54% Believe More Freedom Leads to More Equality

Posted on February 11, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters believe that more freedom leads to more equality. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 25% disagree and 20% are not sure.

The survey also found that 41% of voters do not see a conflict between freedom and equality. Thirty-five percent (35%) believe that freedom is more important, 19% say equality matter more, and 6% are not sure.

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of both Republicans and Democrats do not see a conflict between the two ideals. Republicans, by a 49% to 10% margin, believe freedom is more important. Democrats, however, are evenly divided. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say freedom is more important while 27% say equality is the top priority.

Among Independent voters, 44% don’t see a conflict; 28% say freedom is more important and 20% say equality matters more.

Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left nearly a decade ago and has had no involvement since that time.

Question 1:

Generally speaking, is there a conflict between freedom and equality?

59% Yes

23% No

18% Not sure

Question 2:

[If “Yes” to question 1] Which is more important: freedom or equality?

41% No conflict

35% Freedom

19% Equality

6% Not sure

Question 3:

Does more individual freedom lead to more equality or to more inequality?

23% Much more equality

31% Somewhat more equality

18% Somewhat more inequality

7% Much more inequality

20% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on February 8-9, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

0118 JA America’s Best Days

Posted on January 24, 2022 | by Laura Lington

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Question 1:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

16% Strongly approve

26% Somewhat approve

14% Somewhat disapprove

38% Strongly disapprove

7% Not sure

Question 2:

Suppose you had a choice between four presidential candidates. All four had equal skills and temperament. Would you prefer a Republican who supported policies like President Trump, a more traditional Republican, a Democrat who supported policies similar to Senator Bernie Sanders, or a more traditional Democrat?

30% A Republican supporting Trump’s policies

17% A more traditional Republican

21% A Democrat supporting Sanders’ policies

19% A more traditional Democrat

13% Not sure

Question 3:

Are America’s best days still to come, or have they come and gone?

42% Still to come

34% Come and gone

24% Not sure

Question 4:

Generally speaking, is American society today fair and decent, or is it unfair and discriminatory?

34% Fair and decent

52% Unfair and discriminatory

14% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on January 18-19, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Job Approval Steady at 41%; 52% Disapprove

Posted on January 14, 2022 | by Staff Writer

Forty-one percent (41%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. The latest Scott Rasmussen survey finds that 52% disapprove and 7% are not sure.

The current totals include 18% of voters who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance while 38% Strongly Disapprove.

Since December 8, six consecutive Scott Rasmussen national surveys have found the president’s Job Approval rating at either 41% or 42%.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of those with a college degree approve of the way the president is performing his job. A majority of all other voters disapprove.

Data released earlier showed that 62% of those with a postgraduate degree rate their own finances as good or excellent. A majority of all other voters say their finances are either fair or poor.

Overall, economic confidence has declined rapidly in recent months. That may be one reason that 57% of voters favor making the Trump tax cuts permanent.

Additionally, 55% of voters know of local businesses that are unable to hire as many workers as they need.

Finally, just 13% of voters believe that U.S. trade policy should consider only economic issues. Seventy-five percent (75%) believe national security and human rights issues should also be considered.

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Question:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

18% Strongly approve

23% Somewhat approve

14% Somewhat disapprove

38% Strongly disapprove

6% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on January 6-7, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Approval Slides to 41%; 53% Disapprove

Posted on December 27, 2021 | by Laura Lington

Forty-one percent (41%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. The latest Scott Rasmussen survey finds that 53% disapprove and 7% are not sure.

The latest numbers suggest ongoing slippage in support for the president. In September and the first half of October, the president’s approval averaged 45%. From mid-October to early December, the president’s Job Approval ratings were consistently around 43%. However, since a December 8-10 survey, the average has slipped to 41%.

The current totals include 18% of voters who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance while 39% Strongly Disapprove.

Other data shows that, on each of six key issues, more voters disapprove than approve of President Biden’s performance. His weakest ratings are on the topic of immigration where just 31% approve and 57% disapprove. Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters believe the Biden Administration is making it too easy for illegal immigrants to enter the country. Just 10% disagree. Most voters (55%) believe drug cartels have more control of the southern border than the U.S. government.

On the topic of government spending and taxes, just 36% approve and 54% disapprove (net rating -18). That may partly reflect the fact that his Build Back Better plan had a number of extraordinarily unpopular items. Additionally, most voters share Senator Joe Manchin’s concerns and believe the president’s plan would have made inflation worse.

The president’s struggles are also reflected in the Generic Congressional Ballot where Republicans hold a six point advantage.

Given a choice between four presidential candidates with equal skills and temperament, 31% would prefer a Republican who supported policies like those of President Trump. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 20% would prefer a Democrat who supported policies similar to Senator Bernie Sanders, 19% favor a more traditional Democrat, and 17% a more traditional Republican.

The current numbers show 48% of voters favoring one of the Republican leaning options while 39% prefer a Democratic leaning set of policies. Prior to the 2020 Election, the parties were evenly divided on this measure.

Globally, 72% believe China is actively trying to replace the United States as the world’s leading superpower. Seventy-six percent (76%) think it is important for the United States to contain China’s global ambitions. Only 11% disagree and 13% are not sure.

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Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left more than seven years ago and has had no involvement since that time.

Question:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

18% Strongly approve

23% Somewhat approve

14% Somewhat disapprove

39% Strongly disapprove

7% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on December 21-22, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

Biden Job Approval Stable at 42%; 52% Disapprove

Posted on December 20, 2021 | by Laura Lington

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. The latest Scott Rasmussen survey finds that 52% disapprove and 5% are not sure.

