Lifestyle

70% Say Americans Have More Freedom Than People in Other Countries

Despite the national debate over government surveillance and privacy, Americans still believe they have more freedom than people in other countries. Seventy percent (70%) of Adults nationwide believe that Americans have more freedom than people in other countries, according to a new Rasmussen Reports survey. Just 12% believe Americans have less freedom, while 13% say the level of freedom is about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 21-22, 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.

40% Believe U.S. Is Mankind’s Last Best Hope, 36% Disagree

Most Americans are still proud of their country and its history, but they aren’t convinced that the nation still lives up to the greatness former President Reagan famously declared.

Just 40% of American Adults now view the United States as "the last best hope of mankind," according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-six percent (36%) don’t view America this way, while 24% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 21-22, 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.

Americans Are Married to Jobs As Much As to Spouses

Americans have surprisingly similar overall views of their relationship with their spouse and relations with their co-workers. 

Ninety-one percent (91%) of married Americans grade their relationship with their wife or husband as good or excellent, Rasmussen Reports national telephone polling finds. 

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57% Think Churches Essential to Healthy Communities

Most Americans believe churches are an essential part of a healthy community.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 34% of American Adults believe it is possible to have a healthy community with absolutely no churches or religious presence. Fifty-seven percent (57%) disagree and say it is not possible to have a healthy community without churches. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 11-12, 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. 

41% Believe Supreme Court Too Hostile Towards Religion, 15% Too Friendly

Throughout history, the relationship between church and state has been a major issue for societies. In the United States, the First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but precisely what that means has been subject to ongoing debate.

64% Think Business Owners Should Be Able to Set Dress Codes for Customers

In towns all over the country, business owners, town officials and even judges are setting new dress code rules. A Tennessee judge has set conservative guidelines for female lawyers in the courtroom; banks in a Florida town have banned hats, hoods and sunglasses in an attempt to thwart robberies, and a New Jersey shore town has banned overly saggy pants on its boardwalk. 

Most American Adults (64%) agree that business owners should be allowed to establish dress codes for people who enter their facility, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 23% disagree. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on June 11-12, 2013 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.

Fewer Vacationers Had to Cut Back on Spending This Year

A good sign for the economy is fewer adults say they've had to cut back on vacation spending this year.

A new Rasmussen reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of American Adults are planning a summer vacation this year. Fifty percent (50%) are not, but nine percent (9%) aren’t sure yet. (To see question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 30-31, 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. 

17% Favor Making FBI Wiretapping of Internet Communications Easier

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is seeking legal permission to more easily wiretap Internet communications as telephone use declines, but most Americans aren't on board with this proposal.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 17% of American Adults favor making it easier for the FBI to wiretap Internet communications such as instant messages, Facebook chats and e-mails. Sixty-seven percent (67%) oppose granting easier access to these types of communication. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

25% Favor Affirmative Action Programs for College Admissions

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on a lawsuit challenging the University of Texas’ use of race as a factor in admissions. Most Americans believe affirmative action admissions policies discriminate against whites, as the lawsuit argues, and think it’s better for colleges and universities to accept the most qualified students.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 25% of American Adults favor applying affirmative action policies to college admissions. Forty-four percent (44%) oppose such admissions policies, while 34% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 28-29, 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.

65% View Boy Scouts Favorably, Down from 73% Last Year

Favorable opinions of the Boy Scouts of America are down, but most Americans still consider scouting good for young people.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of American Adults hold a favorable opinion of the Boy Scouts, down eight points from February 2012. The latest finding includes 28% with a Very Favorable view of the organization, but that compares to 40% early last year.

Twenty-five percent (25%) now view the Boy Scouts unfavorably, up from 17% in the previous survey. Unchanged in both surveys is the seven percent (7%) with a Very Unfavorable opinion. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 26-27, 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.

45% Are Less Likely to Travel By Cruise Ship These Days

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship that caught fire near the Bahamas early Monday morning was just the latest in a string of high-profile problems that have been plaguing cruise ships, and Americans are taking notice.  

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of American Adults say they or a family member has taken a vacation on a cruise ship. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 26-27, 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. 

41% Plan To Do Something Special on Memorial Day

One-out-of-three Americans (31%) rank Memorial Day as one of the nation’s most important holidays, and even more plan to honor those who sacrificed their lives for this country. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only seven percent (7%) say it’s one of the least important holidays. Fifty-six percent (56%) rank Memorial Day somewhere in between.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

For Most Americans, Memorial Day Means Summer Is Here

Most Americans still think Memorial Day means summer has arrived, and many of them will be making the most of the holiday.

39% Think Federal Aid to Oklahoma Tornado Victims Should Be Offset With Budget Cuts

Very few Americans think the federal government gives too much financial help to victims of disasters like this week’s Oklahoma tornado, but they’re evenly divided when asked if the government should make cuts elsewhere in the federal budget to offset this aid.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 11% of American Adults believe the federal government provides too much financial aid to the victims of major disasters, while 35% think the level of aid is not enough. Just as many (36%) feel the government gives about the right amount of financial aid to these victims. Nineteen percent (19%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 22-23, 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.

52% Say Big-Time College Athletics Corrupt Education Process

Half of Americans believe major college sports programs are bad for higher education and break the rules on a regular basis when recruiting. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of American Adults think big-time college sports programs corrupt the process of higher education.  Twenty-one percent (21%) disagree, while 27% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 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. 

50% Say Star College Athletes Deserve Royalties

A ruling is expected next month on a suit filed by a former college basketball star claiming that the NCAA should not profit from using the names and images of athletes without paying them, and 50% of Americans agree. But most Americans continue to think it’s unfair for top athletes to be accepted to colleges over more qualified students.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 50% of Adults believe top college athletes deserve royalties when the NCAA profits from using their names and images. Thirty percent (30%) don’t think those athletes deserve royalties, while 19% more are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 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. 

57% Think College Coaches Shouldn’t Be Paid More Than Professors

Americans strongly believe the average major college football coach is paid too much and shouldn't make more than the school’s professors.  The average annual salary for football head coaches at major colleges is $1.64 million, but only 16% of American Adults think that is about right, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Seventy-three percent (73%) believe it is too much, while two percent (2%) feel these coaches are paid too little. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 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.

Most Americans Plan on Visiting Mom Today

Most mothers should expect a visit or a phone call today, even though Mother's Day has slipped in importance in recent years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 64% of American Adults whose mothers are still alive will visit them for Mother’s Day. Another 31% plan on calling their mothers in honor of the day. Just four percent (4%) with living mothers plan on doing neither of those things. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 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.

27% Think College Graduates Have Skills Needed to Get A Job

An overwhelming majority of adults still believes that in terms of finding a job in today’s economy, a college degree is at least somewhat important, but just one-in-four think most college graduates are qualified to get a job.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of American Adults believe most college graduates do not have the skills needed to enter the workforce. Twenty-seven percent (27%) disagree and think they are qualified to find work. Just as many (25%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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Most Americans See Family As Most Helpful in Tough Times

When going through a tough time in their life, 53% of Americans expect their family would be Very Helpful. Twenty-four percent (24%) say the same about their local church or religious organization, while 22% think their friends would help that much.

Nothing else come close. Local charities, businesses and all levels of government are seen as Very Helpful by single digit numbers.

Rasmussen Reports asked American adults in a national telephone survey how helpful different groups, organizations and agencies would be to them if they were going through a challenging period in their lives. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on February May 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.