What Americans Think about Politics

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 64% of Likely U.S. Voters consider it important for the United States to send military aid to Ukraine, including 36% who view it as Very Important. Thirty-three percent (33%) don’t think U.S. military aid to Ukraine is important, including 16% who say it’s Not At All Important. Eighty-seven percent (87%) believe it’s important for the United States to secure its borders, including 63% who say it’s Very Important. Just 10% don’t think securing the U.S. borders is important. In opposing a $60 billion Ukraine aid package in the Senate, Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance said: “We must fix our country before devoting more resources to Ukraine.” Sixty-seven percent (67%) of likely voters agree with that statement, including 47% who Strongly Agree. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree with the quote from Vance, including 15% who Strongly Disagree.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 31% of Likely U.S. Voters support taxpayer-funded reparation payments to the descendants of American slaves, including 15% who Strongly Support reparations. Fifty-four percent (54%) are opposed, including 41% who Strongly Oppose reparations payments, while 14% are not sure. In our December 2022 survey, 38% supported reparations. Only 22% consider it likely that Congress will vote for a program of reparation payments to the descendants of American slaves, with just six percent (6%) who think such a congressional vote is Very Likely. Sixty-two percent (62%) believe Congress is unlikely to vote for a reparations program including 29% who say it’s Not At All Likely. Another 17% are not sure. Even among voters who Strongly Support reparations for slavery, just 21% think Congress is likely to vote for such a program.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Willis should be disqualified from prosecuting the case against Trump and his associates. Thirty-nine percent (39%) disagree, while another 13% are not sure. Willis testified last week in a hearing about her alleged “improper relationship” with the attorney she hired as special prosecutor in the Trump case. Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters believe it’s likely that Willis testified truthfully at the hearing, including 31% who say it’s Very Likely. Forty-one percent (41%) don’t believe it’s likely Willis told the truth in the hearing, including 23% who say it is Not At All Likely that Willis testified truthfully.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for February decreased to 85.3, down nearly four points from 89.1 in January. The Immigration Index has been under the baseline in every survey since Election Day 2020, and reached a record low of 82.3 in late March 2021. The index is now about 20 points below where it was in late October 2020, indicating voters are looking for tighter immigration control from President Joe Biden’s administration.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 77% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is likely Putin had Navalny murdered, including 58% who say it’s Very Likely. Only 11% don’t think it’s likely Putin had Navalny murdered in prison, while another 12% are not sure. Last week, President Joe Biden announced “more than 500 new sanctions” against Russia, marking the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and to punish the death of Navalny. However, only 32% of voters believe economic sanctions against Russia will be effective, including just seven percent (7%) who expect sanctions to be Very Effective. Sixty percent (60%) don’t think economic sanctions against Russian will be effective, including 26% who say sanctions will be Not At All Effective.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending February 22, 2024. This week’s finding is down one point from a week ago. Sixty-five percent (65%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up one point from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 35% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 59% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Trump is a stronger supporter of Israel, while 27% think Biden is a stronger supporter of Israel. Twenty-one percent (21%) say Trump and Biden are about the same in supporting Israel, and another 12% are not sure. Looking at the history of Israel and Palestine, 45% of American voters sympathize more with the Israelis, slightly down from 48% a month ago, and a significant decline from 59% last November. Twenty-two percent (22%) now are more sympathetic to the Palestinians, while another 33% are undecided. Among voters who are more sympathetic to Israel, 64% consider Trump a stronger supporter of Israel.

