[Hindsite]

What a stupid comment. I am not going to hijack this thread arguing with another Trump drone. They are all hopelessly besotted anyway. I am through arguing with their fabricated excuses and outright lies from the administration. Indeed if you can call that disorganized collection of narcissists and sycophants an administration.

Oh. And Trump did get rid of the Pandemic team and refused to read their briefing papers prepared for when he took over.

It looks like to me that you are just making stuff up based on your hatred of President Trump without any real evidence.
I think it is termed Trump Derangement Syndrome.

[Doug64]

Oh. And Trump did get rid of the Pandemic team and refused to read their briefing papers prepared for when he took over.

If you’d rather rant than respond, that’s up to you. But for this, since for some reason my last link setup didn’t work: No, the White House Didn’t ‘Dissolve’ Its Pandemic Response Office

[Drlee]

Nice Try. Snopes says:


The claim came from a series of tweets posted by Judd Legum, who runs Popular Information, a newsletter he describes as being about “politics and power.” Legum’s commentary was representative of sharp criticism from Democratic legislators (and some Republicans) that the Trump administration had ill-prepared the country for a pandemic even as one was looming on the horizon.

Legum outlined a series of cost-cutting decisions made by the Trump administration in preceding years that had gutted the nation’s infectious disease defense infrastructure. The “pandemic response team” firing claim referred to news accounts from Spring 2018 reporting that White House officials tasked with directing a national response to a pandemic had been ousted.

Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer abruptly departed from his post leading the global health security team on the National Security Council in May 2018 amid a reorganization of the council by then-National Security Advisor John Bolton, and Ziemer’s team was disbanded. Tom Bossert, whom the Washington Post reported “had called for a comprehensive biodefense strategy against pandemics and biological attacks,” had been fired one month prior.

It’s thus true that the Trump administration axed the executive branch team responsible for coordinating a response to a pandemic and did not replace it, eliminating Ziemer’s position and reassigning others, although Bolton was the executive at the top of the National Security Council chain of command at the time.

Legum stated in a follow-up tweet that “Trump also cut funding for the CDC, forcing the CDC to cancel its efforts to help countries prevent infectious-disease threats from becoming epidemics in 39 of 49 countries in 2018. Among the countries abandoned? China.” That was partly true, according to 2018 news reports stating that funding for the CDC’s global disease outbreak prevention efforts had been reduced by 80%, including funding for the agency’s efforts in China.

But that was the result of the anticipated depletion of previously allotted funding, not a direct cut by the Trump administration. And as the CDC told FactCheck.org, the cuts were ultimately avoided because Congress provided other funding.

On Feb. 24, 2020, the Trump administration requested $2.5 billion to address the coronavirus outbreak, an outlay critics asserted might not have been necessary if the previous program cuts had not taken place. Fortune reported of the issue that:

[Doug64]

Hoping everyone is doing well. Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Thirty-five percent (35%) 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 May 7, 2020.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of May 3-7, 2020 has risen to 104.2 from 101.6 the week before.

64% of Likely U.S. Voters are concerned that the government’s cure for the coronavirus threat may be worse than the problem, with 34% who are Very Concerned. This compares to 59% and 32% respectively in late March. Thirty-one percent (31%) don’t share that concern, but that includes only 11% who are Not At All Concerned. Still, 59% rate the coronavirus response by state and local authorities in the area where they live as good or excellent so far. Just 15% give those authorities poor marks. Even among those who are Very Concerned that the government cure may be worse that the problem, 52% rate the state and local response in their area positively.

54% of Likely Democratic Voters are satisfied with Biden as the Democrats’ 2020 nominee. Twenty-eight percent (28%) think the party should find someone else to be their nominee, while another 18% are undecided. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Democrats, however, think it’s likely Biden will be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2020, with 77% who say it’s Very Likely. Because of the numerous primaries delayed or modified due to the coronavirus, most Democrats said in early April that an open convention in which delegates are not bound by primary outcomes is likely. But 90% still thought Biden was the likely nominee, with 70% who said it was Very Likely. Among all likely voters, 36% think Democrats need to find someone other than Biden to be their nominee; 45% disagree, and 19% are undecided. But 82% think Biden is the likely nominee, with 63% who say it’s Very Likely.

22% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that the United States can buy its way out of the economic damage done by the coronavirus crisis with government money. Fifty-six percent (56%) disagree. This compares to 25% and 45% in early April when we first asked this question. Twenty-one percent (21%) remain not sure. Senate Democrats have proposed that the federal government pay $2,000 a month to those who earn less than $120,000 annually until the coronavirus emergency is over, with an additional $2,000 per child for up to three children. The payments would be retroactive to March. Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters favor such a plan. Thirty-eight percent (38%) are opposed, while 13% are undecided. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Democrats support the retroactive $2,000 monthly payments, compared to 39% of Republicans and 43% of voters not affiliated with either major political party. But then while 61% of GOP voters and 62% of unaffiliateds say America cannot buy itself out of the coronavirus economic crisis with government money, just 48% of Democrats agree.

23% of Likely Republican Voters think their party should find someone other than Trump to be their presidential nominee. Seventy percent (70%) disagree. Only seven percent (7%) are undecided. 95% see Trump as their likely nominee, with 85% who say it’s Very Likely. Among all likely voters, 87% say Trump is likely to be the GOP nominee, with 74% who say it’s Very Likely. Voters are evenly divided – 45% yes, 45% no – when asked if Republicans should find someone else to nominate, with 11% who are undecided.

60% of Likely U.S. Voters continue to share a favorable view of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with 24% who view it Very Favorably. This is little changed from surveys over the past several years. Thirty-four percent (34%) view the agency unfavorably, but that includes just 14% with a Very Unfavorable opinion. Thirteen percent (13%) regard current FBI Director Christopher Wray as better than most of those who held the job before him. Seventeen percent (17%) say he’s worse than most of his predecessors, while 38% rate his performance as about the same. But nearly as many (33%) don’t know enough about the man named to the post by President Trump in 2017 to venture any kind of opinion on him.

