Think Their Pay Will Be The Same A Year From Now

For the first time since early January, working Americans think what they earn is more likely to stay the same over the next year rather than go up.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 40% of employed adults think they will be earning more money a year from now than they are making today. That’s in line with regular tracking since March and up from the low to mid-30s common to surveys since July 2009. But 46% now believe their earnings will be about the same in a year’s time. That’s the highest finding since July of last year and more in line with earlier surveying. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 593 Employed Adults was conducted on September 2-3, 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.

62% Say They’ll Decide When To Leave Current Job

The number of working Americans who think they, not their employer, will decide when they leave their current job has fallen to its lowest level in nearly three years.

Sixty-two percent (62%) now say that when they leave their current job, it will be their choice. That’s down 12 points from 74% in July. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that nearly one-in-five (19%) think it will be their employer’s decision when they leave their current job. Another 19% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 593 Employed Adults was conducted on September 2-3, 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.

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68% Say They Are Paying More for Gas Compared to Six Months Ago

Gas prices are going up again as summer ends, with 68% of American Adults now saying they are paying more for a gallon of gas than they were six months ago. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just five percent (5%) say they're paying less for gas now, while 20% say gas prices are about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on August 25-26, 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.

Just 16% See A Better Future for Today's Children

Americans remain highly pessimistic about what lies ahead for the nation's children. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 16% of Adults believe that today’s children will be better off than their parents. That's up slightly from July’s all-time low of 14% and back to the levels found in May and June. Prior to that time in regular surveys since the beginning of 2009, that finding generally had been in the low to mid-20s.

Sixty-four percent (64%) now say today’s children will not be better off. That compares to 47% who felt that way in January 2009. Nineteen percent (19%) more are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

43% Like Candidate Who’ll Tax the Rich; 41% Prefer One Against All Tax Hikes

Voters remain almost evenly divided over whether they would support a candidate who opposes all tax increases or one who would raise taxes only on wealthy Americans.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for a candidate who promised to oppose all tax increases. But 43% would vote instead for a candidate who raised taxes only on the rich. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

52% Think Housing Market Will Take More Than Three Years to Fully Recover

Most Americans still believe it will take more than three years for the housing market to recover from the 2008 economic meltdown, and a sizable number continues to predict full recovery of the stock market will take that long, too.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% 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 57% in June, the most negative assessment of the housing market since regular tracking began in January 2009. Fifteen percent (15%) think recovery is two years away, while 12% say it's three years away. Only four percent (4%) think recovery is likely to occur within the next year. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

51% See A Home As A Family’s Best Investment

Just over half of Americans believe a home is a family’s best investment, but most still don’t think it’s a good time for someone to sell their house.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of American Adults say buying a home is the best investment most families can make.  Twenty-six percent (26%) disagree, but another 22% are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on August 19-20, 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.

36% Say Economy Will Be Weaker A Year From Now

Short- and long-term confidence in the nation’s economy continues to hover around 2012 lows. 

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of American Adults think the U.S. economy will be stronger a year from today, but slightly more (36%) believe it will be weaker in a year's time.  Seventeen percent (17%) think economic conditions in the country will stay about the same. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

26% Say Their Home Worth Less Than When They Bought It

Most U.S. homeowners are confident they know the current value of their home and think it’s worth more than when they bought it. But one-in-four say their home is worth less now.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 82% of Americans who own a home are confident they know how much the house is worth in today’s market. That includes 43% who are Very Confident. Just 16% are not very or Not At All Confident that they know what their house is worth. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 743 Adult Homeowners was conducted on August 19-20, 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% Think Their House Will Be Worth Less Five Years From Now

Short- and long-term confidence in housing values remains low.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 23% of homeowners believe the value of their home will go up over the next year.  That’s up from 18% last month but more in line with findings earlier this year. Slightly more (29%) think the value of their home will go down. That's the highest level of pessimism since March but less negative than views for most of 2011. A plurality (45%) believes their home value will stay about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 743 Adult Homeowners was conducted on August 19-20, 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.

Americans More Optimistic About Their Financial Security In August

Americans are feeling better about their finances this month than one year ago when their confidence hit an all-time low, according to the COUNTRY Financial Security Index®. The Index inched up 0.8 points to 65.9 in August after slipping 1.1 points in June. This comes exactly one year after the Index reached its lowest reading ever at 62.4. This uptick in confidence also marks the first August increase since 2008 and the highest August Index reading since that year.

Voters Still See Cuts in Taxes, Spending As Better for Economy

Voters continue to view tax and spending cuts as beneficial to the economy even though they lack confidence in their elected leaders to follow through.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think tax cuts help the economy. Just 16% believe tax cuts hurt the economy, while just as many (16%) say they have no impact. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

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44% Fear Government Won’t Do Enough For Troubled Economy

Voters remain closely divided in their concern over whether the government will do too much or too little to help the troubled economy. But most still prefer spending cuts as an economic boost.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters now say, in reacting to the nation’s economic problems, what worries them most is that the federal government will not do enough. Forty-one percent (41%) are more worried the government will do too much. Fifteen percent (15%) more are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 18-19, 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.

Just 15% Are Paying Higher Interest Rates Than A Year Ago

Fewer adults than ever now report than they are paying higher interest rates than they were one year ago, and expectations that those rates will be higher in a year's time are at their lowest level this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% now say they are paying higher interest rates than they were a year ago. That's down from 22% in July and the lowest finding in over three years of regular surveying on the question. The same number (15%) also report that they are paying lower rates than a year ago, but most (57%) say they are paying about the same rate. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on August 11-12, 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.