Lifestyle

54% of Pet Owners Have A Dog, 24% A Cat

Animal lovers can be quite passionate in the age-old debate of cats versus dogs, but when it comes to which animal is a more popular house pet in America, dogs come out way ahead. Whether a cat person or a dog person, though, an overwhelming number of pet owners talk to their pet and consider it a joy to own.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of American Adults own a pet, while 34% do not. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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66% Believe Nutritional Information On Menus To Be Accurate

Increasing numbers of restaurants around the country are disclosing nutritional information on their menus, and most Americans think that information is fairly accurate.  

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 66% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the accuracy of nutritional information currently provided on menus by some restaurants.  But that figure includes just 16% who are Very Confident.  Twenty-nine percent (29%) are not confident the information is accurate, including six percent (6%) who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here).

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

75% Say It's Better for Children to Grow Up In Two-Parent Home

Adults nationwide overwhelmingly believe that it is important for children to grow up in a home with both parents and feel those children have an advantage over those who grow up in a single-parent home.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 95% say it is at least somewhat important for children to grow up in a home with both parents. This finding includes 73% who see this as Very Important. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

45% Eating Out Less Often Than They Were Six Months Ago

While Americans seem to be showing a bit more confidence in the economy, their eating habits haven't changed much.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of American Adults are dining out less often than they were six months ago. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

78% Rate Marriage As Important to U.S. Society

Americans believe overwhelmingly in the importance of marriage, and a sizable number continue to feel it’s too easy to get a divorce in this country.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of American Adults rate the institution of marriage as at least somewhat important to U.S. society, and that includes 60% who consider it Very Important. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 17% don’t believe marriage is a very important institution, with three percent (3%) who say it’s Not At All Important. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 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.  Some survey questions were asked of married adults who are not separated.  The margin of sampling error on those questions is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

33% Say Race Relations in America Getting Better, 32% Worse

As Americans celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, their perceptions of race relations in the United States have grown a bit more negative.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 33% now believe race relations in America today are getting better, while 32% say they are getting worse. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say race relations are staying about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Americans Rate MLK Very Highly, Less Enthusiastic About His Holiday

Americans still hold an overwhelmingly favorable view of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but a plurality also continues to believe today’s federal holiday honoring the civil rights hero’s birthday is not good for the racial situation in this country.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 85% of American Adults share at least a somewhat favorable opinion of King, including 51% who have a Very Favorable view of him. Only 10% hold an unfavorable regard for the civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1968, with three percent (3%) who view him Very Unfavorably. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

54% See Current TV Ratings System As Effective

A majority of Americans nationwide believe the current television ratings system does a satisfactory job of warning viewers of possible objectionable content, and half say they’re less likely to watch a program after such a warning.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. Adults shows that 54% believe the current TV rating system is an effective way to warn viewers about objectionable content, but 28% disagree. Another 18% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on January 10-11, 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.

64% Favor FCC Regulation of TV and Radio

More Americans than ever believe the Federal Communications Commission should be allowed to regulate objectionable content on television and radio, as the U.S. Supreme Court debates whether the government should retain that power.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 64% support the FCC regulating profanity, violence and sexual content on TV and radio. Twenty-four percent (24%) do not think the FCC should have this power, while another 11% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on January 10-11, 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.

68% Oppose Law Requiring High School Students to Apply to College

Members of the Washington, D.C. City Council are proposing a law that would make all high school students take college entrance exams and apply to at least one post-secondary school as requirements for graduation. But most Americans don't like the proposals.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 24% of Adults favor a law in their community that would require all high school students to apply to at least one college as a requirement for graduation. Sixty-eight percent (68%) oppose such a law.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

66% Say Military Service Is Good For Young People

Most Americans agree that military service is good for the young but also acknowledge that it's a more stressful line of work than most other jobs.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 66% of American Adults believe serving in the military service is good for young people, Just 17% disagree, while another 17% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 30, 2011 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% Say Government Should Pay for College for Those Who Can't Afford It

Most Americans still believe any good student can find a way to get into college, and if a student is accepted at a college but can't afford it, a sizable number of adults think the government should pay for it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults finds that 60% of adults believe that just about any good student who wants to attend college can find a way to do so in America today.  That’s up from 54% in early May 2009.   Twenty-nine percent (29%) don’t believe this to be true, while 11% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

12% View New Year’s Day As Most Important Holiday

One of the most highly anticipated holidays of the year is also one of the least important in the eyes of many Americans. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 12% of American Adults consider New Year’s Day to be one of the nation’s most important holidays.  Thirty-two percent (32%) view it as the least important, while 52% see it as somewhere in between.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on December 26-27, 2011 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% to Make New Year’s Resolutions

On New Year’s Eve, most Americans will be awake to bid farewell to 2011 and welcome in the new year of 2012.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 30% will start the new year off by honoring the tradition of making resolutions to improve their lives. Sixty-one percent (61%) won’t bother with resolutions, and eight percent (8%) haven't made up their minds yet. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 28-29, 2011 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. Seemethodology.

27% Give 2011 Positive Ratings, 39% Optimistic About Next Year

As 2011 comes to an end, Americans expected it to be better than it turned out, but they are slightly more optimistic about the future than they were last year at this time. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of American Adults expect 2012 to be a good, excellent or the best year ever, while 23% feel it will be poor.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 28-29, 2011 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 Plan To Be Busy New Year's Eve

Look out! Saturday night is New Year's Eve, and 44% of American Adults plan to kiss someone at midnight. Sixty-one percent (61%) plan to say a prayer on New Year's Eve, but it's not clear if that's before or after the kiss. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that not quite as many Americans (40%) intend to have a drink that night to celebrate, but 22% will be asleep by the time midnight rolls around. Sixty-two percent (62%) plan to be awake at that hour, and another 15% haven't made up their minds yet. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 26-27, 2011 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.

Christmas Ranks First Among Holidays

For most adults, Christmas continues to be America's most important holiday.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of American Adults consider Christmas one of the nation’s most important holidays, showing little change from last year and consistent with surveys stretching back to December 2006. Only six percent (6%) see Christmas as one of the least important holidays, while 24% rate it somewhere in between.

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on December 21-22, 2011 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.

74% Believe Jesus Was Son of God

Most adults who will be celebrating Christmas tomorrow will do so as a religious holiday, and an overwhelming majority believes in the divinity of Jesus Christ.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 90% will be celebrating Christmas in their family. Of those adults, 74% will be celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday while 22% will be observing it as a secular one. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on December 17-18, 2011 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% Haven’t Finished Their Holiday Shopping; 18% Still Haven’t Started

Panic time? Thirty-eight percent (38%) of American Adults haven’t finished their holiday shopping with Christmas coming on Sunday, and 18% haven’t even started yet, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on December 21-22, 2011 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.

One-in-Four Americans Prefers Reading on Electronic Device

The number of Americans that prefers to read a book on an electronic reading device has tripled from earlier this year, but most still prefer a traditional book.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 27% have now used a Kindle or a similar electronic book-reading device.

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on December 15-16, 2011 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.