Twenty-eight percent (28%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending February 29, 2024. This week’s finding is down one point from a week ago. Sixty-six percent (66%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up one point from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 38% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 55% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable impression of Johnson, including 25% with a Very Favorable opinion of the Louisiana Republican. Twenty-nine percent (29%) view Johnson unfavorably, including 18% with a Very Unfavorable impression. Another 24% are not sure. The speaker’s favorability has declined since last November, when 47% of voters viewed Johnson favorably shortly after he took over the top House position. Nevertheless, Johnson’s favorability is higher than his Democratic counterpart in the House, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, or either party’s Senate leader.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 48% of American Adults believe it is likely that, over the next few years, the United States will enter a 1930s-like depression, including 15% who say a major depression is Very Likely. Thirty-five percent (35%) don’t think another Great Depression is likely over the next few years, including 11% who say it’s Not At All Likely. Another 17% are not sure. Early last year, 55% expected another Great Depression. Thirty-two percent (32%) of Americans believe the stock market will be higher a year from now, while 19% think it will be lower. Twenty-eight percent (28%) expect the stock market will be about the same a year from now and another 22% are not sure. In early 2023, more Americans expected the stock market to decline than to go up.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 57% of Likely U.S. Voters say it’s likely that Joe Biden personally profited from deals with Chinese-government connected companies, including 42% who think it’s Very Likely. Thirty-five percent (35%) don’t believe it is likely that the president profited from his son’s Chinese deals, including 21% who say it’s Not At All Likely. Depositions in a congressional impeachment inquiry reportedly confirm that Joe Biden got at least $40,000 from a deal with CEFC China Energy. While 81% of Republicans and 59% of voters unaffiliated with either major party think it’s at least somewhat likely that Biden profited from China deals, a majority of Democrats – 58% – continue to believe Joe Biden didn’t make money off the deals, including 35% who say it’s Not At All Likely.

"10% for the big guy." Not that it particularly matters whether Biden benefited personally or not, corruption on behalf of one's family is still corruption.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it’s likely that U.S. intelligence agencies are seeking to control the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, including 31% who consider it Very Likely. Thirty-eight percent (38%) don’t think intelligence agencies are trying to control the election, including 20% who say it’s Not At All Likely. Another 20% are not sure. Nearly half (49%) of voters think U.S. intelligence agencies have their own political agenda – down slightly from 51% last year – while 36% believe the agencies generally perform impartially. Another 16% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Trump should be allowed to use Twitter, while 37% disagree. Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX, purchased Twitter for $44 billion in 2022 and reversed the platform’s ban on Trump. However, 65% of Democrats still think Trump should be banned from the platform. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republicans think Trump should be allowed to use Twitter, as do 59% of voters not affiliated with either major party.

Economic confidence decreased to 98.1 in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Economic Index, nearly 12 points lower than February. This reverses a four-month streak of consecutive monthly increases in the index. Enthusiasm about the economy surged under former President Donald Trump, reaching as high as 147.8 in January 2020 before tumbling after the coronavirus lockdown threw Americans out of work and closed many businesses. By November 2020, it had recovered to 126.4, but dropped sharply after President Joe Biden was elected. The index fell to 97.8 in February 2021 before beginning a three-month rebound that took the index to 123.7 in May 2021, but reached a low of 78.6 in July 2022.

Thirty percent (30%) of American Adults rate the economy as excellent or good this month, down eight points from last month. The number who rate the economy as poor was 43%, up seven points from February. Twenty-five percent (25%) now think the economy is getting better, down five points from last month. Fifty-six percent (56%) expect a worsening economy, up eight points from February. Sixteen percent (16%) now see things staying about the same, down two point from last month. Forty-seven percent (47%) of Democrats view the economy as good or excellent, compared to 19% of Republicans and 23% of those not affiliated with either major party. GOP confidence has declined 55 points since November 2020, when 74% of Republicans had a positive view of the economy, while Democrats’ confidence is now 15 points higher than it was before Biden’s election, when 32% of Democrats rated the economy good or excellent.

 

[Doug64]

Biden might be right, this election really could be a struggle for democracy. The Democrats should perhaps look to our history in the Vietnam War ("destroy the village in order to save it") and the Directorate during the French Revolution.

A national telephone and online survey by Rasmussen Reports and The National Pulse finds that 35% of Likely U.S. Voters say, if Trump wins this year’s election, they would support Democrats in Congress refusing to certify the election results, including 20% who would Strongly Support such a move. However, a majority (55%) would oppose Congress members refusing to certify a Trump victory, including 44% who Strongly Oppose the idea. Another 10% are not sure. Before the Supreme Court ruled against Colorado’s effort to bar Trump from the ballot in that state, it was suggested that Democrats in Congress could stop Trump from being certified as the election winner. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Democratic voters would support such a maneuver, including 34% who Strongly Support it. However, the idea of Congress blocking Trump from office is opposed by majorities of both Republicans (78%) and voters not affiliated with either major party (67%).