As parts of the country slowly emerge from coronavirus lockdown, economic confidence has slowed from April’s rapid descent, dropping just one point to 93.7 in May. But this is the lowest finding in six years of surveying and six points below the April 2014 baseline. Twenty-three percent (23%) of American Adults still rate the economy as good or excellent this month, down another six points from April. Forty-four percent (44%) say the economy is poor, the highest level of pessimism since the survey began. Just 13% think the economy is getting better, down one point from last month and the lowest level of confidence in economic direction in six years of surveying. Sixty-two percent (62%) expect a worsening economy, down five points from last month. Fifteen percent (15%) see things staying about the same. By comparison, just prior to the 2016 presidential election, 31% rated the economy as good or excellent, and 26% expected it to get better.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -1 for Friday is third highest of the RCP collection of polls, with The Hill/HarrisX (+2, 538 C+) and Gallup (+1, 538 ranking B) currently higher. Drop the highest and lowest polls, and the average is -3.4:


• Strongly Approve: 34% (-1)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 42% (+1)
• Total Approve: 48%
• Total Disapprove: 51% (+1)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 33% (+1)
• Strongly Disapprove: 43%
• Total Approve: 46%
• Total Disapprove: 52% (-1)

[Doug64]

Hoping everyone is still doing well. Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Thirty-five percent (35%) 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 May 14, 2020.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of May 10-14, 2020 tumbled to 99.0, down over five points from 104.2 the week before. Are Americans growing more protective of the domestic job market?

49% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Flynn was correctly convicted of the charges against him. Thirty-four percent (34%) disagree and say the former national security adviser to President Trump was a victim of illegal FBI entrapment. Seventeen percent (17%) are undecided. But 39% agree with the Justice Department’s decision to drop the charges against Flynn because of the FBI’s actions. Just as many (40%) disagree, while 20% are not sure.

65% of American Adults rate Fauci’s performance as good or excellent. Just 11% say he’s done a poor job. Fauci at a Senate hearing last week cautioned against too-rapid reopening of the country, prompting rare public disagreement from President Trump. But 49% of Americans agree with Trump’s statement in response to Fauci’s testimony: “We have to get the schools open. We have to get our country open. We have to open our country. Now we want to do it safely, but we also want to do it as quickly as possible. We can’t keep going on like this.” Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree with the president. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.

Similarly, 68% share a favorable opinion of the immunologist who is perhaps the most visible member of the Trump Administration’s White House Coronavirus Task Force, with 42% who view him Very Favorably. Only 20% regard Fauci unfavorably, and that includes just eight percent (8%) with a Very Unfavorable view. Fauci at a Senate hearing last week cautioned against too-rapid reopening of the country, prompting rare public disagreement from President Trump. But 49% of Americans agree with Trump’s statement in response to Fauci’s testimony: “We have to get the schools open. We have to get our country open. We have to open our country. Now we want to do it safely, but we also want to do it as quickly as possible. We can’t keep going on like this.” Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree with the president. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds Biden earning 48% support among Likely U.S. Voters to Trump’s 43%. Eight percent (8%) remain undecided. This marks little change from Biden’s 48% to 42% advantage in early March. Trump beat Biden 47% to 43% in a hypothetical matchup last September. When asked which candidate would do a better job bringing the country back economically from the coronavirus crisis, 47% of voters say Biden, 44% Trump. Nine percent (9%) are not sure.

54% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Trump should release his tax returns to congressional Democrats, up from 51% a year ago. Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree.

32% of American Adults now say they or someone in their immediate family has lost their job because of the coronavirus outbreak. This is down from 40% in mid-April and back to the 32% reported a month earlier. Little changed from last month is the 87% who remain concerned about the financial impact of the coronavirus, with 60% who are Very Concerned. This compares to 91% and 67% in March.

58% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of Trump’s decision to temporarily limit government regulation of small businesses to help them bounce back. Just 26% are opposed, while 17% are undecided. The president’s action has triggered criticism from some. While 70% of Republicans and 59% of voters not affiliated with either major party agree with the decision to temporarily limit government regulation of small businesses, just 44% of Democrats share that view. Seventy-six percent (76%) of all voters agree, though, that small businesses are hurt by government regulations more than big businesses are. Only nine percent (9%) think big businesses are hurt more. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.

26% of American Adults have been forced to cancel tickets to a live sporting event because of the lockdown. Slightly more (28%) say they are more likely to watch sporting events on TV now that they are closed to the public. Nineteen percent (19%) are less likely to watch sports on TV, while 49% say their viewing habits are about the same. Forty-six percent (46%) of Americans say they rarely or never attend a live sporting event. Nineteen percent (19%) go at least a couple times a month. Among those who attend live sporting events at least a couple times monthly, nearly 60% have been forced to cancel tickets because of the coronavirus lockdown.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -7 for the week is only one point below the RCP's current average of -8:


• Strongly Approve: 32% (-2)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 43% (+1)
• Total Approve: 46% (-2)
• Total Disapprove: 53% (+2)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 33%
• Strongly Disapprove: 43%
• Total Approve: 47% (+1)
• Total Disapprove: 52%

The RCP's latest average betting odds is Trump +8.5.

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Thirty-four percent (34%) 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 May 21, 2020.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of May 17-21, 2020 stands at 98.5, down from 99 the week before.

51% of American Adults took a summer vacation last year, but just 26% - a new low - plan to do so this summer. The latter finding never fell below the mid-30s even in the years immediately following the Wall Street meltdown in 2008.

68% of American Adults regard Memorial Day as the unofficial start of the summer, up from the low 60s in surveying since 2006.Just 21% disagree, while 11% are undecided. Down this year is the 40% of Americans who consider Memorial Day when we honor those who died while serving in the military as one of our most important holidays. Only eight percent (8%) view it as one of the least important holidays. Forty-nine percent (49%) place it somewhere in between. In recent years, the number of Americans who see Memorial Day as one of the most important holidays has run in the high 40s, placing it just behind Christmas and the Fourth of July in importance.

Among U.S. Likely Voters, (46%) of Republicans believes the United States has overreacted to the coronavirus threat, while 67% of Democrats and 58% of voters not affiliated with either major party say the country has underreacted. For all likely voters, 27% say the United States overreacted, while 50% believe it has underreacted. Just 21% think the response has been about right. Even as the death count continues to fall and many communities are beginning to return to normalcy, only 30% say the overall government response has made America safer. Fifty-one percent (51%) believe the government response has made the country less safe, while 13% feel it has had no impact. Again, there’s a noticeable partisan difference. While 63% of Democrats and 54% of unaffiliateds believe the government response has made the country less safe, just 33% of GOP voters agree. Although many of the medical projections about the impact of COVID-19 on the United States have proven to be inflated thus far, voters aren’t buying. Only 31% of all voters think most of these projections were overestimated, while 40% say they were underestimated. Just 24%, however, believe they were about right.

