Americans are split when asked if the country’s best years are ahead of us or behind us, with views on the future quite differentiated across party lines. Republicans are much more pessimistic about the future of the country than are Democrats. [cont.] Frank Newport, Gallup Read more »
Economy Still Top Problem in U.S. but Less So Than in Past
Amid a seemingly bleak economic landscape that includes the possibility of no resolution to the fiscal cliff negotiations and news that the 17-country eurozone has returned to recession, Americans still rank the economy in general as the most important problem facing the country, with 23% citing it as the top […] Read more »
When Looking at Job Numbers, Add In a Changing America
For decades, the American labor force grew at a rapid rate, helping to spur strong economic growth. Those days are past. In the coming years, the labor force should grow at a more moderate pace, as significant demographic changes take hold. … With those demographic shifts, the usual measures of […] Read more »
Though More Optimistic, Americans Are Still Sharply Divided
After a campaign season of unprecedented expense and duration, taming the federal deficit and avoiding the fiscal cliff top the public’s To Do list for President Obama and Congress, the latest Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll has found. But in contrast to Washington’s nearly exclusive focus on the budgetary standoff, […] Read more »
Approaching the cliff
Voters often approach policy issues from a very different angle than do Washington elites. So it is with the fiscal cliff. Everyone thinks the debt and deficit are serious. Everyone thinks the problem should be fixed. The differences emerge on the “how.” While Washington fixates on which programs to cut […] Read more »
Americans See Best Job Climate Since the Financial Crisis
Nearly one in four Americans (24%) say it is a good time to find a quality job, triple the 8% who said the same a year ago and reflecting the most positive job market perceptions since March 2008. [cont.] Lymari Morales, Gallup Read more »