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending March 7, 2024. This week’s finding is up one point from a week ago. Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, down two points from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 39% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 56% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 79% of American Adults think young people spend too much time looking at social media and other Internet sites. Only nine percent (9%) disagree, while 11% are not sure. Seventy-five percent (75%) believe it is likely that spending too much time on the Internet contributes to mental illness in young people, including 35% who say it’s Very Likely. Just 18% don’t think it’s likely that too much online time is harmful to young people’s mental health.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 81% of Likely U.S. Voters say it is important to them that the government stop illegal immigration, including 55% who consider it Very Important. Just 17% don’t think it’s important for the government to stop illegal immigration. Sixteen percent (16%) rate the government as doing a good or excellent job of stopping illegal immigration, while 55% give the government a poor rating on the issue. In January, a group of Republican congressmen held a press conference with the theme, “Shut down the border or shut down the government.” Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters agree with that statement, including 32% who Strongly Agree. Forty-four percent (44%) disagree with “Shut down the border or shut down the government,” including 30% who Strongly Disagree.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters disapprove of the program of international flights that last year transported more than 300,000 illegal immigrants to U.S. airports, including 46% who Strongly Disapprove. Twenty-five percent (25%) favor the program, including 10% who Strongly Approve. Another 15% are not sure. The non-profit Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) obtained information about "inadmissible aliens" who traveled to U.S. airports on flights pre-approved using a cell phone app called “CBP One.” Eighty-four percent (84%) of Republicans, 39% of Democrats and 59% of voters not affiliated with either major party disapprove of the “CBP One” program.

I imagine that disapproval number will go up as word spreads of the Haitian rapist that the Biden administration flew into the country.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with the statement, “Donald Trump cares about people like me,” including 31% who Strongly Agree. Forty-eight percent (48%) disagree, including 39% who Strongly Disagree. When asked whether they agree with the statement, "Joe Biden cares about people like me," 46% agree, including 27% who strongly agree. Fifty-two percent (52%) disagree, including 43% who Strongly Disagree.

Thirty-three percent (33%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending March 14, 2024. This week’s finding is up four points from a week ago. Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, down three points from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 36% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 58% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 18% of American Adults say their job could be done by a robot, while 65% think a robot couldn’t do their job and another 16% are not sure. The number who believe their job could be done by a robot has declined from 21% last June. Artificial intelligence made big news last month with the disastrous debut of Google’s Gemini AI project. However, a majority (56%) of Americans believe it’s likely that most jobs in America will be done by robots or computers 25 years from now, including 23% who consider such a takeover Very Likely. Thirty-three percent (33%) don’t think it’s likely robots or computers will be doing most jobs in 25 years, while another 11% are not sure. In June, 67% thought it was at least somewhat likely most jobs would be done by robots or computers in 25 years.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 35% of Likely U.S. Voters say “illegal alien” is the best way to describe foreigners who cross the U.S. border in violation of our immigration laws, while 27% say “illegal immigrant” is the best term. Twenty percent (20%) consider “undocumented migrant” the best description, while 12% prefer “asylum seeker.” After using “illegal” in his State of the Union address to describe José Antonio Ibarra – the 26-year-old Venezuelan accused of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley – Biden said in an interview: "I shouldn't have used illegal, it's undocumented." Eighty percent (80%) of Republicans, 44% of Democrats and 60% of voters not affiliated with either party choose “illegal alien” or “illegal immigrant” as the proper term for those who violate U.S. law by crossing the border.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters say Biden’s policies have hurt them personally. Just 28% say Biden’s policies have helped them, while 21% say Biden’s policies have not made much difference for them personally. Forty-six percent (46%) say Trump’s policies helped them personally, while 34% say Trump’s policies hurt them, and 18% say Trump’s policies did not make much difference for them personally. Thirty-seven percent (37%) believe Biden’s economic policies are better than Trump’s, while 48% think Biden’s economic policies are worse than Trump’s. Another 12% say there is not much difference between Biden’s and Trump’s economic policies.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters agree that the media are “truly the enemy of the people,” as Trump said in 2019, including 30% who Strongly Agree. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree, including 21% who Strongly Disagree. Last May, 59% agreed the media are “the enemy of the people.” Last weekend in Dayton, Ohio, Trump was discussing Chinese competition to the U.S. automaking industry when he said, "If I don’t get elected, it’s going to be ... a bloodbath for the country." This was distorted in many news reports as a threat of violence. Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters believe Trump was talking about auto workers losing jobs when he warned of a “bloodbath,” while 40% think Trump was talking about widespread political violence by his supporters if he did not win the election. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for March increased to 87.6, up more than a point from 85.3 in February. The Immigration Index has been under the baseline in every survey since Election Day 2020, and reached a record low of 82.3 in late March 2021. The index is now about 18 points below where it was in late October 2020, indicating voters are looking for tighter immigration control from President Joe Biden’s administration.

