Despite months of employment growth and the lowest unemployment rate since July 2008, more than 6-in-10 Americans think that the country is on the wrong track (62 percent). This negative judgment is fueled by continued economic concerns, coupled with more recent anxieties about the threats of Ebola and terrorism. The […] Read more »
Little Enthusiasm, Familiar Divisions After the GOP’s Big Midterm Victory
After a sweeping midterm election victory on Nov. 4, the Republican Party retook full control of Congress. But the public has mixed reactions to the GOP’s big win – much as it did four years ago, after Republicans gained control of the House though not the Senate. The post-election survey […] Read more »
Tuesday and What It Tells Us About 2016
The 2014 election was a major defeat of Democrats – a wave election that will have long-term consequences. It was produced by the Republicans who were energized by nationalizing the election around Barack Obama and it was also produced by the President’s failure to engage with an economic narrative and […] Read more »
Ebola Debuts on Americans’ List of Top U.S. Problems
As the quarantine period ends for people exposed to the first person in the U.S. to be diagnosed with Ebola, the virus for the first time ranks among the top 10 issues Americans consider to be the most important ones facing the country. However, Ebola still ranks behind five other […] Read more »
How’s the job market? Ups, downs of public sentiment mirror official stats
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 »
Governors, Like Obama, Getting No Bump From Better Economy
Using the economy as a frame, 2014 should be a good year for incumbents. Unemployment is down, GDP is up and the Great Recession is slipping further into the rearview mirror. And yet this year is looking like a tough one to seek re-election, even for those outside of Washington. […] Read more »