Politics

72% Think NSA May Have Monitored Congress, Military Leaders, Judges

Most voters think the National Security Agency is likely to have violated one of the country’s most cherished constitutional standards – the checks and balances between the three branches of government – by spying on the private communications of Congress and judges.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 72% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is at least somewhat likely that the NSA has monitored the private communications of Congress, military leaders and judges. That includes 45% who believe it is Very Likely. 

Just 14% say it’s not likely that the Executive branch of the government monitored the private communications of the Legislative and Judicial branches. Another 14% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 24-25, 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% Want Border States to Determine When Border is Secure

One of the sticking points in the ongoing congressional debate over immigration reform is who will determine if the border with Mexico is actually secure enough to prevent future illegal immigration.

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Likely U.S. voters favor letting the federal Department of Homeland Security make that call. That’s the approach currently in the Senate immigration reform legislation.

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 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.

51% Now Consider Immigration Very Important to Their Next Vote

For the first time in nearly two years, over half of voters say the immigration issue is Very Important in terms of how they will vote in the next congressional election.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters now rate immigration that highly, up from 45% in April.  Another 32% rate the issue as somewhat important. Just 15% say immigration is not very or Not At All Important to how they will vote in the congressional midterm elections next year. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 16-17, 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% Favor Cutting Size of U.S. Nuclear Arsenal

Most voters still view nuclear weapons as critical to the country’s safety, and just one-in-four agree with President Obama’s call for a reduction in the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal is at least somewhat important to the country’s national security, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 16% disagree. This includes 45% who view the arsenal as Very Important to national security, although that’s down from 57% in March of last year.  However, just three percent (3%) now consider America’s nuclear weapons as Not At All Important to the country’s safety. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 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.

34% View Justice System As Fair to Poor Americans

Voters continue to believe the U.S. justice system doesn't work the same way for all Americans.

Overall, 45% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the U.S. justice system is fair to most Americans, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-nine percent (39%) disagree. Sixteen percent (16%) aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 18-19, 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.

62% Say Political Leaders Send U.S. Soldiers in Harm’s Way Too Often

As the United States involves itself more deeply in Syria, most voters continue to believe that American political leaders put U.S. troops in danger too much.  Sixty-two percent (62%) of Likely U.S. Voters think our political leaders send U.S. soldiers into harm’s way too often, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just six percent (6%) say U.S. soldiers aren’t sent in to conflicts enough, while 24% say the balance is about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 18-19, 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. 

Just 28% Now Think Feds Likely to Secure Border if Reform Plan Passes

Regardless of what a comprehensive immigration reform plan promises, voters are less confident than ever that the federal government really would secure the border to prevent future illegal immigration.  Still, voters continue to support the concept of comprehensive reform. Sixty percent (60%) of Likely U.S. Voters now favor an immigration plan that gives those here illegally legal status to stay provided the border is really secured to prevent future immigration. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% oppose such a plan, while 15% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 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.

Among GOP, Rubio Faves Down 15 Points This Year

Senator Marco Rubio, widely expected to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, has seen his popularity with Republican voters slip in recent months.

Rubio, the most visible advocate of the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform plan, is now viewed favorably by 58% of Republican voters nationwide. That down 10 points since May and 15 points since February. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 16% of GOP voters have an unfavorable opinion of him, while 25% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 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.

15% Favor Prosecuting Reporters Who Publish Leaked Information, 68% Disagree

Most Americans believe exposure of the government’s massive secret surveillance effort is likely to have hurt U.S. national security, but they don’t think reporters who reveal secret information should be punished for it. 

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of American Adults think it is at least somewhat likely that public disclosure of the National Security Agency’s phone and e-mail surveillance program has hurt this country’s national security. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 30% feel that’s unlikely.

This includes 21% who believe the disclosure of the surveillance program is Very Likely to have hurt national security and six percent (6%) who say it is Not At All Likely to have done so.  Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 17-18, 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.

34% Consider War in Afghanistan Very Important Issue

Peace talks between the United States and the Taliban to end the war in Afghanistan have stalled, but just one-in-three voters see the 12-year-long war as a Very Important voting issue.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% of Likely U.S. Voters say the war in Afghanistan is Very Important in terms of how they will vote in the next congressional election. That’s up from 30% in April and the highest level of importance voters have attached to war since last September. By contrast, 80% now rate the economy Very Important to lead the list of 15 major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 16-17, 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.