The Index is based on a series of questions designed to determine whether voters are moving toward an immigration system that encourages more immigration to the United States or one that reduces the level of immigration here. All surveys are compared to a baseline – set the week of December 2-6, 2019 – which has been given an Index of 100. An index finding moving up over 100 indicates growing support for a more expansive immigration system. An index number falling below 100 indicates increased support for a more restrictive immigration system.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 24% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Russia is winning the war in Ukraine, up from 14% in January. Sixteen percent (16%) think Ukraine is winning, down from 19% in January. Forty-six percent (46%) see the war in Ukraine as basically a stalemate, down from 52% in January. Another 14% are not sure who’s winning. In May 2023, 25% believed Ukraine was winning. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of voters now think the U.S. isn’t doing enough to help Ukraine fight the Russian invasion, up from 33% in January. Thirty-four percent (34%) believe the United States is doing too much to aid Ukraine, unchanged since January, while 19% say the amount of U.S. support to Ukraine is about right.

Thirty-one percent (31%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending March 21, 2024. This week’s finding is down two points from a week ago. Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up three points from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 38% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 57% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think Biden is a weaker commander-in-chief for the military compared to most recent presidents. Only 24% now believe Biden is a stronger commander-in-chief than most recent presidents. Twenty percent (20%) say Biden is about the same as most recent presidents as a military leader. These findings have changed only slightly since April 2022. The military faces "one of the toughest recruiting landscapes I've seen in over 33 years of service," the Army’s recruiting chief, Maj. Gen. Johnny K. Davis, testified to Congress in December. Seventy-six percent (76%) of voters are concerned that recruiting problems could affect the readiness of the U.S. military, including 43% who are Very Concerned. Just 22% aren’t concerned that recruiting problems could affect military readiness. These findings have barely changed since last November.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that just 25% of American Adults think diversity, equity, and inclusion programs improve companies. DEI policies seek to promote “the fair treatment and full participation of all people,” particularly groups “who have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination” on the basis of identity or disability. Sixty-four percent (64%) of those surveyed are familiar with DEI, including 32% who are Very Familiar with DEI. Twenty-five percent (25%) believe diversity, equity and inclusion programs are making companies better, while 34% think DEI is making companies worse. Twenty-five percent (25%) say DEI programs don’t make much difference and 16% are not sure. Among Americans who are Very Familiar with DEI, 51% say such policies are making companies worse.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 86% of Likely U.S. Voters are concerned that the Internet and social media are being used to spread misinformation, including 56% who are Very Concerned. Just 12% are unconcerned about online misinformation. Seventy-eight percent (78%) are concerned that the Internet and social media are being used to spread hate speech, including 50% who are Very Concerned. However, 76% of voters are also concerned that, to protect against misinformation and hate speech, the government might censor political dissent on the Internet and social media, including 47% who are Very Concerned about such censorship.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 39% of American Adults who regularly play video games support the government monitoring communications between online video game players, including 13% who Strongly Support such monitoring. Forty-nine percent (49%) oppose government monitoring of online chats between gamers, including 30% who Strongly Oppose it. Last month, the federal Government Accountability Office released a report recommending that the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation develop “strategies and goals” for sharing information about domestic terrorists who “use online platforms — such as social media and gaming — to communicate radical ideas to a wide audience and mobilize likeminded people.” Forty-three percent (43%) of regular videogame players approve of gaming companies forming partnerships with government agencies to reduce "extremism" in the online gaming community, including 13% who Strongly Approve of such partnerships. Forty-five percent (45%) disapprove of partnerships between gaming companies and the government, including 27% who Strongly Disapprove. Another 12% are not sure.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 55% of American Adults believe that, generally speaking, economic growth is more important, compared to 34% who think economic fairness is more important. Another 11% are not sure. The margin in this finding is less than May 2023. when 64% said economic growth was more important. While a majority (51%) of Americans still consider it Very Important that economic policies promote fairness, 60% view policies promoting economic growth as Very Important.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 56% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the federal government today is a threat to Americans' religious rights, more than double the 26% who consider the government a protector of religious rights. