President Obama in a meeting last week with top U.S. business leaders urged them to use some of their ample cash reserves to create new jobs, and most voters think that’s a good idea. But they draw the line at the government making the businesses spend their money that way.
As the year draws to a close, it's time to get a little philosophical and take a longer-range view of some things that are happening in the world.
The federal government recently reported than 14% of the U.S. population or a record 42.9 million people received food stamps in September, with up to 20% getting them in some states.
Most voters still approve of the tax cutting deal between President Obama and senior congressional Republicans, but support has fallen somewhat – in some surprising places.
"I formed a business with two partners a couple of years ago. We set up a corporation, and divided the stock three ways. Me and my brother each had 40 percent of the company, and a good friend of ours had the remaining 20 percent.
Americans remain just as pessimistic about the country's job market as they have been all year.
First things first. Despite official Washington’s increasing fixation on the federal budget deficit, most voters think cutting federal spending is a bigger priority.
Looks like the Republicans want the fox watching the henhouse. Ron Paul, one of Congress’ sharpest critics of the Federal Reserve, has been chosen to lead the House subcommittee that monitors the Fed’s activities, and he promises to push again for a full audit of the nation’s central bank.
Americans historically have always worked to make sure their children were better off than they were, but the number who believe today's youth will be better off than their parents has fallen to its lowest level ever.
Though Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has announced plans to commit another $600 billion to the banking system in an effort to jumpstart the economy, most Americans still aren’t confident the Fed can control inflation and keep interest rates down.
Consumers may be feeling the holiday spirit early, as their increased optimism toward the economy and their personal finances in October led to a rise in the Discover U.S. Spending Monitor for the first time since May.
With continuing problems in the economy and the national unemployment rate up to 9.8%, Americans nationwide are even less confident in President Obama’s economic advisers than they were three months ago.
Although the United States has officially been out of an economic recession for over a year, Americans are even more pessimistic about how long it will take the housing and stock markets to recover.
Americans remain pessimistic about the chances for economic recovery in the short-term and continue to pin their hopes on a long-term turnaround.
"I have been working for a company for several years now, and it's not working out. I am being given unreasonable deadlines, my superiors are breathing down my neck for results and they are treating me like dirt, but they also are not giving me the resources I need to get the job done despite numerous requests on my part.
From 2005 to early 2009, entrepreneurs were more confident about the economy than government employees, private sector employees, retirees and other Americans. However, since March of last year, government workers have been the most confident (or, perhaps, the least pessimistic).
More than one-out-of-four Americans (27%) think the government should manage the U.S. economy, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Nearly as many (24%) say it's better for the government to stay out of economic decisions altogether.
As Congress wrangles over whether to continue funding unemployment benefits for up to 99 weeks, Americans express skepticism about the need for benefits that last that long.
Despite Democratic resistance to extending the Bush tax cuts for those who earn $200,000 or more a year, most voters are optimistic that the tax cuts will be continued for all Americans.
Americans are receptive to a proposal by President Obama’s bipartisan deficit reduction commission to increase the level of income taxable for Social Security, but most don’t like the idea of raising the retirement age.?