19% of Likely U.S. Voters think most politicians raise racial issues to address real problems. Sixty-nine percent (69%) say they raise racial issues just to be elected, although that’s down from a high of 78% when we first asked this question six years ago. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) Unchanged in recent years, however, are the 33% who feel political candidates discuss racial issues too much. Just as many (34%) say they discuss them too little, while 24% believe the level of discussion is about right.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of Likely U.S. Voters think Democrats have done more historically for black Americans than Republicans have, compared to 28% who feel the GOP has done more. Nineteen percent (19%) think both parties have been about the same. Blacks (60%) who historically vote overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates are much more likely than whites (44%) and other minorities (49%) to believe the Democratic Party has done more for them.

13% of all Likely U.S. Voters agree that a black voter who opts for Trump, a Republican, instead of Democrat Biden is not really black. Seventy-three percent (73%) disagree, while 14% are undecided. But a closer look shows that 27% of black voters – and 17% of Democrats - agree with Biden’s original statement. Twelve percent (12%) of blacks and 19% of Democrats are undecided.

78% of American Adults are still concerned personally about the coronavirus threat, including 46% who are Very Concerned. This compares to 84% and 49% respectively in late March. Fifty-six percent (56%) were concerned, with 18% Very Concerned, when the virus first reached these shores in late January. Just 20% are not very or Not At All Concerned personally about the COVID-19 threat these days. Sixty-one percent (61%) of Americans are confident the U.S. public health system will be able to contain the coronavirus, but only 22% are Very Confident. This compares to 66% and 21% respectively two months ago. Seventy-two percent (72%) were confident in late January, with 20% Very Confident. Americans 65 and older, the age group hardest hit by the coronavirus, are far more concerned about it than younger adults but are the most confident in the public health system.

60% of Likely Democratic Voters still feel it is important for Biden’s running mate to be a woman or a person of color, with 30% who say it’s Very Important. This compares to 61% and 35% respectively six weeks ago. Among women, 48% now say it’s important, with 22% who consider it Very Important. Fifty-five percent (55%) of blacks think it’s important for a woman or person of color to be on the ticket if Biden is the nominee, including 29% who say it’s Very Important. In mid-April, there was no clear favorite among Democrats when given a list of seven top vice presidential possibilities. Bernie Sanders led the pack with 15% support, but Harris (14%), a U.S. senator from California, and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (13%) were statistically right with him. All three had challenged Biden unsuccessfully for the presidential nomination. But now Harris tops the list of vice presidential hopefuls with 18% support among Democrats. Warren is second with 17%, followed by Sanders (14%) and unsuccessful Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (12%). Billionaire Michael Bloomberg (8%), Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar (8%) and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg (6%) remain in single digits. Nine percent (9%) of Democrats like some other candidate.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -9 for the week is only slightly below the RCP's current average of -9.3 (once the highest and lowest polls are dropped):


• Strongly Approve: 31% (-1)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 46% (+3)
• Total Approve: 44% (-2)
• Total Disapprove: 55% (+2)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 33%
• Strongly Disapprove: 43%
• Total Approve: 46% (-1)
• Total Disapprove: 52%

The RCP's latest average betting odds is Trump +3.8 (down 4.7 from last week).

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

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 May 28, 2020.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of May 24-28, 2020 stands at 101.4, up from 98.5 the week before.

28% of Likely U.S. Voters believe those who run social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter edit their content in a fair and balance way. Fifty percent (50%) disagree and say they are politically biased in the decisions they make. Twenty-two percent (22%) are undecided. Twenty-six percent (26%) of voters think it is better for the owners of social media like Facebook and Twitter to regulate what is posted to make sure some people are not offended. However, most (54%) say it’s better for them to allow free speech without interference, although support for free speech is down from 68% four years ago. Now 20% are not sure.

49% of Likely U.S. Voters think the “antifa" movement should be designated a terrorist organization. Thirty percent (30%) disagree, while 22% are undecided. Forty percent (40%) believe the mob violence that has erupted in several cities during protests over the police killing of an unarmed man in Minneapolis is legitimate outrage over what happened. Forty-nine percent (49%) disagree and say it’s mostly criminals taking advantage of the situation. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. Voters see more legitimacy in the latest protests than they did in similar ones in Baltimore in 2015 and St. Louis in 2017. Thirty-one percent (31%) of voters now think most police departments are too aggressive in dealing with violent protesters, while 28% believe they are not aggressive enough. Just 30% think the response is about right. Eleven percent (11%) again are undecided.

26% of all Likely U.S. Voters say their state is in better financial shape than it was five years ago. Forty-five percent (45%) say their state is in worse financial shape. Twenty-five percent (25%) report that the finances of their home state are about the same. Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters living in a Blue state say their state’s finances have gotten worse, compared to 40% of those living in Red states. Thirty-three percent (33%) of Red state voters say their state is in better financial shape, a view shared by just 20% of those living in Blue states.

25% of all Likely U.S. Voters think it is too easy to vote in the United States today, down from 30% four years ago. But more notably 29% now say voting is too hard in this country, a 10-point jump from the previous survey. Forty-two percent (42%) still consider the level of difficulty as about right. But while 40% of Democrats feel that it is too hard to vote in America today, just 16% of Republicans and 31% of voters not affiliated with either major party agree.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of Democrats favor restoring voting rights to convicted felons in their state who have served their sentences without problem, a view shared by 42% of GOP voters and 46% of unaffiliateds. Among all voters, 55% favor restoring the voting rights of felons who have served their sentences without incident. Thirty-three percent (33%) are opposed, while 12% are undecided. These findings are virtually unchanged from June 2016. But support for restoring the voting rights of some felons is down from a high of 69% in 2014.

67% of American Adults rate the performance of the police in the area where they live as good or excellent. Just nine percent (9%) give them poor marks. Positive ratings for local police are down from a high of 74% a year ago but are consistent with prior surveying for the past several years. Little changed from 2018 is the 20% who think the tactics used by police officers where they live are too harsh. Only 12% say they’re not harsh enough, while 55% rate the tactics as about right. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure. But 27% of Americans now believe that, generally speaking, most deaths that involve the police are the fault of the police officer. That’s up from 13% last year and a new high. Thirty-seven percent (37%) think most of those deaths are the fault of the suspect, a finding that previously has run in the 50s for several years. A notable 36% are now undecided. Sixteen percent (16%) say most police officers are racist, up from 10% a year ago. Sixty-five percent (65%) disagree. Nineteen percent (19%) are not sure.

