Polls - Rasmussen Reports

Forty-two percent (42%) of Americans say Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has done a poor job handling the credit crisis and federal bailout programs, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

As the policy debate has unfolded in Washington this year, voters have consistently believed that tax cuts would do more than increased government spending to stimulate the economy and create jobs. Now that the nation's unemployment rate has reached 10.2%, voters continue to hold that view.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of U.S. voters have a favorable opinion of First Lady Michelle Obama, including 41% who regard her very favorably. The overall number is up four points from October and represents her highest favorable ratings in several months.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of U.S. voters oppose the Obama administration's decision to try the confessed chief planner of the 9/11 attacks and other suspected terrorists in a civilian court in New York City.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Republican voters say former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin shares the values of most GOP voters throughout the nation.

U.S. voters strongly oppose the reinstitution of a military draft and are even more strongly in favor of an all-volunteer military. They also don't think a year of mandatory public service is a good idea.

Forty-five percent (45%) of U.S. voters now give President Obama poor marks for his handling of the economy, the highest level of disapproval this year.

As the nation honors its veterans today, 81% of Americans say they have a favorable opinion of the U.S. military, the highest finding in five years of surveying by Rasmussen Reports.

"I wanna grow up to be a politician. …" Just don't tell your folks.

Seventy percent (70%) of U.S. voters rate the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communism as Very Important in terms of world history.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of U.S. voters expect politics in Washington, D.C. to become more partisan over the next year, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters nationwide say passage of the proposed health care plan could lead companies to drop private health insurance coverage for their employees. Forty-eight percent (48%) say it's very likely.

One year ago today, Senator Barack Obama became President-elect Obama. He and his team had run nearly a flawless campaign and were about to embark on what turned out to be a nearly flawless transition effort. By Inauguration Day, the man who had won 53% of the vote saw his overall job approval rating soar to 65%.

Americans are a little less enthusiastic about the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama this time around.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the House version of health care reform legislation last week, but most voters are still opposed to the effort.

San Francisco has long prided itself on being a "sanctuary city" that refuses to work with federal authorities to identify and deport illegal immigrants. But now city officials are arguing over how far that policy should go when some of those illegal immigrants are charged with murder and other serious crimes.

BOOOOO! If things that go bump in the night scare you, chances are you're among the 23% of American adults who believe in ghosts.

Most voters think the news media has too much power over their elected representatives in Washington and the decisions they make. It's yet another finding that highlights the distance voters see between themselves and their government.

The Obama Administration and senior congressional Democrats hope to exercise more government control over big banks to keep them from failing, but voters don't seem too sympathetic right now.

With just a week to go in New Jersey's closely contested race for governor, Republican Chris Christie holds a three-point advantage over incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine.

If the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats passes, 57% of voters nationwide believe it will raise the cost of health care, and 53% believe the quality of care will get worse. That's part of the reason that just 45% support the plan. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% are opposed to it.