Could Barack Obama’s great week mark a turning point in his poll numbers? After months of stagnant approval ratings, a new CNN/ORC poll finds that for the first time in more than two years, 50% of Americans approve of the way Obama is handling the presidency. CONT. Jennifer Agiesta, CNN […] Read more »
Democrats Need to Give Voters a Reason to Participate
Democrats are well positioned leading into next year’s elections if they give their base, particularly unmarried women, a reason to turn out and vote. As this research demonstrates, the promise of an agenda that addresses the real economy of everyday Americans and—this is an equally important piece—also provides them with […] Read more »
Consumer confidence records best six months in past decade
In the first half of 2015 consumers voiced the largest and most sustained increase in economic optimism since 2004, according to the University of Michigan (U-M) Surveys of Consumers. … Just as important, that same record was set by households in the top third of the income distribution as well […] Read more »
Consumer Comfort in U.S. Increased Last Week by Most Since April
Consumer confidence rose last week by the most since the beginning of April as Americans’ views of the buying climate and their finances improved. The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index increased to 42.6 in the period ended June 21 after climbing to 40.9 the prior week. CONT. Erin Roman, Bloomberg Read more »
Fox News Poll: Views on economy improving, yet 59 percent still say it’s in bad shape
Yes, people are feeling somewhat better about the economy. But it remains a top concern, as most continue to think the economy is in bad shape. They also feel others have benefitted more than them from President Obama’s economic policies and, not surprisingly, tend to rate him negatively on the […] Read more »
Why Don’t the Poor Rise Up?
… Society has drastically changed since the high-water mark of the 1930s and 1960s when collective movements captured the public imagination. Now, there is an inexorable pressure on individuals to, in effect, fly solo. There is very little social support for class-based protest – what used to be called solidarity. […] Read more »