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure. In 2017, 39% viewed the federal government as a protector of religious rights and 38% saw it as a threat. An MSNBC contributor recently stirred controversy by warning of an “extremist element” of Christian nationalists who believe "our rights as Americans ... come from God," a belief endorsed by the Declaration of Independence. Twenty-six percent (26%) of voters say their rights come from God, while 60% say their rights come from the Constitution. Just 10% think their rights come from the federal government.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters view Buttigieg favorably, including 24% with a Very Favorable impression. Forty percent (40%) see the Secretary of Transportation unfavorably, including 30% with a Very Unfavorable opinion. Another 20% are not sure. Buttigieg’s favorability has declined slightly since March 2023, when 45% viewed him favorably. Buttigieg’s role in the Biden administration has been highlighted by the recent destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore While 63% of Democrats have at least a somewhat favorable impression of Buttigieg, that opinion is shared by just 18% of Republicans and 38% of voters not affiliated with either major party.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending March 28, 2024. This week’s finding is up one point from a week ago. Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, down one point from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 35% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 59% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 15% of Likely U.S. voters rate Congress’ performance as good or excellent, down from 20% in January. Fifty-nine percent (59%) think Congress is doing a poor job, up from 52% in January. Only 30% believe their representative in Congress is the best possible person for the job, while 50% say their representative is not the best possible person for the job, and 20% are not sure. Thirty-six percent (36%) of voters say that, regardless of how Congress is doing overall, their local representative in Congress deserves to be reelected. Forty-four percent (44%) say their representative doesn’t deserve reelection. Twenty-one percent (21%) are not sure.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 84% of Likely U.S. voters believe inflation is a serious problem, including 57% who think the problem is Very Serious. Only 14% don’t consider inflation to be a serious problem. These findings are nearly identical to our August 2023 survey. Ron Klain, former chief of staff for President Joe Biden, said last week that “people still feel pinched in their pocketbooks” by inflation. Eighty-three percent (83%) of voters expect the issue of inflation to be important in this year's presidential election, including 60% who it will be Very Important. Just 11% say inflation will not be an important issue in the election.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending April 4, 2024. This week’s finding remains the same as a week ago. Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, also remaining the same as a week ago. A year ago at this time, 38% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 56% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. voters believe it is important to prevent illegal immigrants from voting in American elections, including 62% who consider it Very Important. Just 17% disagree. These findings have barely changed from last September. In February, Musk said on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the Biden administration is "encouraging so much illegal immigration" because they want them to become voters and "create a permanent majority" for the Democratic Party. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of voters agree with that summary of what Musk called Biden’s “strategy,” including 43% who Strongly Agree. Thirty-seven percent (37%) disagree with Musk’s claim, including 29% who Strongly Disagree.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 41% of American Adults believe raising the hourly minimum wage would help the U.S. economy, down from 44% in February 2022. Thirty-eight percent (38%) think raising the minimum wage will hurt the economy instead, while 13% say it will have no impact. California recently raised its minimum wage for fast-food workers to $20 an hour, which has already led to some restaurants closing. Only 26% of Americans believe the minimum wage should be $15 an hour or more, but just 14% think it should stay at $7.25. A majority (50%) think the minimum wage should be at least $10.50 an hour, including nine percent (9%) who favor a $12.50 minimum wage. Adding in those who think it should be $9.50 an hour (12%) means that 62% would support increasing the minimum to at least $9.50 an hour. Another 24% are not sure.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 70% of Likely U.S. Voters believe America is now more divided than it was before the 2020 election. That’s up from 66% when we asked the same question in April 2022. Just nine percent (9%) now think the country has become more united since Biden’s election, while 19% say it has remained about the same. A majority (52%) of voters believe the president has done a poor job of keeping his promise to unite Americans. Only 28% rate Biden as having done a good or excellent job of uniting the country.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 64% of Likely U.S. voters believe it is accurate to describe the current situation with migrants at the border with Mexico as an “invasion” of the United States, including 42% who say such a description is Very Accurate. Thirty-three percent (33%) disagree, including 16% who think it’s Not At All Accurate to call the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border an invasion. These findings have barely changed since our January survey. The Supreme Court last month halted the implementation of a Texas law that would empower state authorities to defend the border. Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters consider border security a vital national security interest for the United States these days, while 19% disagree and 10% are not sure. Sixty-nine percent (69%) believe the current situation at the U.S.-Mexico border is a crisis, while 22% don’t think so.

