These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
With less than five days left until the federal government could begin defaulting on its debts, voters continue to express unhappiness with both sides of the debt ceiling debate. While most voters continue to believe the debt ceiling will be raised before the government defaults, most don't think the president and Congressional Republicans will agree on significant long-term spending cuts before the 2012 elections.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 70% believe it's at least somewhat likely that the debt ceiling will be raised before the government begins defaulting on its debts. Only 18% don't think the debt ceiling will be raised by Tuesday, while another 12% are undecided. These findings include 33% who say a debt ceiling increase is Very Likely and just three percent (3%) who think it's Not at all Likely to happen. (To see survey question wording, click here .)
The number that says the debt ceiling will be raised before the government defaults is down slightly from 76% two weeks ago .
However, less than half of voters (42%) say it's likely President Obama and congressional Republicans will reach an agreement to significantly cut long-term government spending trends before the 2012 elections, including just eight percent (8%) who say it's Very Likely. Fifty-one percent (51%) don't believe it's likely the two sides will reach this agreement, including 15% who say it's Not At All Likely.
Only 35% of voters nationwide approve the way the president and congressional Democrats are handling the debt ceiling debate, while most (61%) disapprove.
Republicans aren't off the hook either: 38% approve of the way the GOP are handling the debate while 57% disapprove. Voter sentiments about both sides are similar to those found last week .
Thirty-nine percent (39%) of voters Strongly Disapprove of the way Democrats and the president are handling the issue, while virtually the same number (38%) Strongly Disapprove of the GOP.
The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 26-27, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points witha 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC .See methodology .
A majority of voters from all political parties believe the debt ceiling will be raised before the government defaults. But while 56% of Democrats say it's likely the GOP and the president will reach an agreement on long-term spending, most GOP voters (65%) and voters not affiliated with either party (55%) see this outcome as unlikely.
Unaffiliated voters are equally critical of Republicans and Democrats in the debt ceiling debate. Roughly 60% of Republican and Democratic voters approve of the way their party leaders are handling the debate.
Eighty-seven percent (87%) have been following news of the debt ceiling debate closely, with 59% who have been following Very Closely.
Political Class voters are more critical of Republicans than Democrats on the issue, while mainstream voters show more criticism towards the president's party.
Most voters nationwide are worried the final deal will raise taxes too much and cut spending too little .
Whatever spending cuts are in the final deal, 49% of all voters don't think the government will actually cut the spending agreed upon .
A commentary by Scott Rasmussen , published in Politico, put it this way: "Based on the history of the past few decades, voters have learned that politicians promising unspecified spending cuts should be treated with all the credibility of a six-year old boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar promising to be good for the rest of his life."
Seventy-five percent (75%) believe that even if the deal includes tax cuts only on the wealthy, ultimately taxes will be raised on the middle class, too .
Most voters (55%) oppose including any tax hikes in the debt deal .
Consumer and investor confidence fell to two-year lows this week.