Perceptions of the president have remained quite stable. Over ten surveys conducted in November and December, eight found the president’s approval within two points of 43%. One was a point above that range and one a point below.

That suggests a slight decline from September and October when the president’s approval averaged 45%.

The current totals include 18% of voters who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance while 37% Strongly Disapprove.

This survey was conducted prior to Senator Joe Manchin’s announcement that he would not support the Build Back Better plan. It is not clear that Manchin’s decision will have any significant impact on President Biden’s approval.

Last month we noted that passage of that plan would have little impact. That was primarily because few voters were paying attention. The lack of voter awareness may have been a blessing for the president since his proposal included extraordinarily unpopular items. Additionally, most voters share Manchin’s concern and believe the president’s plan would have made inflation worse.

Republicans have called Biden’s plan as a Big Government Socialism Bill. Fifty-three percent (53%) now say it’s accurate to describe the president’s overall agenda as big government socialism.

Another challenge for the president is growing pessimism about the pandemic. Just 29% believe the worst is behind us. That’s a single point above the lowest level recorded since vaccines became available. Eleven percent (11%) now believe it will never end.

Voters are clearly frustrated with both the pandemic itself and the government response to it. Forty-eight percent (48%) think scientists would falsi fy their data to support their personal views of what should be done. Looking back, 58% of voters believe that shutting down businesses and locking down society did more harm than good.

On another front, 32% think it’s Very Likely that democracy in America will end in the next generation or so. That total includes 11% who believe it has already ended. Republicans are significantly more worried about democracy ending than Democrats. A plurality of voters sees Democrats as a bigger threat to democracy than Republicans.

Finally, most voters believe drug cartels have control over the southern border. To challenge the cartels, 60% favor sending military forces and equipment to secure the border.

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Question:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

18% Strongly approve

24% Somewhat approve

15% Somewhat disapprove

37% Strongly disapprove

5% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on December 14-15, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

Biden: 43% Approve, 52% Disapprove… Build Back Better Plan Unlikely to Help

Posted on November 28, 2021 | by Staff Writer

Forty-three percent (43%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. The latest Scott Rasmussen survey finds that 52% disapprove and 5% are not sure. The numbers reflect a slight improvement from the president’s lowest approval ratings.

Those totals include just 21% of voters who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance while 39% Strongly Disapprove.

For most of September and the first half of October, the president’s Job Approval averaged 45%. However, over the past eight surveys, an average of 43% have voiced approval for President Biden. Six of those eight surveys have found the president’s ratings within two points of the average.

The legislation being considered in Congress is unlikely to boost the president’s numbers partly because voters have largely tuned out. Just 19% recognize both that the infrastructure bill passed and that the Build Back Better plan has not.

The lack of voter awareness about his legislative efforts may, in fact, be a blessing for the president. At a time when just 9% believe that the worst of inflation is behind us, 56% believe the president’s plan will make things worse by increasing inflation.

Beyond that, the Build Back Better plan–called the Big Government Socialism Bill by Republicans– has a number of extraordinarily unpopular provisions.

Sixty-percent (60%) oppose the Build Back Better payments to illegal immigrants. Just 28% support those payments.
Seventy-three percent (73%) oppose the president’s plan giving the IRS more access to personal and business financial information. That’s partly because 72% think the IRS already collects too much personal information. Voters strongly believe the agency will use new information to target political enemies and the middle class.
The plan includes a tax credit of up to $50,000 for print journalists. Only 19% like that idea.
If someone is physically able to work, 78% of voters believe they should be required to seek a job in order to receive financial support from the government. The Biden plan weakens existing work requirements and does not include such requirements for new benefits.
The plan encourages a rapid transition to electric vehicles. However, just 26% of voters support that goal. Sixty-six percent (66%) believe the transition should wait at least until the needed batteries can be manufactured in the U.S. rather than relying upon China.
The Build Back Better plan expands eligibility for federal benefits at a time when 55% of voters believe too many are already receiving benefits rather than working.
Most voters (53%) believe it is more important protect the existing Medicare program rather than expanding it by adding new benefits. Just 34% disagree.
There are a number of other unpopular provisions including requirements to increase the cost of daycare, reduce the ability of faith-based organizations to provide daycare services, providing federal funding for abortions, and more.

Beyond the political problems with the Build Back Better plan, another challenge facing the president is that pessimism about the pandemic is growing again. However, pessimistic voters have wildly different concerns. Only half (51%) are worried about ongoing health issues. Thirty-six percent (36%) are worried about more government restrictions and mandates.

These results help explain why 49% of voters believe relaxing vaccine mandates, mask requirements, and social distancing guidelines would be good for the economy. Just 30% disagree.

Other data shows that 59% of voters favor relaxing vaccine mandates to ease supply chain issues. Additionally, 61% favor relaxing vaccine mandates for police officers, fire fighters, and health care workers.

These findings, along with other data, provide a sense that support for vaccine mandates is soft. Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters now say they favor the mandates. That’s down six points over the past two months.

Finally, despite the heated rhetoric on both sides, just 13% see Kyle Rittenhouse as a hero. A larger number–25%– say that he is a murderer. However, a solid plurality of 43% believe Rittenhouse did stupid things but is not a murderer.

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Question:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

21% Strongly approve

22% Somewhat approve

13% Somewhat disapprove

39% Strongly disapprove

5% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on November 22-23, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.