 

[Doug64]

Economic confidence decreased to 97.6 in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Economic Index, half a point lower than March. Enthusiasm about the economy surged under former President Donald Trump, reaching as high as 147.8 in January 2020 before tumbling after the coronavirus lockdown threw Americans out of work and closed many businesses. By November 2020, it had recovered to 126.4, but dropped sharply after President Joe Biden was elected. The index fell to 97.8 in February 2021 before beginning a three-month rebound that took the index to 123.7 in May 2021, but reached a low of 78.6 in July 2022.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of American Adults rate the economy as excellent or good this month, up two points from last month. The number who rate the economy as poor was 43%, unchanged from March. Twenty-five percent (25%) think the economy is getting better, unchanged from last month. Fifty-five percent (55%) expect a worsening economy, down one point from March. Sixteen percent (16%) now see things staying about the same, unchanged from last month. Fifty percent (50%) of Democrats view the economy as good or excellent, compared to 17% of Republicans and 27% of those not affiliated with either major party. GOP confidence has declined 57 points since November 2020, when 74% of Republicans had a positive view of the economy, while Democrats’ confidence is now 18 points higher than it was before Biden’s election, when 32% of Democrats rated the economy good or excellent.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters generally consider themselves to be pro-choice on the issue of abortion. Thirty-seven percent (37%) are generally pro-life, while another 10% are not sure. These findings are nearly unchanged since November. Sixty-six percent (66%) believe abortion should not be legal past the first three months of pregnancy. That includes 14% who think all abortions should be illegal. Another 12% say abortion should be legal up to the first six months of pregnancy, while 15% believe abortion should be legal at any time during a pregnancy before the moment of birth.

Thirty percent (30%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending April 11, 2024. This week’s finding is down two points from a week ago. Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up one point from a week ago.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters trust Republicans more to handle the economy, while 38% trust Democrats more and 11% are undecided. These findings are nearly unchanged since last May, when the GOP held a 50% to 39% advantage on the economy. Biden has repeatedly used “Bidenomics” to describe his agenda, most recently during a trip to North Carolina last month. However, just 27% of voters think “Bidenomics” will help Biden win this year’s presidential election, while 46% say it will help Trump win. Twenty-three percent (22%) believe “Bidenomics” will not make much difference in the presidential campaign. These findings have barely changed since January.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for April decreased to 86.6, down one point from 87.6 in March. The Immigration Index has been under the baseline in every survey since Election Day 2020, and reached a record low of 82.3 in late March 2021. The index is now about 18 points below where it was in late October 2020, indicating voters are looking for tighter immigration control from President Joe Biden’s administration.

 

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The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it’s likely Trump will be able to get a fair trial in New York City, including 27% who say a fair trial is Very Likely. But a majority (51%) don’t think Trump is likely to get a fair trial in New York, including 31% who say a fair trial is Not At All Likely. A jury of 12 people and six alternates was seated Friday in the Manhattan court where Trump has repeatedly called the prosecution part of a politically motivated "witch hunt." Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters agree that the New York case is a “witch hunt,” including 41% who Strongly Agree. Forty percent (40%) disagree with Trump’s “witch hunt” description, including 31% who Strongly Disagree.

And a bare majority believe the glaringly obvious.

Thirty percent (30%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending April 18, 2024. This week’s finding remains the same as a week ago. Sixty-five percent (65%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up one point from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 37% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 58% said it was on the wrong track.