48% Want Lifetime Ban on Regulators Working For Companies They Oversee

Americans are fed up with the so-called "revolving door." They feel even more strongly that government regulators should be banned entirely from working for the companies they regulate and want more transparency regarding contacts between regulators and members of Congress.

55% Disagree With Obama’s Decision to Arm Syrian Rebels

Most voters oppose President Obama’s decision to arm the Syrian rebels and think those weapons are likely to end up in the hands of America’s enemies. Confidence in the administration’s handling of the Syrian situation has fallen to a new low.

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 18-19, 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.  

12% See NSA Leaker Snowden As Hero, 21% As Traitor

Americans have decidedly mixed feelings about the whistle-blower who exposed the National Security Agency’s secret domestic surveillance program, but then only one-in-three trusts those who are now defending the program.

Twelve percent (12%) of American Adults view Edward Snowden as a hero. Twenty-one percent (21%) consider the former independent contractor who has admitted leaking information about the NSA’s phone and e-mail surveillance program to be a traitor, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-four percent (34%) think Snowden falls somewhere in between, while 29% say it’s too early to tell. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 17-18, 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.

35% Have Favorable Opinion of Federal Government, 60% Unfavorable

Americans view local governments more favorably than their state and federal government, and generally prefer state and local solutions rather than turning things over to the federal government. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 35% of American adults have a favorable impression of the federal government. Sixty percent (60%) voice an unfavorable view. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 13-14, 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.

Distrust Growing: 70% Believe IRS Decision to Target Conservatives Was Made in DC

While the controversy over the National Security Agency surveillance program has dominated the news recently, concern about the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of Tea Party groups and other conservative organizations remains high and is inching up. Despite the large number of controversies engulfing official Washington, the number of people following the IRS scandal has actually increased in recent weeks.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 82% of voters nationwide are now following the IRS targeting story, including 44% who are following the story “Very Closely.” The overall number of voters who are following is up from 74% a month ago. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 16-17, 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.

In New Jersey, 44% Would Vote for Christie for President

It’s the time in the political cycle when just about any Republican could be considered a presidential candidate. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s name comes up often in those discussions, but New Jersey voters aren’t convinced he should make the run.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of Garden State voters would like to see a Christie campaign in 2016. However, a Rasmussen Reports statewide poll shows that 41% disagree and do not want him to run. Twenty-two percent (22%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The state survey of 1,000 Likely Voters in New Jersey was conducted June 12-13, 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 Want Donor Disclosure from Tax-Exempt Groups

Most voters believe tax-exempt groups should publicly disclose all of their donors even though most recognize some will be harassed by political opponents.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe that groups like the Tea Party and Planned Parenthood should disclose all their donors. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% disagree and 13% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 14-15, 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% Fear Government Will Use NSA Data to Harass Political Opponents

There is little public support for the sweeping and unaccountable nature of the National Security Agency surveillance program along with concerns about how the data will be used.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of voters nationwide believe it is likely the NSA data will be used by other government agencies to harass political opponents. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 30% consider it unlikely and 14% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 12-13, 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. 

32% Are Willing to Pay More In Taxes to Keep Medicare As Is

Voters tend to believe it's not possible to keep Medicare going as is without a tax hike, but just one-in-three are willing to pay more in taxes to keep the government insurance program that way.  

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% of Likely Voters think it's possible to continue Medicare as it is today without raising taxes, up from 29% in June 2011.  But a plurality (42%) still doesn't think that's possible, while 24% more are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 10-11, 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.

24% Trust Federal Government to Do Right Thing Most or All The Time

Talk about a trust deficit.Just one-in-four Likely U.S. Voters (24%) now has confidence that when the federal government acts it’s doing the right thing most or nearly all the time, but that includes just four percent (4%) who say it almost always does the right thing.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of voters disagree, with 47% who trust the federal government to do the right thing only some of the time and 28% who think it rarely or never does the right thing. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 10-11, 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.