77% of American Adults now say their state has begun to ease its coronavirus-related restrictions. Just 13% live in states that have not, with 10% not sure. Fifty-one percent (51%) say they or an immediate family member has been able to go back to work now that some of the coronavirus restrictions are being lifted. But only 40% of adults believe it is time for Americans to begin returning to their everyday lives even if it may lead to more illness and more deaths due to coronavirus. Slightly more (42%) say it’s not time yet, while nearly one-in-five (18%) are not sure. A month ago, 33% of Likely Voters said it was time to begin returning to normalcy despite the health risks; 53% disagreed. Republicans were much more eager than other voters to get going again.

8% of Likely U.S. Voters say they rarely or never go online and use the Internet, down from 20% in January of last year. A new high of 74% goes online every day or nearly every day, compared to 59% in 2019. Another 11% use the Internet several times a week. Among regular Internet users, 24% say their political opinions are influenced at least somewhat by social media, with six percent (6%) who say they are influenced a lot. This compares to 20% and five percent (5%) respectively last year.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -6 for the week is only slightly below the RCP's current average of -11.3 (once the highest and lowest polls are dropped). Though there has been little shifting in Rasmussen's numbers over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 32% (+1)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 43% (-3)
• Total Approve: 46% (+2)
• Total Disapprove: 52% (-3)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 33%
• Strongly Disapprove: 43%
• Total Approve: 46%
• Total Disapprove: 52%

The RCP's latest average betting odds Finally swing to Biden, +3.8 (a 7.6 from last week).

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Twenty-seven percent (27%) 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 June 4, 2020.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of May 31-June 4, 2020 has climbed to 104.6, up from 101.4 the week before, as the economy roars back despite nationwide racial protest.

51% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe black Americans receive unfair treatment from the police. Thirty-two percent (32%) disagree, while 16% are not sure. Still, just 36% think police discrimination against minorities is a bigger problem today than the level of crime in low-income inner city communities. Fifty-three percent (53%) rate inner city crime as the bigger problem. But findings for both these questions have shifted noticeably since the last time Rasmussen Reports asked these questions. Only 38% of voters thought most black Americans were treated unfairly by the police in 2016, and just 23% rated police discrimination as the bigger problem two years ago. Blacks (70%) are a lot more likely than whites (47%) and other minority voters (53%) to think black Americans receive unfair treatment from the police. Only 30% of whites agree with 51% of blacks and 46% of other minorities that police discrimination against minorities is a bigger problem in America today than inner city crime.

27% of American Adults favor reducing the police budget in the community where they live. Despite the growing political movement to defund police departments and channel that money into more social services, 59% are opposed to cutting their local police budget, while 14% are undecided. Republicans (16%) are more reluctant than Democrats (29%) and those not affiliated with either major party (32%) to cut local police funding. Those under 40 like the idea a lot more than their elders do.

62% of Likely U.S. Voters now have a favorable opinion of Black Lives Matter, with 32% who share a Very Favorable one. This compares to 37% and 13% respectively the last time we asked this question four years ago. Thirty-one percent (31%) still view the organization unfavorably, including 16% with a Very Unfavorable view.

56% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with President Trump when he said earlier this week: “Our police have been letting us live in peace, and we want to make sure we don’t have any bad actors in there. [But] 99% of them are great, great people.” Thirty percent (30%) don’t agree, while 14% are not sure. However, 50% also agree with putative Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden that the federal government should determine government aid to local police based on whether police departments meet “certain basic standards of decency and honorableness.” Twenty-seven percent (27%) don’t share that view. Nearly as many (24%) are undecided.

Leading the nation through the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, the president earned a monthly job approval of 47% in May, up from 45% in April but still short of his high of 49% for the year to date in February. In 2019, Trump’s monthly approval ran from a low of 44% in January to a high of 50% in April. He ended the year at 49%. Fifty-two percent (52%) disapproved of the president’s job performance this May, down two points from the month before.

As more of the country exits the lockdown and the stock market climbs to pre-pandemic levels, economic confidence is on the rebound, jumping 16 points from last month to 109.8 in June. This finding is comparable to the level of confidence Americans held just prior to President Trump’s 2016 election.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -11 for the week is only a couple points below the RCP's current average of -12.83 (once the highest and lowest polls are dropped):


• Strongly Approve: 29% (-3)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 46% (+3)
• Total Approve: 44% (-2)
• Total Disapprove: 55% (+3)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 32% (-1)
• Strongly Disapprove: 44% (+1)
• Total Approve: 46%
• Total Disapprove: 53% (+1)

The RCP's latest average betting odds swings even more toward Biden, +9.5 (+5.7 from last week).

[Drlee]

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of May 31-June 4, 2020 has climbed to 104.6, up from 101.4 the week before, as the economy roars back despite nationwide racial protest.

Please people. Stop reading here. This fucking bogus organization calls this objective reporting. They are an arm of the republican party.

For the record, the economy is not roaring back. In fact this week saw a massive drop in the DOW. And the economy was not in the dumps because of "racial protest".

Fucking ignorant shit. Typical Rasmussan propaganda.

[Pants-of-dog]

Trump fired the team responsible for reacting to pandemics:

https://climate.law.columbia.edu/conten ... -dissolved

NSC Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense Dissolved

In or around May 2018, the White House dissolved the National Security Council (NSC) Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense. Established in 2014, the Directorate was responsible for monitoring global health risks, including disease outbreaks, and coordinating the federal government's response thereto. It was dissolved as part of a broader reorganization of the NSC, which was oversee by then National Security Advisor John Bolton. As part of the reorganization, Directorate staff were reassigned to other NSC units, including one focused on weapons of mass destruction, and another responsible for international organizations. The Directorate's senior director, Rear Adm. R. Timothy Ziemer, was reportedly "pushed out" and left the NSC. A spokesperson for the NSC told reporters that the Trump administration "remains committed to global health, global health security and biodefense, and will continue to address it." However, critics fear that dissolution of the Directorate could hamper the federal government's response to future health crises, with one former government official describing the developments as a "really concerning rollback of progress on U.S. health security preparedness."

This is not the whole story.

