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Americans Weigh In - Republicans and Democrats consider their picks for 2016 presidential candidates, telecommuting gets the thumbs up from employees, plus more national polls. — Joyce Jones and Britt Middleton

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Leaders of the Pack - If you think it's too early to be thinking about the 2016 presidential election, think again. Republicans are already testing the waters, and while Democrats may be acting a bit coy, they're thinking about it, too. In a Quinnipiac University poll released March 7, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie led their potential rivals, but Clinton would best Christie by 45 percent to 37 percent. (Photos from left: Peter Macdiarmid - WPA Pool/Getty Images,AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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Economic Toll - Obama's approval ratings are on the decline as Americans grow less confident in his handling of the economy. In a Washington Post/ABC News poll released March 13, his job approval rating has dipped to 50 percent. In addition, while still on top, the18 percent advantage Obama had over Republicans on who can be trusted more to deal with the economy is now more evenly divided at 44 percent to 40 percent. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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Protecting Women - President Obama last week reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, which serves to hand down stricter punishments for violent offenders and to provide resources for victims of sex crimes. In a Gallup poll released March 8, 82 percent of U.S. adults said that if it were up to them, they, too, would support a law that provides federal funding for programs geared toward helping female victims and prosecuting offenders. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Clueless - As the GOP remakes itself, it may want to study the American public first. A Pew Research Center poll published March 11 shows that 62 percent of Americans think Republicans are out of touch with American people, compared to 46 percent who say the same of Democrats. (Photo: Courtesy of GOP)

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Productivity or Pajamas? - While some employers may be hesitant to let employees work from home, many in the workforce say telecommuting can have its benefits. In a Harris Poll released March 11, 34 percent of people said they have worked from home at one point or another, 90 percent agreed telecommuting offered flexibility and 64 percent said it actually boosted their productivity. (Photo: GettyImages)

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Keeping Americans Employed - Across the country, many employers are feeling confident that they won't have to make substantial cuts to their workforce over the next several months. A ManpowerGroup poll of employers released March 12 found that only 5 percent expected cutbacks in the second fiscal quarter of the year and 73 percent expected to maintain current staff levels. (Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

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Better Safe … - Lawmakers continue to haggle over universal background checks and the ban of assault-style weapons in the debate over gun control. Americans, on the other hand, are very clear on where they stand. In a Quinnipiac University poll released March 7, 88 percent, including 85 percent of households with guns, said they support background checks for all gun buyers; 54 percent support a nationwide ban on assault weapons; and 54 percent support a ban on magazines with more than 10 rounds. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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In GOP They Trust - Republicans are far more likely to own guns and also have more faith in GOP lawmakers than President Obama to handle gun control. An ABC News poll released March 12 shows that 62 percent of Republicans have a gun in the home, compared to 42 percent of independents and 26 percent of Democrats. In addition, gun-owning households trust Republicans more than Obama on the issue by 56-26 percent. (Photo: Dennis Flaherty / Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Dennis Flahertyu0000 / Getty Images

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No Confidence - The U.S. government isn’t doing enough to protect "consumers from being taken advantage of" by financial advisers, according to the majority (80 percent) of investors surveyed in a Financial Planning Coalition study released March 11. Eighty-four percent said they agreed that financial advisers should actually be regulated by the federal government. (Photo: RaminTalaie/Getty Images)

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Keep It Healthy - While a judge may have struck down a New York City ban on the sale of super-size sodas, many Americans are still concerned about healthy foods, especially those sold in schools. In a Gallup poll released March 12, 67 percent of U.S. adults said they would vote for a law that limits sugary and high-fat snacks served in public school meals or sold elsewhere on campus. (Photo: AP Photo/Susan Walsh)