What Americans Think about Politics (1 Viewer)

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters would approve of Trump pardoning many of those charged with federal crimes for participating in the so-called J6 riot, including 31% who would Strongly Approve. Forty-six percent (46%) would disapprove of presidential pardons for the J6 rioters, including 36% who would Strongly Disapprove. However, if Trump does pardon Capitol rioters, two-thirds (67%) of voters say the pardons should be decided on a case-by-case basis. Only 20% favor Trump pardoning everyone involved in the J6 riot, while another 13% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 28% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable impression of Thune, the South Dakota Republican tapped to replace Mitch McConnell as the GOP’s Senate leader. Twenty-seven percent (27%) view Thune unfavorably, and 44% are not sure. Last month, Senate Republicans voted for Thune to replace McConnell, who has led the GOP caucus since 2006. McConnell has long been one of the least popular leaders in Congress, and was viewed unfavorably by 60% of voters in September 2023.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 43% of American Adults who regularly use X say it’s gotten better under Musk’s ownership – slightly down from 48% in November 2023 – while 27% think it’s gotten worse. Twenty-seven percent (27%) believe Musk’s ownership of the site formerly known as Twitter has not made much difference. Many liberals have recently quit X, departing to the BlueSky platform, after Musk endorsed Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. While 64% of Republicans who regularly use X say the site has gotten better since Musk bought it in 2022, only 29% of Democrats agree. Among regular X uses not affiliated with either major party, 38% say Musk’s ownership has made the platform better, 27% think it’s worse and 30% believe Musk’s purchase of the site has not made much difference.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the U.S. Senate should confirm Hegseth, while 39% disagree and 21% are not sure. Hegseth vowed Wednesday to keep fighting to win Senate confirmation. Among Republican voters, 68% favor Senate confirmation for Hegseth. Democrats are opposed to confirming Hegseth by roughly a 3-to-1 margin. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, 39% are against Senate confirmation for Hegseth, 33% in favor and 28% undecided.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 55% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the election is a mandate for Trump to enact the policies he campaigned on. Thirty-two percent (32%) disagree, while 13% are not sure if the election is a mandate. Trump captured 312 Electoral College votes and, unlike his 2016 election, also won the popular vote. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republicans say this constitutes a mandate for Trump’s policies, as do 35% of Democrats and 50% of voters not affiliated with either major party.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters view Bondi favorably, including 23% with a Very Favorable impression of the former Florida attorney general. Thirty-one percent (31%) view Bondi unfavorably, including 17% with a Very Unfavorable opinion. Twenty-six percent (26%) are not sure. Trump nominated Bondi as AG last month after his first choice, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration. Two-thirds (67%) of Republicans view Bondi favorably, as do 27% of Democrats and 35% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Bondi is viewed unfavorably by 47% of Democrats, 13% of Republicans and 34% of unaffiliated voters.

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 December 5, 2024. This week’s finding is down two points from a week ago. Sixty percent (60%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, down two points from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 30% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 64% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that just 24% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it would be better for Democrats to have Harris as their candidate again in the next presidential election. Sixty-one percent (61%) say Democrats should find another presidential candidate for 2028. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure. Asked the main reason for Harris’s defeat, only 18% think it was because she was a bad candidate, while 21% believe Harris lost because the Biden administration was unpopular. Forty-five percent (45%) say the main reason Harris lost was because the Democratic Party was out of touch with the concerns of most Americans. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.

National unemployment was 9.1% in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Real Unemployment update, up a full point from 8.1% last month and significantly more than double the 4.2% rate officially reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics today.

2024​	Government​	Entrepreneur​	Private Company​	Retired​	Unemployed But Looking​	Not In Workforce​	Not Sure​
Apr	9.8%​	15.4%​	30.0%​	24.1%​	8.3%​	9.3%​	3.1%​
May	9.3%​	14.9%​	29.2%​	25.0%​	8.6%​	9.9%​	3.2%​
June	9.6%​	13.9%​	31.5%​	24.4%​	7.9%​	10.0%​	2.8%​
July	9.5%​	14.9%​	29.7%​	24.6%​	8.4%​	9.7%​	3.2%​
Aug	9.2%​	15.4%​	28.7%​	26.0%​	8.4%​	9.1%​	3.2%​
Sep	10.0%​	14.6%​	29.2%​	24.3%​	8.7%​	9.7%​	3.5%​
Oct	9.3%​	15.3%​	29.1%​	24.5%​	8.1%​	9.9%​	3.7%​
Nov	9.1%​	15.6%​	30.2%​	22.2%​	9.2%​	10.2%​	3.5%​

