Right Direction or Wrong Track
24% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Twenty-four percent (24%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, June 26.
That's down two points from last week and the lowest finding in over two months. In April, prior to the killing of Osama bin Laden, the number who felt the country was heading in the right direction fell into the low 20s, the lowest findings of the Obama presidency, but the figure climbed back up to 29% in early to mid-May. The number who believe the country is on the right course has ranged from a low of 21% to a high of 35% since January 2009.
Sixty-eight percent (68%) of voters say the country is heading down the wrong track, up three points from last week and the highest level of pessimism since mid-April. Since January 2009, doubt about the country's direction has ranged from 57% to 72%.
Just nine percent (9%) of Republicans and 19% of voters not affiliated with either of the major political parties feel the country is heading in the right direction. Even a plurality (47%) of Democrats now think the country is heading down the wrong track.
Leading up to President Obama's inauguration, the number of voters who felt the country was heading in the right direction remained below 20%. The week of his inauguration in late January 2009, voter confidence rose to 27% and climbed into the low to mid-30s until mid-May of that year. Since then, belief that the country is heading in the right direction has trended lower.
Fifty-four percent (54%) of black voters think the country is heading in the right direction. Seventy-three percent (73%) of white voters and 66% of voters of other races feel the country is on the wrong track.
Seventy-two percent (72%) of Political Class voters believe the country is heading in the right direction. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Mainstream voters disagree.
Nearly half of voters give the president poor marks for his handling of the economy, but he continues to earn higher respect for his performance in the area of national security.
A generic Republican candidate holds a four-point lead over the president in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup. It's the fifth week in a row that the GOP candidate has been ahead and the widest gap between the candidates to date.
Voters are more willing to elect a woman president, and most think there’s a good chance a woman will win the White House in the next 10 years.
More adults than ever report that crime in their community has increased over the past year, and most think the continuing bad economy will cause the crime rate to rise even higher. Just 47% of adults believe the U.S. system of justice is fair to most Americans. But far more think the problem with the system is not that the innocent are treated unfairly but that the guilty go free.
Most voters continue to believe U.S. society is generally fair and decent, but they aren’t quite as convinced that the president shares their views.
Most voters also still want to repeal the national health care law, and confidence that the law will improve the quality of health care has fallen to a new low.
Voters are closely divided over whether increasing taxes or raising the eligibility age is the best way to keep the government’s retirement programs financially afloat.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of consumers and 50% of investors say their personal finances are getting worse these days.
Voters appear less concerned these days with protecting individual rights when it comes to national security and public safety.
Most voters continue to feel America needs to do more to develop domestic gas and oil resources. They also still give the edge to finding new sources of oil over reducing gas and oil consumption.
Obama last week announced that the United States will withdraw 10,000 troops from Afghanistan this year and will bring another 23,000 home by the end of next summer. But most voters don't think the president has gone far enough.
Almost one-half (48%) of voters think the al Qaeda terrorist organization is weaker today than it was before the September 11, 2001 attacks on America.
Most voters are still angry at the media, but they’re less convinced that the majority of reporters are biased in favor of the president.
As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, more Americans than ever see danger in a government that is too powerful.
That's down two points from last week and the lowest finding in over two months. In April, prior to the killing of Osama bin Laden, the number who felt the country was heading in the right direction fell into the low 20s, the lowest findings of the Obama presidency, but the figure climbed back up to 29% in early to mid-May. The number who believe the country is on the right course has ranged from a low of 21% to a high of 35% since January 2009.
Sixty-eight percent (68%) of voters say the country is heading down the wrong track, up three points from last week and the highest level of pessimism since mid-April. Since January 2009, doubt about the country's direction has ranged from 57% to 72%.
Just nine percent (9%) of Republicans and 19% of voters not affiliated with either of the major political parties feel the country is heading in the right direction. Even a plurality (47%) of Democrats now think the country is heading down the wrong track.
Leading up to President Obama's inauguration, the number of voters who felt the country was heading in the right direction remained below 20%. The week of his inauguration in late January 2009, voter confidence rose to 27% and climbed into the low to mid-30s until mid-May of that year. Since then, belief that the country is heading in the right direction has trended lower.
Fifty-four percent (54%) of black voters think the country is heading in the right direction. Seventy-three percent (73%) of white voters and 66% of voters of other races feel the country is on the wrong track.
Seventy-two percent (72%) of Political Class voters believe the country is heading in the right direction. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Mainstream voters disagree.
Nearly half of voters give the president poor marks for his handling of the economy, but he continues to earn higher respect for his performance in the area of national security.
A generic Republican candidate holds a four-point lead over the president in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup. It's the fifth week in a row that the GOP candidate has been ahead and the widest gap between the candidates to date.
Voters are more willing to elect a woman president, and most think there’s a good chance a woman will win the White House in the next 10 years.
More adults than ever report that crime in their community has increased over the past year, and most think the continuing bad economy will cause the crime rate to rise even higher. Just 47% of adults believe the U.S. system of justice is fair to most Americans. But far more think the problem with the system is not that the innocent are treated unfairly but that the guilty go free.
Most voters continue to believe U.S. society is generally fair and decent, but they aren’t quite as convinced that the president shares their views.
Most voters also still want to repeal the national health care law, and confidence that the law will improve the quality of health care has fallen to a new low.
Voters are closely divided over whether increasing taxes or raising the eligibility age is the best way to keep the government’s retirement programs financially afloat.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of consumers and 50% of investors say their personal finances are getting worse these days.
Voters appear less concerned these days with protecting individual rights when it comes to national security and public safety.
Most voters continue to feel America needs to do more to develop domestic gas and oil resources. They also still give the edge to finding new sources of oil over reducing gas and oil consumption.
Obama last week announced that the United States will withdraw 10,000 troops from Afghanistan this year and will bring another 23,000 home by the end of next summer. But most voters don't think the president has gone far enough.
Almost one-half (48%) of voters think the al Qaeda terrorist organization is weaker today than it was before the September 11, 2001 attacks on America.
Most voters are still angry at the media, but they’re less convinced that the majority of reporters are biased in favor of the president.
As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, more Americans than ever see danger in a government that is too powerful.
No comments:
Post a Comment