Many of the responsibilities of this team were passed on to other groups, as part of a re-organisation to get rid of people who were not loyal to Trump, so this may not have had a significant impact on the US failure to contain the Trump virus.

[Doug64]

Please people. Stop reading here. This fucking bogus organization calls this objective reporting. They are an arm of the republican party.

For the record, the economy is not roaring back. In fact this week saw a massive drop in the DOW. And the economy was not in the dumps because of "racial protest".

Fucking ignorant shit. Typical Rasmussan propaganda.

Do you have anything to say about the polls, or do you just want to rant some more about how Rasmussen is run by Conservatives just like other polling companies are run by Leftists? And yes, I'd say a substantial increase in employment when everyone was expecting a further decline can be described as "roaring back" (at least, so long as your preferred party's political success doesn't depend on the economy continuing to drag). And yes, it is reasonable to think that the riots, looting, and arsons in many of this country's large cities might have a depressive economic impact.

Oh, and don't forget that for the immigration increase, the higher it is the greater the support for an expansive immigration system. So what Rasmussen is saying is that as the economy significantly improves, people are becoming more accepting of immigration and possible illegal migration. You can see the trends on the actual questions that make up the immigration index here.

[Drlee]

Sell it at to your friends at a Trump rally. I am not foolish enough to feed your confirmation bias.

The economy is roaring back.....

[Doug64]

Sell it at to your friends at a Trump rally. I am not foolish enough to feed your confirmation bias.

The economy is roaring back.....

And as expected, another Trump-like response--all abuse, no refutation.

[Drlee]

Refute what? You misdirection into some nonsense about immigration? Right now that is a non issue with the vast majority of voters. As the Trump Death Toll exceeds 300,000 by the election the only wall the people are going to want to build will be around the Republican Party Headquarters.

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Twenty-five percent (25%) 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 June 11, 2020. This week’s finding is down two points from a week ago and the lowest finding since July 2016.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of June 7-11, 2020 has climbed further to 105.7, up from 104.6 the week before, as America moves beyond the coronavirus crisis.

56% of Likely U.S. Voters who are serving in the military or have served in the past now view Trump as a weaker military commander in chief compared to most recent presidents. That’s a 22-point jump from 34% last October. In the earlier survey, 60% of veterans saw Trump as a stronger commander in chief. Now just 32% feel that way. Seven percent (7%) rate his military leadership as about the same as most of his recent predecessors.

34% of Likely U.S. Voters think the United States will experience a second civil war sometime in the next five years, but that includes only nine percent (9%) who say it’s Very Likely. This compares to 31% and 11% respectively two years ago. While Democrats were more worried about pending civil war in 2018, now Republicans (40%) are more likely than Democrats (28%) and voters not affiliated with either major party (38%) to see a second civil war on the horizon.

39% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the removal of Confederate symbols, names and monuments throughout the country honoring those who fought in the first civil war will help race relations. Twenty-seven percent (27%) disagree and think it will hurt race relations instead. These numbers are reversed from August 2017 when 28% said removal of the symbols would help race relations, while 39% thought it would hurt instead. Little changed is the 28% who think the removal of public traces of the Confederacy will have no impact.

23% of Americans Adults give good or excellent marks to race relations in America today. That’s down from a high of 34% in January. Thirty-nine percent (39%) now consider race relations poor, up from 31% five months ago. Only 25% believe race relations are getting better, while 43% say they’re getting worse. This compares to 30% and 41% at the start of the year. But in June 2017, an all-time low of 18% said race relations were getting better, while 52% felt they were getting worse.

73% of American Adults think racism refers to any discrimination by people of one race against another. Just 19% feel racism refers only to discrimination by white people against minorities. But 28% of blacks consider most Americans racist, compared to 20% of whites and 23% of other minority adults. Blacks (33%) are also more likely than whites (14%) and other minorities (25%) to think racism applies only to discrimination by whites against minorities.

59% of Likely U.S. Voters believe all lives matter when asked which of the statements is closer to their own. But that’s down from 78% when we first asked this question in August 2015.Thirty percent (30%) say black lives matter, up from 11% in the previous survey. Nine percent (9%) say neither statement reflects their point of view.

48% of U.S. homeowners still think the value of their home is likely to go up over the next year. Just nine percent (9%) say it’s more likely to go down, while 37% expect their home’s value to remain about the same. Fifty-two percent (52%) said the value of their home was likely to go up a year ago, just short of the high of 53% reached in October 2017.

30% of Likely U.S. Voters trust the political news they are getting. Most (53%) do not. That compares to 32% and a high of 54% a year ago. Seventeen percent (17%) remain undecided. Only 36% didn't trust political news in January of 2017, but that number was in the 40s from 2014 through 2016. Just 10% of voters think most reporters are trying to help Trump pass his agenda when they write or talk about the president. Forty-four percent (44%) believe instead that most are trying to block Trump’s agenda, although that’s down from a high of 51% in August of last year. Thirty-eight percent (38%) say most reporters are simply interested in reporting the news in an unbiased manner. By comparison, 48% thought most reporters were trying to help President Obama pass his agenda in 2010 when Rasmussen Reports first asked this question.

36% of Likely Republican Voters believe the attitudes of GOP voters remain about the same as those of the party’s leaders. Just as many (36%) say Republican voters are becoming more conservative than the GOP leadership, while 20% think these voters are becoming more liberal. Similarly, 38% of Likely Democratic Voters continue to share attitudes that are about the same as the party’s leadership. But 41% say Democratic voters are becoming more liberal than their leaders, while 16% believe these voters are turning more conservative.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -8 for the week is substantially below the RCP's current average of -12.33 (once the highest and lowest polls are dropped):


• Strongly Approve: 32% (+3)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 45% (-1)
• Total Approve: 45% (+1)
• Total Disapprove: 53% (-2)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 31% (-1)
• Strongly Disapprove: 45% (+1)
• Total Approve: 45% (-1)
• Total Disapprove: 54% (+1)

The RCP's latest average betting odds swings even more toward Biden, +14.6 (+4.9 from last week).

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Twenty-five percent (25%) 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 June 18, 2020. This week’s finding is the same as a week ago and the lowest finding since July 2016. By comparison, this number ran in the mid- to upper 20s for much of 2016, President Obama's last full year in office.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of June 14-18, 2020 held steady at 105.5, little changed from 105.7 the week before.