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters disapprove of Biden pardoning his son, including 43% who Strongly Disapprove. Thirty-six percent (36%) approve of the presidential pardon for Hunter Biden, including 19% who Strongly Approve. Biden issued the pardon for his son – covering any potential crimes committed between 2014 and 2024 – on December 1, despite months of saying he would not pardon him. Fifty-three percent (53%) of voters say the pardon of Hunter Biden tarnished Joe Biden's legacy as president, while 35% disagree and 12% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Trump is seeking retribution on his political enemies, while 44% think Trump is bringing accountability to Washington. Trump faced several criminal prosecutions after his first term in the White House. When special counsel Jack Smith dropped one case last month, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance said: “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” Fifty-five percent (55%) of voters agree with Vance, including 43% who Strongly Agree. Thirty-nine percent (39%) disagree with the quote from Vance, including 30% who Strongly Disagree.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 41% of American Adults have a favorable impression of Pope Francis – down from 61% in 2013, the year he took office Thirty-one percent (31%) now view Francis unfavorably, up from 12% in 2013. Twenty-eight percent (28%) are not sure. The pope decided to skip the December 8 reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which had been damaged in a 2019 fire. Twenty-seven percent (27%) approve of Pope Francis not attending the reopening ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral, while 39% disapprove and 35% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 34% of Likely U.S. Voters think the end of Assad’s dictatorship in Syria is good for the interests of the United States. Fourteen percent (14%) say it will be bad for U.S. interests and 26% believe the overthrow of Assad will not make much difference to U.S. interests, while 26% are not sure. Concerns have been raised about the Islamic extremism of Syrian rebels led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of U.S. voters think it is likely that the new government of Syria will be controlled by Islamic radicals, including 25% who consider such an outcome Very Likely. Just 16% don’t believe it’s likely Islamic radicals will control Syria’s new government, while 27% are not sure.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 62% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is likely that federal officials were engaged in covering up potentially harmful side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, including 39% who think it’s Very Likely. Twenty-eight percent (28%) don’t consider a cover-up likely, and another 10% are not sure. Last week, a federal judge ordered the Food and Drug Administration to release previously hidden COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials data. Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters say this data should have been made public before the vaccine was recommended to the public. Just 15% disagree and 14% are not sure.

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 December 12, 2024. This week’s finding is down one point from a week ago. Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up one point from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 30% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 65% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the United Nations – down from 55% in 2016 – including 18% with a Very Favorable opinion Forty-seven percent (47%) now view the UN unfavorably – up from 37% in 2016 – including 17% with a Very Unfavorable impression. The U.N. General Assembly last week approved a resolution demanding “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza, a measure the United States previously vetoed in the U.N. Security Council. Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters say the United States is a more positive force for good in the world today than the U.N. is. That’s down slightly from 66% from 2016. Just 20% disagree and say the U.N. is the more positive force for good, while 17% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters say the murder of the health insurance executive in New York City was a cowardly act of terrorism. However, 27% believe it was an understandable reaction to the high cost of health care in America. Another 12% are not sure. New York prosecutors have charged 26-year-old Luigi Mangione with fatally shooting Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters consider it likely that murder of Thompson will inspire copycats who target other business executives, including 25% who think copycat killings are Very Likely. Just 22% don’t believe it’s likely that the health insurance executive’s murder will inspire copycats, while 11% are not sure.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 68% of American Adults believe Christmas should be celebrated in public schools. Only 17% disagree, while 16% are not sure. These findings are almost unchanged from last year. Forty-three percent (43%) say there is not enough religion in the public schools today – down from 54% in 2015 – while 21% think there’s too much. Twenty-four percent (24%) believe the level of religion in public schools today is about right, and 12% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 56% of Likely U.S. Voters are confident that Trump and Congress can work together to do what's best for the American people, including 33% who are Very Confident. Forty-two percent (42%) are not confident about cooperation between Trump and Congress, including 26% who are Not At All Confident. That’s a slightly more optimistic outlook than after the 2020 election, when 53% of voters were at least somewhat confident that Biden and Congress could work together. After Trump was first elected president in 2016, just 48% were confident that he and Congress could work together.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters rate Trump as doing a good or excellent job in picking people for his administration, while 35% give Trump a poor rating in terms of his personnel choices. Seventy-two percent (72%) believe it is likely that the Senate will confirm most of Trump’s Cabinet choices, including 36% who consider confirmation Very Likely. Just 18% don’t believe it’s likely most of Trump’s Cabinet appointees will win Senate confirmation. Another 10% are not sure.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 33% of American Adults think the New Jersey drones are from the U.S. government, while 23% believe they’re from foreign adversaries and 25% say they’re from some other source. Another 19% are not sure. In a joint statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat.” Such assurances might not be accepted, since 65% of Americans believe it’s likely that the U.S. government has been covering up the truth about UFOs, including 37% who consider such a cover-up Very Likely. Twenty-three percent (23%) don’t think the government is covering up the truth about UFOs and 12% are not sure.

