Americans may not be raging optimists when it comes to finding work — perhaps “skeptical realists” is closer to the mark — but their self-assessment of the job market tracks pretty closely with official unemployment statistics. CONT. Drew DeSilver, Pew Read more »
Voters sour on Congress; country’s direction makes them wince
Most Americans view the country moving in the wrong direction and don’t see their financial futures getting better anytime soon, attitudes likely to make it harder for Democrats to do well this fall, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll. CONT. David Lightman, McClatchy Read more »
NPR Poll: Senate Battleground Tilts Republican, But Still Anybody’s Game
With fewer than five weeks until election day, the political landscape continues to be tilted against President Obama and his party. The battle for control of the Senate — the biggest prize this year — remains close and could tip either way. Those are the findings of NPR’s latest bipartisan […] Read more »
Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index Declines
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had increased in August, declined in September. The Index now stands at 86.0 (1985=100), down from 93.4 in August. CONT. Conference Board Read more »
Big swing for Democrats, but not where they need it
Five weeks before the November midterm elections, voters give Democrats an edge over Republicans, according to a CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday. But the poll also indicates most of Democrats’ gains are coming from the Northeast and not from the parts of the country where they’re locked in tight contests that […] Read more »
Consumer sentiment strengthens in September
Consumer confidence posted a healthy gain in September due to more favorable prospects for the domestic economy as well as more favorable personal income expectations, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The September reading, the second highest in the last seven years, points toward renewed strength […] Read more »