48% of Likely U.S. Voters think the average Democrat in Congress is more liberal than they are, although that’s down from 54% three years ago. Only 18% feel the average congressional Democrat is more conservative, while 29% say politically their views are about the same. When it comes to the average Republican in Congress, 43% still say he or she is more conservative than they are, but that compares to 51% who felt that way in 2017. Twenty-one percent (21%) think the average GOP Congress member is more liberal than they are, while 27% consider their views about the same.

63% of American Adults still regard being a police officer as one of the most important jobs in our country today, down only slightly from 68% three years ago. Twenty-six percent (26%) disagree, up from 19% in the earlier survey. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. Sixty-four percent (64%) are concerned that the growing criticism of America’s police will lead to a shortage of police officers and reduce public safety in the community where they live. That includes 39% who are Very Concerned. But 33% don’t share that concern, with 14% who are Not At All Concerned about the risk to public safety. Blacks (67%) are the most concerned about public safety where they live, compared to 63% of whites and 65% of other minority Americans.

29% of American Adults believe it’s a good thing that many police officers belong to public employee unions. Just as many (30%) say it’s a bad thing. Nineteen percent (19%) say police unions have no impact, while a sizable 22% are not sure. Only 28% believe police unions are more interested in public safety than in the welfare of their members. Fifty-five percent (55%) say the unions are more interested in protecting their members’ jobs. Eighteen percent (18%) are undecided. This is comparable to attitudes expressed about teachers unions which most Americans believe are more interested in protecting their members’ jobs than they are in the quality of education. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Americans think it is too hard to get rid of bad police officers. Just seven percent (7%) say it’s too easy, while 24% rate the level of difficulty as about right. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. This, too, is comparable to attitudes about firing poorly performing government employees in general.

69% of American Adults disagree with this statement: “All murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus and his European mother and their white friends should also come down. They are a gross form [of] white supremacy. Created as tools of oppression. Racist propaganda. They should all come down.” Just 13% agree with the statement by BLM activist Shaun King. Eighteen percent (18%) are undecided. Support for removing “white Jesus” from churches is far higher among blacks (31%) than it is among whites (9%) and other minority Americans (13%).

53% of American Adults say they are likely to “dine in” at a restaurant within the next month, including 26% who plan to do so within the next week. But 41% say they won’t be eating in a restaurant any time soon. Sixty-one percent (61%) are concerned that dining at a restaurant will cause them to catch the coronavirus, with 29% who are Very Concerned. Among those who aren’t planning to dine in at a restaurant any time soon, 53% are Very Concerned about catching the coronavirus that way. This compares to just 11% of those who plan to eat at a restaurant within the next week.

52% of Likely U.S. Voters feel personally less safe than they did four years ago. Nineteen percent (19%) feel more safe now, while 26% say their feeling of personal safety is about the same. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Democrats and 53% of voters not affiliated with either major party feel less safe now, compared to just 39% of Republicans. GOP voters are more likely than the others to feel more safe. Forty-nine percent (49%) of all voters believe Biden, the putative Democratic presidential nominee, will make America a safer place to live. Forty-two percent (42%) disagree and think Trump will do a better job. Among voters who feel less safe than they did four years ago, 70% believe Biden will make America safer. Just 22% express more confidence in Trump.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -6 for the week is substantially below the RCP's current average of -14.1 (once the highest and lowest polls are dropped):


• Strongly Approve: 34% (+2)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 45%
• Total Approve: 46% (+1)
• Total Disapprove: 52% (-1)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 32% (+1)
• Strongly Disapprove: 45%
• Total Approve: 45%
• Total Disapprove: 53% (-1)

The RCP's latest average betting odds continues its swing toward Biden, +22 (+7.4 from last week).

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Twenty-four percent (24%) 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 June 25, 2020.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of June 21-25, 2020 reached a new high of 108.1, up from105.5, the week before. The Index has been trending upward over the past month as the U.S. economy rebounds from the coronavirus lockdown and racial protests continue in many parts of the country.

38% of Likely U.S. Voters think Biden is suffering from some form of dementia. Based on what they have seen and read, 48% disagree, but 14% are not sure. Twenty percent (20%) of voters in his own party think Biden has dementia. But that compares to 66% of Republicans and 30% of voters not affiliated with either major party.

78% of American Adults are concerned personally about the coronavirus threat, with 46% who are Very Concerned. This is unchanged from mid-May. Only 19% are not very or Not At All Concerned about the virus. Eighty-four percent (84%) were concerned about the coronavirus threat in late March, up from 56% when the virus first reached these shores in late January. But as the coronavirus lingers in America, confidence in our public health system has fallen to a new low. Forty-eight percent (48%) remain confident that the U.S. public health system will be able to contain the coronavirus, but that includes only 19% who are Very Confident. This compares to 61% and 22% respectively just over a month ago. Seventy-two percent (72%) were confident in January, with 20% Very Confident.

54% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Americans would fill construction, technology, hospitality and other service jobs now taken by immigrants if the pay and working conditions were improved. Thirty-three percent (33%) disagree and say there are just not enough Americans willing to do that kind of work. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure. The younger the voter the more likely they are to agree that Americans would take those jobs if pay and working conditions were improved. The less one earns annually, the more likely he or she is to believe that Americans would take those jobs if the price was right.

50% of Likely U.S. Voters favor the death penalty. Thirty-five percent (35%) are opposed, while 14% are undecided. Support for the death penalty among Americans has ranged from 49% to 67% in surveys since 2009. Interestingly, support tends to run higher when Americans are asked about specific cases like the Florida high school massacre in 2018, the shooting deaths of parishoners at a black church in Charleston, S.C. in 2015, the 2012 shootings at a Colorado movie theater and the Boston Marathon bomber. When asked which is closer to their way of thinking, 37% of voters who favor the death penalty believe it is an effective way to deter crime. But most of these voters (58%) say instead that the death penalty removes a violent offender from society and prevents them from hurting others again. Four percent (4%) choose something else.

64% of all American Adults think it’s likely that schools in their community will reopen this fall, although that includes only 23% who say it’s Very Likely. Twenty-seven percent (27%) say local school reopenings are unlikely, with six percent (6%) who say they are Not At All Likely. Among parents with school-aged children, 68% say they are likely to send their children back to school if the schools reopen in the fall, with 45% who say they are Very Likely to do so. Twenty-eight percent (28%) say they are unlikely to let their kids return to school yet, but only six percent (6%) of these parents say it’s Not At All Likely. By comparison, 46% of those with school-aged children said in mid-April that they were likely to send their kids back to school if the schools reopened before the end of the spring, including 35% who were Very Likely to send them back. Forty-nine percent (49%) were unlikely to let them go back to finish the spring semester, with 31% who said it was Not At All Likely.