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 December 19, 2024. This week’s finding is down one point from a week ago. Sixty percent (60%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, down one point from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 34% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 61% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters believe mental health is more to blame for mass shootings in America, while 26% blame access to firearms. Another 13% say social media is more to blame for mass shootings, while 10% blame family problems and six percent (6%) blame school problems and six percent (6%) think school problems are more to blame. These findings are only slightly changed from April 2023. A 15-year-old girl killed two people and wounded six others December 16 at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. Fifty percent (50%) of voters believe stricter gun control laws would help prevent shootings like the recent one in Wisconsin – up from 44% who said so after the November 2023 mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine However, 40% still don’t think stricter gun control laws would help prevent such shootings, and 10% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the Senate should confirm RFK Jr.’s nomination, while 35% are opposed and 14% are not sure. A former Democrat who quit the party after an unsuccessful primary challenge to Joe Biden, Kennedy is viewed favorably by 53% of voters, including 20% with a Very Favorable impression. Thirty-seven percent (37%) view RFK Jr. unfavorably, including 25% with a Very Unfavorable opinion, while 10% are not sure. Kennedy’s favorability has risen slightly since August, when he endorsed Trump for president.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of Cheney, who lost her House seat in a 2022 Republican primary. Forty-two percent (42%) view the former Wyoming congresswoman unfavorably and 17% are not sure. A House subcommittee last week demanded an FBI investigation of Cheney, citing evidence that she “tampered with at least one witness” during the so-called J6 committee’s investigation of the 2021 Capitol riot. Fifty-seven percent (57%) would approve of the FBI investigating Cheney, including 36% who Strongly Approve. Thirty-three percent (33%) would disapprove of such an investigation, while 10% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable impression of Johnson – down from 44% in April – including 14% with a Very Favorable opinion of the Louisiana Republican. Thirty-six percent (36%) view Johnson unfavorably, including 19% with a Very Unfavorable impression. Another 27% are not sure. As leader of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, Johnson was in the spotlight last week when Congress passed a spending package that averted a government shutdown. Johnson is viewed at least somewhat favorably by 54% of Republicans, 25% of Democrats and 35% of voters not affiliated with either major party.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for November increased to 90.6, up one point from 89.6 in October. 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 12 points below where it was in late October 2020, indicating voters are looking for tighter immigration control from President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.

 

[Manc Skipper]

If the public hears the strongest message from one side, and little if anything from the other, they will most likely roll with the one side. Dems are proving this by being relatively silent to the strong words from the Trump/Rep/con side. Cowards.

The torrent of lies from Trump acolytes is powerful to the low information voters. That's why President Musk wants to shut down US education and import skills from abroad cheaply.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it would be good for the economy if the federal budget was balanced. Only nine percent (9%) say it would be bad for the economy instead, while 12% say a balanced budget would have no impact. Another 12% are not sure. These findings are barely changed from 2021. The federal deficit for fiscal year 2024 was $1.8 trillion, pushing the U.S. national debt to $36 trillion. Just 36% of voters think it is likely that the federal budget will be balanced for even a single year during their lifetime, including only nine percent (9%) who say it’s Very Likely. Fifty-six percent (56%) consider a balanced budget unlikely in their lifetime, with 23% who say it’s Not At All Likely.

