Voters Now Trust Republicans More On All 10 Key Issues

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats on all 10 of the important issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports.

The GOP has consistently been trusted on most issues for months now, but in July they held the lead on only nine of the key issues.

Republicans lead Democrats 47% to 39% on the economy, which remains the most important issue to voters. Those numbers are nearly identical to those found in June. Republicans have held the advantage on the economy since May of last year.

But for the first time in months, Republicans now hold a slight edge on the issues of government ethics and corruption, 40% to 38%. Voters have been mostly undecided for the past several months on which party to trust more on this issue, but Democrats have held small leads since February. Still, more than one-in-five voters (22%) are still not sure which party to trust more on ethics issues.

Government ethics and corruption have been second only to the economy in terms of importance to voters over the past year.

Two surveys of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters each were conducted August 19-20 and August 23-24, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

Republicans hold a 52% to 36% lead over Democrats on the issue of taxes. It's the only issue this month on which the GOP earns the trust of the majority of voters. In June, more than 50% of voters nationwide trusted Republicans more on the issues of national security, taxes and health care.

Voters trust the GOP over Democrats by a 49% to 37% margin on national security and the War on Terror but give the GOP just a 43% to 40% edge on the war in Iraq. Republicans are trusted more by 43% to handle the war in Afghanistan, compared to 36% for Democrats.

On the issue of immigration, Republicans are trusted more by a 44% to 35% margin. That gap has narrowed slightly from June, when the GOP led 47% to 32% on the issue. It was the party’s largest advantage since January.

Despite a judge’s ruling putting key provisions of Arizona’s new immigration law on hold, most U.S. voters still favor passage of such a law in their own state.

An overwhelming majority of voters think all those who vote in this country should be required to present photo identification before they cast their ballots.

On health care, voters now trust Republicans slightly more - by a 48% to 40% margin. In June, the GOP held a 51% to 40% edge on this issue. Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters continue to favor repeal of the national health care bill, with 46% who Strongly Favor it.

The parties remain close on the issue of education, with the GOP holding a statistically insignificant 41% to 40% edge. Both parties have held very modest leads on this issue for the past several months.

When it comes to the issue of Social Security, voters again give the Republicans the edge, this time by a 44% to 38% margin.

Republicans hold a nine-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, August 22, 2010. They've led on the ballot since last summer.

Incumbent members of Congress don’t exactly get a vote of confidence from their constituents. Just 27% of voters think their representative in Congress is the best possible person for the job, down six points from November of last year. Only 37% believe their local congressional representative deserves reelection, compared to 42% who felt that way way last fall.

Sixty percent (60%) of voters say most members of Congress don’t care what their constituents think. Most voters continue to believe it would be better for the country if the majority of Congress is thrown out this November, but they also remain unconvinced that a Republican takeover will make a noticeable difference.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/trust_on_issues

[BobandXiaomei 14]

I don't trust either party with these issues. We have to pick the devil we dislike the least.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I don't trust either party with these issues. We have to pick the devil we dislike the least.

I agree. The suits make me just as nervous as the hippies do.

[slim 1,530]

This is the whole problem with American politics. People are too stupid to realize the problem isn't within either party... it's the fact that there is a party, period! If they were smart, they'd vote for the candidate that represented them and their interests, not one who was "endorsed" by a party.

Dummies!

[BobandXiaomei 14]

This is the whole problem with American politics. People are too stupid to realize the problem isn't within either party... it's the fact that there is a party, period! If they were smart, they'd vote for the candidate that represented them and their interests, not one who was "endorsed" by a party.

Dummies!

I seem to recall reading that one of our founding fathers (Washington?) wanted the Constitution to outlaw the establishment of political parties.

[IncorrectPolitics 26]

And the vicious cycle will repeat itself. The republicans will win by a landslide in every election, things will go even further down the drain when the republicans sh!t on everything, and everyone will blame the republicans and vote democrat next time. Then the democrats will sh!t on everything after winning most of the elections and so on.......

[alienlovechild 75]

I seem to recall reading that one of our founding fathers (Washington?) wanted the Constitution to outlaw the establishment of political parties.

The political parties aren't in the Constitution anyway. They didn't emerge as organized sustained parties until the 1830s or 1840s.

The belief is parties help voters by having an set of beliefs that a candidate agrees with even if you don't know where a particular stands. Most voters don't know every candidate but party identification acts as a readily symbol that voters can latch onto. There's also the notion that parties will select to strongest candidates because they want to win.

The antiparty talk arises in hard times but not a single third party has beaten the big two in a 150 years with slate of candidates. I don't see happening now either.

[BobandXiaomei 14]

The political parties aren't in the Constitution anyway. They didn't emerge as organized sustained parties until the 1830s or 1840s.

The belief is parties help voters by having an set of beliefs that a candidate agrees with even if you don't know where a particular stands. Most voters don't know every candidate but party identification acts as a readily symbol that voters can latch onto. There's also the notion that parties will select to strongest candidates because they want to win.

The antiparty talk arises in hard times but not a single third party has beaten the big two in a 150 years with slate of candidates. I don't see happening now either.

Agreed. No mention of parties at all. The statement was the someone wanted them outlawed. But there were early differences before the 1830s; recall the bitter feud between Adams and Jefferson over the government. Adams being Federalist centric.

[Note: Also recall that the later developed a very strong friendship. Both died the same year, on July 4th.]

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The worst thing politicians ever called themselves around and directly after our founding was 'party men.'

The idea of parties was digusting to many of them.

Of course, so was the idea of a continued fiat monetary system..... look where we are today on both counts

[Pooky 3,809]

Incumbent members of Congress don’t exactly get a vote of confidence from their constituents. Just 27% of voters think their representative in Congress is the best possible person for the job, down six points from November of last year. Only 37% believe their local congressional representative deserves reelection, compared to 42% who felt that way way last fall.

Sixty percent (60%) of voters say most members of Congress don’t care what their constituents think. Most voters continue to believe it would be better for the country if the majority of Congress is thrown out this November, but they also remain unconvinced that a Republican takeover will make a noticeable difference.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/trust_on_issues

For me, these last two are the salient points in the whole article. The electorate don't like who they have now and don't think that who they elect in November will make a difference. Combined, they constitute a sad indictment of American politics.

This is the whole problem with American politics. People are too stupid to realize the problem isn't within either party... it's the fact that there is a party, period! If they were smart, they'd vote for the candidate that represented them and their interests, not one who was "endorsed" by a party.

Dummies!

The people aren't as stupid as you make out. A large number are frustrated that the system is weighted against making any change, unless it comes from within. And change from within is resisted by both parties, so it takes time.

[Darnell 8,478]

Yay voters !!!

Voters are cool !

I likes me some Voters !!!

GoGoGadget BuyYerVotesOften !

[slim 1,530]

And the vicious cycle will repeat itself. The republicans will win by a landslide in every election, things will go even further down the drain when the republicans sh!t on everything, and everyone will blame the republicans and vote democrat next time. Then the democrats will sh!t on everything after winning most of the elections and so on.......

Exactly. It is a downward spiral and is going to continue until the whole thing goes under.

The antiparty talk arises in hard times but not a single third party has beaten the big two in a 150 years with slate of candidates. I don't see happening now either.

This is what proves how stupid people are.

The people aren't as stupid as you make out. A large number are frustrated that the system is weighted against making any change, unless it comes from within. And change from within is resisted by both parties, so it takes time.

Exactly the point. Instead of changing the whole system (by voting in independents or "other" party candidates) people keep trying to change their particular party, or more actually, just switch back and forth.

[mawilson 2,133]

Sounds like we're fuсked.

Time to move to Australia?