75% of Likely U.S. Voters do not believe that Mount Rushmore should be closed or changed because two of the four presidents it honors – George Washington and Thomas Jefferson - were slave owners. Seventeen percent (17%) believe the iconic memorial in South Dakota should be closed or changed. But this compares to 90% who opposed closing or changing Mount Rushmore when Rasmussen Reports first asked this question three years ago. Similarly, 71% still oppose removing the names of the early presidents like Washington and Jefferson who were slave owners from public places and taking down statues in their honor. Eighteen percent (18%) favor such moves. However, this compares to 88% and seven percent (7%) respectively in 2017. The most notable change on both questions is among voters under 40. One-third (33%) of these younger voters are now ready to close or change Mount Rushmore and remove the names and statues of the early presidents who were slave owners. Roughly 10% of older voters agree in both cases.

40% of American Adults believe the Founding Fathers would consider the United States a success if they came back today. Nearly as many (38%) say the group which includes George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin would view America as a failure. Twenty-two percent (22%) are undecided. This is comparable to voter attitudes three years ago. In 2013, however, only 34% believed the Founding Fathers would consider the United States a success. Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans still consider the Fourth of July one of our nation’s most important holidays, but that’s down from 53% a year ago and a high of 61% in 2016. Eight percent (8%) see Independence Day as one of our least important holidays, while 38% rate it somewhere in between. Americans continue to rank the Fourth of July high in overall importance, just after Christmas.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -10 for the week is below the RCP's current average of -14.6 (once the highest and lowest polls are dropped), though not as much as last week:


• Strongly Approve: 32% (-2)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 46% (+1)
• Total Approve: 44% (-2)
• Total Disapprove: 54% (+2)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 32%
• Strongly Disapprove: 45%
• Total Approve: 45%
• Total Disapprove: 53%

The RCP's latest average betting odds swings back away from Biden a bit this week, +18.7 (-3.3 from last week).

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Twenty-five percent (25%) 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 July 2, 2020. This week’s finding is up one point from a week ago.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of June 28-July 2, 2020 fell to 104.3, from the previous week’s high of 108.1. The Index had been trending up for several weeks as the country continues to wrestle with the coronavirus recovery and racial unrest.

As racial unrest and the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic continue, the president earned a monthly job approval of 45% in June, down from 47% in May and his high of 49% for the year to date in February.

49% of all Likely U.S. Voters now have a favorable opinion of Roberts, with 13% who view him Very Favorably. Thirty-six percent (36%) regard him unfavorably, including 12% Very Unfavorable. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. Despite strong Democrat opposition to Robert’s nomination in 2005, however, 56% of Democratic voters now view Roberts favorably, compared to 47% of Republicans and 41% of voters not affiliated with either major political party.

Forty-one percent (41%) of Likely U.S. Voters give the U.S. Supreme Court good or excellent marks for the way it is doing its job. This is down only slightly from an all-time high of 43% in 2018 and 2019. Positives for the high court ran in the low to mid-30s for several years prior to that. Seventeen percent (17%) still rate the Supreme Court’s performance as poor. Fifty-four percent (54%) believe that most Supreme Court justices have their own political agenda, up from 48% in March prior to Robert’s surprise siding with liberal members of the court on several rulings. But this finding has run as high as 65% in over 10 years of surveying.Thirty percent (30%) disagree and say most justices generally remain impartial, down from 37% four months ago. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure.

44% of Likely U.S. Voters are more likely to vote for Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Fifty-one percent (51%) say they’re more likely to vote against him. These findings are unchanged from January. Last September when Rasmussen Reports first asked this question, 42% said they were more likely to vote for the president; 52% were not. Among those who say they are more likely to vote against Trump, 63% say their vote is more likely to be against him than for some other candidate, up from 50% in January and 58% last year. Thirty-two percent (32%) say their vote is more likely to be for some other candidate on the ballot.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds Biden earning 50% support among Likely U.S. Voters to Trump’s 40%. Six percent (6%) remain undecided. The new survey finds Trump with 74% of the Republican vote. Biden has the support of 79% of Democrats. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, it’s Biden 48%, Trump 36%.

Thirty-four percent (34%) of Likely U.S. Voters say they or someone in their family has lost a full-time or part-time job this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey. More than 45 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the pandemic started. Sixty-six percent (66%) of voters think Congress should require U.S. employers to use the federal electronic E-Verify system for all new hires to ensure that open jobs are filled with these unemployed Americans and not with illegal workers. Just 19% disagree, with 16% undecided. With minorities particularly hard hit by these job losses, 67% say the government should not allow employers to import foreign workers to fill job openings instead of recruiting among unemployed Americans. Only 19% say employers should be allowed to hire foreigners. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure.

56% of Likely U.S. Voters give the government poor marks for its response to the violent racial protests in some cities, including attacks on historical monuments. Just 23% believe the government has done a good or excellent job. Fifty-seven percent (57%) think the government should stop these violent protests. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say they should be allowed to continue. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure. Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans and 55% of voters not affiliated with either major political party say the government should halt these violent protests, but just 43% of Democrats agree. Fifty-six percent (56%) of all voters also believe the government should criminally prosecute those who have damaged or destroyed historical monuments. Thirty-two percent (32%) oppose prosecution, while 11% are undecided.

Thirty-five percent (35%) of American Adults rate the economy as good or excellent this month, up another three points from last month but still well below the highs reported at the beginning of 2020. Thirty-three percent (33%) say the economy is poor, down six points from June and an 11-point improvement from May's all-time high. Twenty-eight percent (28%) think the economy is getting better, up just two points from a month ago. Forty-eight percent (48%) still expect a worsening economy, but that’s a four-point improvement from June and 19 points better than April’s most pessimistic view of economic direction. Seventeen percent (17%) see things staying about the same. By comparison, just prior to the 2016 presidential election, 31% rated the economy as good or excellent, and 26% expected it to get better.

