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49% Say Current Government Programs Increase Level of Poverty in U.S.

Nearly half of all Americans believe the government overspends on anti-poverty programs and continue to feel those programs actually increase the level of poverty in this country. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of American adults think the government spends too much on poverty programs. That's up nine points from 38% in April of last year. Thirty percent (30%) feel the government spends too little fighting poverty, while 15% say the amount spent is about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 16-17, 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.

83% Favor Work Requirement for Welfare Recipients

Most Americans think there are too many people on welfare who should not be getting it and believe overwhelmingly that those who do receive welfare benefits should be required to work.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 83% of American Adults favor a work requirement as a condition for receiving welfare aid. Just seven percent (7%) oppose such a requirement, while 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 16-17, 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% Say Venture Capital Firms Better Job Creators Than Government Programs

The Obama campaign’s attack on Mitt Romney’s business record hasn’t changed the belief that venture capital firms like the one Romney worked for are better job creators than government programs like the ones championed by the president.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of Likely U.S. Voters believe venture capital companies are better at creating jobs than government programs are. Just 27% think government programs are a better way to create jobs. Seventeen percent (17%) aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 13-14, 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.

52% Say Most U.S. Workers Are Dishonest to Get Ahead

Most Americans think dishonesty in the workplace is a common path to career advancement.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of American Adults believe most workers in this country do something dishonest to get ahead at some point in their career. Twenty-eight percent (28%) disagree, but 20% more are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 12-13, 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.

30% Owe More Money Than They Did Last Year

Nearly half of young Americans now say they owe more money than they did last year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% of all American Adults say they owe more money than they did a year ago, while nearly as many (29%) say they owe less.  Thirty-eight percent (38%) say their level of debt is about the same. That's consistent with findings for the last couple years. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

43% Say Auto Bailouts Were Good for U.S., 44% Disagree

Voters continue to hold a much more positive view of the government bailouts of the automobile industry than they do of the ones given to the financial sector.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 43% say the government bailouts of the auto industry were good for the United States, while 44% say they were bad for the country. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

42% Think Raising Taxes on $250,000-Plus Incomes Will Help Economy

A plurality of voters nationwide believes that raising taxes on those who earn more than $250,000 a year would help the economy, but there are sharp partisan differences of opinion.

Overall, 42% of Likely U.S. Voters think that raising taxes on those upper income Americans would benefit the economy. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% believe such a tax hike would hurt the economy. Nineteen percent (19%) say it would have no impact (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

38% Express Confidence In Fed To Keep Inflation, Interest Rates In Check

Americans’ confidence in the Federal Reserve Board keeping inflation under control is the lowest its been in 2012, as many continue to report paying more for groceries now compared to last year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 38% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Fed can keep inflation under control and interest rates down, including just 13% who are Very Confident. Fifty-six percent (56%) lack confidence in the Fed in this area, with 22% who are Not At All Confident. (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 American Adults nationwide was conducted on July 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.

Obama Position on Extending Tax Cuts Tops GOP Proposal

Most voters favor temporarily extending the so-called Bush tax cuts for those who earn less than $250,000 a year but are less enthusiastic about continuing those tax cuts permanently for all Americans.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with President Obama’s plan to extend the tax cuts for a year for those who make less than $250,000 annually. Just 20% oppose this temporary extension, and 13% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

43% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking Industry

Confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking system has fallen to its lowest level in over a year of monthly tracking.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry today.  That’s down from 46% last month and from a recent high of 50% in May. By comparison, however, in July 2008 just before the Wall Street meltdown, 68% were confident in the banking system.

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

41% of Workers Expect To Earn More Money In A Year

Many working Americans continue to believe their earnings will be up a year from today, but younger workers are much more optimistic than their elders. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Employed Adults believe they’ll be earning more money a year from today. That's down slightly from 43% in March, the highest finding since November 2010.  Just 13% think they'll be making less. Thirty-nine percent (39%) expect their pay to be about the same in a year’s time. (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 637 Employed Adults was conducted on July 6-7, 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. 

66% Say Spending Cuts Should be Considered in All Government Programs

Voters continue to support across-the-board federal spending cuts to help solve the federal budget crisis.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 66% of Likely U.S. Voters think that, as the nation searches for solutions to the federal budget crisis, thoughtful spending cuts should be considered in every program of the federal government.

That's consistent with previous surveying but is the highest level of support since Rasmussen Reports first asked the question in August 2011. Twenty percent (20%) disagree and do not think spending cuts should be considered in all programs. Another 14% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

32% of Workers Say Their Next Job Will Be Better Than Current One

Younger Americans continue to feel optimistic about their future employment opportunities, but fewer workers of all ages are looking for another job.  

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Employed Adults finds that 32% say their next job will be better than their current one.  Nineteen percent (19%) disagree, while 24% plan to retire after they leave their current position.  Another 25% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Voters Favor Bush Tax Cuts, Close Call When It Comes to the Wealthy

President Obama is calling for an extension of the Bush administration tax cuts for all those who earn under $250,000 a year. House Republicans are planning a vote that would extend those same tax cuts for all Americans regardless of income.

Consumer Confidence Declines in June

Consumer confidence in the economy and personal finances, which are key economic indicators, worsened in June to the lowest levels since January 2012. The Discover U.S. Spending Monitor, a 5-year-old daily poll tracking economic confidence and spending intentions of nearly 8,200 consumers throughout the month, declined 4.8 points to 90.7 in June.

44% Would Vote for Candidate Who Promised to Oppose All Tax Increases

Voters are now evenly divided over whether they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate who promised to oppose all tax increases or a candidate who would raise taxes only on the rich.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% would now vote for the candidate who promised to oppose all tax increases, the highest level of support since the start of 2011. Just as many (43%) would vote for the candidate who only raised taxes on the rich. This is the closest voters have been on the issue since February 2010. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure which candidate they would vote for. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

18% Say Now Is A Good Time to Sell A House In Their Area

Belief that a home is a family’s best investment is at its highest level in over a year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of American Adults now think buying a home is the best investment families can make. Just 25% disagree, while another 22% 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 American Adults nationwide was conducted on June 18-19, 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.

32% Think 100,000 Cut in Federal Workforce Would Help Economy

Even though most Americans have consistently said government workers have it easier and get paid more than those in the private sector, a plurality wouldn’t want them to lose their jobs. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of American Adults think it would be good for the economy if the federal government lays off 100,000 workers.  Forty-seven percent (47%) say a layoff like that would be bad for the economy, while another 10% feel it would have no impact.  Ten percent (10%) more are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 12-13, 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.

Fewer Than Half Now Say Their Home Is Worth More Than What They Paid for It

For the second survey in a row, fewer than half of U.S. homeowners believe their home is worth more than when they bought it.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of homeowners now say their home is worth more now than when they bought it, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s just below April’s finding of 49%, the first time that figure dipped below 50% in over two years of regular surveying.  By comparison, in October 2011, 62% reported that their home was worth more than when they bought it, and in June 2008, 80% thought their home was worth more than when they bought it.

The national survey of 729 Adult Homeowners was conducted on June 18-19, 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.

26% Now Expect Their Home's Value to Increase Over Next Year

Short-term confidence among homeowners about the future of their homes' values is at its highest level in two years, and most now expect that value to increase in five year’s time. But at the same time those who think their home is now worth less than what they still owe on it ties an all-time high.  

Twenty-six percent (26%) of Adult Homeowners think the value of their home will go up over the next year, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  Twenty-two percent (22%) expect their home’s value to go down over the next year, while 49% predict values will stay about the same.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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