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 December 26, 2024. This week’s finding is down one point from a week ago. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, down two points from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 31% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 63% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 71% of Likely U.S. Voters are concerned about the U.S. government spying on American citizens, including 40% who are Very Concerned. Only 25% aren’t concerned about domestic spying. These findings are only slightly changed from January 2021, when Joe Biden was President-elect. Forty-five percent (45%) expect government spying on U.S. citizens to increase in the new Trump administration, compared to 32% who think such surveillance will decrease and 15% who expect it to stay about the same. Four years ago, 40% believed spying would increase under Biden.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that just five percent (5%) of American Adults rate 2024 one of the best years ever. Eleven percent (11%) think it was an excellent year and 20% rate 2024 a good year. However, 34% of Americans give 2024 a poor rating. The 36% who rate 2024 at least a good year is slightly up from last year, when 34% said the same about 2023. Looking ahead, 56% of Americans expect this year to be at least a good year, including 19% who expect 2025 to be excellent and 11% who think it will be one of the best years ever. Twenty-two percent (22%) believe 2025 will be a poor year.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of New York’s so-called “Climate Superfund” law, including 26% who Strongly Approve of the law. Thirty-eight percent (38%) disapprove of the law, including 27% who Strongly Disapprove. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law last week, saying it would “allow the state to recoup $75 billion from major polluters.” Nationwide, 76% of Democrats at least somewhat approve of New York’s “Climate Superfund” law, as do 34% of Republicans and 44% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Fifty-six percent (56%) of Republicans, 17% of Democrats and 44% of unaffiliated voters disapprove of the law.

It seems the New York Democrats are determined to bankrupt their state government and drive out any citizens able to afford to move out.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters say life for the average American will change for the better with Republicans in control of the White House and both houses of Congress. Forty percent (40%) of voters expect life to get worse, 10% say it will have no impact on the life of the average American, and five percent (5%) say they’re not sure. Predictably, expectations break down mostly along party lines. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of GOP voters say life will get better for the average American now that Republicans are in charge in Washington, while 64% of Democrats say life will get worse. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, 43% say life will get worse with Republicans in control of the federal government, 35% say it will get better, and 13% expect life to stay about the same.

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 January 2, 2025. This week’s finding is down one point from a week ago. Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up three points from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 30% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 65% said it was on the wrong track.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of cutting back the size of the federal government, including 37% who Strongly Approve. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disapprove, including 15% who Strongly Disapprove, while another 10% are not sure. After narrowly winning reelection as Speaker of the House last week, Johnson vowed that Congress will “drastically cut back the size and scope of government” and “create a leaner, faster and more vigorous federal workforce.” Forty-four percent (44%) consider it likely that Congress actually will cut the size of government, including 12% who say it’s Very Likely. However, nearly half (49%) don’t think it’s likely the new Congress will actually “cut back the size and scope of government,” including 17% who see it as Not At All Likely.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 43% of American Adults believe their finances will be better a year from now – up from 34% a year ago – while 24% think their finances will get worse in 2025. Another 24% expect their financial situation to be about the same at the end of this year. With Donald Trump less than two weeks away from beginning his second term in the White House, politics clearly influences economic expectations for 2025. Sixty-three percent (63%) of Republicans believe their finances will be better a year from now, a belief shared by 35% of both Democrats and those not affiliated with either major party. Thirty-two percent (32%) of Democrats, 13% of Republicans and 25% of the unaffiliated expect their financial situation to get worse in 2025.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters view the FBI favorably – up slightly from 52% last May – including 22% with a Very Favorable impression. Forty percent (40%) have an unfavorable opinion of the FBI, including 21% with a Very Unfavorable impression. The FBI’s response to the recent terrorist attack that killed 14 people in New Orleans drew widespread criticism. However, 55% of voters say they trust the FBI to investigate the New Orleans attack. Thirty-three percent (33%) don’t trust the FBI’s investigate, and 12% are not sure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 47% of American Adults say entertainment from the Disney company is worse than they remember in the past. Just 16% believe Disney’s entertainment has gotten better, while 29% think it’s about the same as it has always been. Although 49% have a favorable impression of the Disney entertainment company, including 18% with a Very Favorable opinion, the company is viewed unfavorably by 43%, including 19% with a Very Unfavorable impression. Disney’s favorability was slightly lower in May last year.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of the way Trump is handling his presidential transition, including 35% who Strongly Approve. Forty-two percent (42%) disapprove, including 32% who Strongly Disapprove of how Trump is handling the transition. Forty-five percent (45%) expect Trump’s second term as president to be better than his first term, while 39% think it will be worse and 13% believe Trump’s second term in the White House will be about the same as his first term.