70% of American Adults now say they wear a face mask whenever they go out in public. Another 22% wear one only at certain times. Just six percent (6%) do not wear a mask at all. This compares to 57% of likely voters who wore a mask whenever they were in public as of late April. Twenty-nine percent (29%) wore one at certain times, while 14% never wore a face mask. Forty-five percent (45%) now favor handing out fines or jail time to those who refuse to wear a face mask in public at all times in the area where they live. Thirty-six percent (36%) oppose such penalties. Twenty percent (20%) are undecided. In the April survey, 41% of voters agreed with a decision by a Houston judge to hand out $1,000 fines or jail time to those who went maskless in public; 47% were opposed, with 12% not sure.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -8 for the week is well below the RCP's current average of -14.75 (once the highest and lowest polls are dropped), more than last week:


• Strongly Approve: 32%
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 45% (-1%)
• Total Approve: 45% (+1)
• Total Disapprove: 53% (-1)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 32%
• Strongly Disapprove: 45%
• Total Approve: 45%
• Total Disapprove: 53%

The RCP's latest average betting odds swings toward Biden a bit this week, +19.2 (+0.5 from last week).

[Drlee]

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of June 28-July 2, 2020 fell to 104.3, from the previous week’s high of 108.1. The Index had been trending up for several weeks as the country continues to wrestle with the coronavirus recovery and racial unrest.

So this statement makes no sense at all. Immigration index tied to corona virus and racial unrest? Talk about deliberately deceptive.

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Twenty-four percent (24%) 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 July 9, 2020. This week’s finding is down one point from a week ago. By comparison, this number ran in the mid- to upper 20s for much of 2016, President Obama's last full year in office. Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up three points from last week. This is the highest finding since July 2016.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of July 5-9, 2020 rose slightly to 105.3 from 104.3 the previous week.

42% of American Adults now think the Washington Redskins should keep their name after some Native American groups have complained that it is offensive. Just as many (42%) say the team should change its name. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided. Six years ago when then-President Obama joined the chorus calling for a name change, 60% of Americans said the Redskins should not change their name. Just 26% favored a change.

54% of Likely U.S. Voters think Biden is capable of debating the president. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree and say he is not capable of such a debate. Another 11% are not sure. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of voters think it is important for Biden and Trump to hold one or more televised presidential debates this fall, with 51% who say it’s Very Important. Fifty-six percent (56%) believe it would hurt Biden’s candidacy if he refused to debate Trump. Only nine percent (9%) say it would help him, while 29% feel a failure to debate would have no impact on Biden’s bid for the White House.

President Trump has jumped back into the race and now trails Joe Biden by just three points in Rasmussen Reports’ weekly White House Watch survey.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds the likely Democratic presidential nominee earning 47% support among Likely U.S. Voters to Trump’s 44%. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate. Four percent (4%) are undecided. A week ago, in our first weekly White House Watch survey, Biden held a 10-point lead over Trump – 50% to 40%. The new survey finds Trump with 79% of the Republican vote. Biden has the support of 76% of Democrats. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, it’s Biden 44%, Trump 38%. A week ago, Biden had a 12-point lead among independents.

87% of American Adults plan to file by July 15, including 79% who have already filed. Five percent (5%) intend to seek a further extension. Among those who have already filed, 77% say they filed their taxes by the original April 15 deadline.

66% of Likely U.S. Voters consider cutting taxes important to their vote in the upcoming presidential election, with 35% who say it’s Very Important. For 31%, cutting taxes is not an important issue, including 14% who say it’s Not At All Important. If Biden defeats Trump, 53% believe their taxes are more likely to go up. Only 14% say they are more likely to go down, while 25% expect their taxes to remain about the same. If Trump is reelected, 28% feel their taxes are more likely to go up, while 21% say they’re more likely to go down. Forty-three percent (43%) predict that their taxes will remain about the same. Among voters who say cutting taxes is Very Important to their vote, 59% think their taxes are likely to go up if Biden is elected, compared to 32% who see a likely tax hike under Trump.

51% of Likely U.S. Voters favor eliminating the Electoral College so that whoever wins a majority of the popular vote wins the election. Forty percent (40%) are opposed. Support for eliminating the Electoral College is up from 46% in May of last year but is down from a high of 56% in November 2012. Opposition has increased steadily from 25% when Rasmussen Reports first asked this question nearly eight years ago. Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters continue to understand that the function of the Electoral College – as established by the U.S. Constitution - is to ensure that the states with the biggest populations don’t completely control presidential elections. But that’s down from 67% last year. Twenty-six percent (26%) disagree and incorrectly believe the best description of the Electoral College’s function is to make sure all votes are cast legally in presidential elections.

58% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with this statement – “As places like The [New York] Times and other once-great journalistic institutions betray their standards and lose sight of their principles, Americans still hunger for news that is accurate, opinions that are vital and debate that is sincere.” Just 24% disagree with the statement from editor Bari Weiss’ resignation letter. Seventeen percent (17%) are undecided. But 63% believe most major news organizations in this country have their own political agenda. Only 27% feel these news organizations generally remain impartial. Democrats (42%), however, are far less likely than Republicans (87%) and voters not affiliated with either major party (63%) to believe most news organizations are politically biased.

26% of American Adults believe Americans have true freedom of speech today. Sixty-five percent (65%) say instead that Americans have to be careful not to say something politically incorrect to avoid getting in trouble. These findings have changed little in surveys for the past several years. Sixty-three percent (63%) consider political correctness a problem in America today, although this finding is down from 70% a year ago and a high of 79% in 2011. Only 21% disagree, while 16% are undecided. Rasmussen Reports did not define political correctness in its questions. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "political correctness" as “conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated,” and it has come to be understood by many as prohibiting critical comments about politically sensitive topics and groups. How do voters define political correctness? For 37%, it protects groups that have historically been discriminated against. But a plurality (47%) says political correctness is a tool used to silence political and social opponents. Seventeen percent (17%) are undecided.

And here's the President's job approval over the last week. Rasmussen's -6 for the week is well below the RCP's current average of -13.88 (once the highest and lowest polls are dropped), even more than last week:


• Strongly Approve: 36% (+4%)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 44% (-1%)
• Total Approve: 46% (+1)
• Total Disapprove: 52% (-1)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 33% (+1%)
• Strongly Disapprove: 45%
• Total Approve: 46% (+1)
• Total Disapprove: 53%

The RCP's latest average betting odds continues its swing toward Biden this week, +23.6 (+4.4 from last week).