Friday, August 12, 2011

71% Believe Economy Is Getting Worse, Not Better

A new Fox News poll, conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), shows that 64% of the country is not hopeful about the direction of the country today.

Most Republicans (81 percent) and independents (74 percent) are not hopeful. Democrats are alone in feeling more hopeful than not -- but just barely: 49-46 percent.


The full results of the poll also show that 71% of the country believes the nation’s economy is getting worse with only 17% believing it is getting better and 10% saying it is staying the same and 3% don't know.

Voters by 3-to-1 say Americans are over-taxed, and a 74-percent majority expects the government will continue to spend more than it takes in despite the deal.


Another interesting finding from the full poll results:

Question #11- Almost all members of Congress, whether they voted for the debt deal or not, said they were unhappy with parts of the agreement. If you were in Congress, how would you have voted on the debt agreement -- yes or no?

(IF YES) Would you have voted yes, because you think it was necessary so the government could pay its bills, or because you think it was a good first step toward getting the nation out of debt?
(IF NO)
Would you have voted no because you oppose raising the debt limit and putting the nation further in debt, or because the deal did not include any tax increases?

Yes, necessary to pay bills ---- 28%
Yes, good first step to reduce debt --- 12%
No, oppose raising debt limit --- 34%
No, it didn’t include any tax increases --- 11%
(Don’t know)--- 15%

Others findings include but are not limited to;

*** 74% "expect the federal government to continue to spend more than it takes in despite the new debt limit agreement," only 18% think the government will not and 7% don't know.

Click here for the full Fox News poll results

[Update]



These poll results on the question of the direction of the country are confirmed by the RCP average which include a variety of polling organizations to show an average of 73.8 thinking the country is on the wrong track.

McClatchy/Marist finds 70% list wrong direction while 21% says right.
Reuters/Ipsos finds 73% list wrong direction while 21% says right.
Democracy Corps (D) finds 75% list wrong direction while 16% says right.
Rasmussen finds 77% list wrong direction while 16% says right.

It is telling that more people now think the country is going in the wrong direction now than when Obama first took office.

.