Economic confidence decreased to 103.4 in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Economic Index, nearly four points lower than December. Enthusiasm about the economy surged under President Donald Trump’s first term, 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-three percent (33%) of American Adults rate the economy as excellent or good this month, down one point from last month. The number who rate the economy as poor was 36%, unchanged from December. Twenty-four percent (24%) now think the economy is getting better, down five points from last month. Forty-five percent (45%) expect a worsening economy, up three points from December. Twenty-six percent (26%) now see things staying about the same, up three points from last month. Forty-nine percent (49%) of Democrats view the economy as good or excellent, compared to 23% of Republicans and 26% of those not affiliated with either major party. GOP confidence has declined 51points since November 2020, when 74% of Republicans had a positive view of the economy, while Democrats’ confidence is now 17 points higher than it was before Biden’s election, when 32% of Democrats rated the economy good or excellent.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for December increased to 92.4, up nearly two points from 90.6 in November. 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 10 points below where it was in late October 2020, indicating voters are looking for tighter immigration control from President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.

 

[Doug64]

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters support Trump’s idea that the United States should acquire Greenland as a purchase in our national interest, including 25% who Strongly Support the idea. Forty-five percent (45%) oppose acquiring Greenland, including 36% who Strongly Oppose the idea. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. Similarly, 45% support Trump’s suggestion that the United States should take the Panama Canal back from Panama, with 47% opposed. On both issues, more than two-thirds of Republican voters support Trump, while Democrats are strongly opposed to acquiring either Greenland or the Panama Canal.

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 January 9, 2025. This week’s finding is down one point from a week ago. Sixty-two percent (62%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up one point from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 32% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 64% 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 consider it likely that the recent wildfire in Los Angeles was caused by climate change, including 28% who believe it’s Very Likely. Thirty-nine percent (39%) don’t think it’s likely that climate change is to blame for the L.A. wildfire, including 21% who say it’s Not At All Likely. Political affiliation clearly influences beliefs about the fires that broke out last week in the Los Angeles area. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Democrats think it’s at least somewhat likely that climate change is to blame, compared to 36% of Republicans and 46% of voters not affiliated with either major party.

 

[Doug64]

National unemployment was 8.4% in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Real Unemployment update, down 0.7% from last month’s 9.1% last month but more than double the 4.1% rate officially reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics today.

2024​	Government​	Entrepreneur​	Private Company​	Retired​	Unemployed But Looking​	Not In Workforce​	Not Sure​
Apr	9.8%​	15.4%​	30.0%​	24.1%​	8.3%​	9.3%​	3.1%​
May	9.3%​	14.9%​	29.2%​	25.0%​	8.6%​	9.9%​	3.2%​
June	9.6%​	13.9%​	31.5%​	24.4%​	7.9%​	10.0%​	2.8%​
July	9.5%​	14.9%​	29.7%​	24.6%​	8.4%​	9.7%​	3.2%​
Aug	9.2%​	15.4%​	28.7%​	26.0%​	8.4%​	9.1%​	3.2%​
Sep	10.0%​	14.6%​	29.2%​	24.3%​	8.7%​	9.7%​	3.5%​
Oct	9.3%​	15.3%​	29.1%​	24.5%​	8.1%​	9.9%​	3.7%​
Nov	9.1%​	15.6%​	30.2%​	22.2%​	9.2%​	10.2%​	3.5%​
Dec	9.7%​	15.5%​	30.0%​	23.5%​	8.4%​	9.9%​	3.2%​