CNN Poll: Americans more optimistic on state of nation, +14 points since December

[jefferson_dem]

CNN Poll: Americans more optimistic on state of nation
By: CNN Political Unit

Washington (CNN) - Hours before President Barack Obama gives his State of the Union address before Congress, a new national poll indicates a surge in optimism about the state of the nation.

According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Tuesday morning, 43 percent of the public feel that things are going well in the country, up 14 points since December. The survey indicates that a majority of Americans continue to think that things are going badly in the country today, but that figure has dropped from 71 percent at the end of last year to 56 percent now.

"We haven't seen numbers this good since April of 2007," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "One likely reason for the change is the public's growing optimism about the economy."

According to a CNN poll released last Friday, the number of Americans who think the economy is in good shape, while not particularly high, is nonetheless at the highest in over two years.

But other non-economic factors are also likely at work, including the psychological effect of starting a new year.

"Over the past two decades, the number in January who say that things are going well in the country has gone up twice as often as it has gone down - sometimes by 10 to 14 points - and it may not be coincidence that the highest amount of optimism ever recorded on this question was just after the new millennium started in January, 2000," adds Holland. "It's also possible that the country's mood was lightened by the relatively civil tone in political debate in the past few weeks, the absence of a projected terrorist attack over the holidays, and the perception that the December session of Congress got something done."

<SNIP>

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/25/cnn-poll-americans-more-optimistic-on-state-of-nation/

[Kolesar]

1. Unemployment has dropped and the stock market is rising

My employer's stock price just hit an all time high

[still_one]

2. Too bad they don't count the 18% who have dropped off the rolls, and of course we don't want to talk

about the situation the states our in, and the bad mortgages that are underwater

Things are god for a certain segment of the population, but what is happening in the process is the destruction of the middle class

[Kolesar]

4. And the solution is to vote for the Republicans? eom

[still_one]

12. Where did you infer that from my post? /nt

[Kber]

13. Unemployment counts anyone who is lookinng for a job, not just those collecting benefits.

The alternative Unemployment figure that I think you are referencing, which counts discouraged workers and people forced to accept part time or under-employment, has also dropped to about 16.7% last month.


Still way way too high, so your broader point stants, but it's also inching down slightly.

"An alternative measure of the unemployment rate, which includes discouraged workers and those forced to work part-time because of the weak economy, fell to 16.7% last month from 17% in November."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/jobless-rate-down-to-94-as-103000-jobs-added-2011-01-07

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Connie_Corleone]

5. Why are you jumping down the OP's throat?

That's the picture that came with the story.

[jefferson_dem]

7. Thanks.

:hi:

[impik]

9. Hee. I see Mr. "Ignored" came up with another gem.

[impik]

10. Well, they have to find a way to spoil an optimistic thread. It's not like they can help it

[jefferson_dem]

6. Get a grip, bro. It's the image on CNN that accompanies the story in the OP...

An image of the flag = "jingoist nationalism"? :crazy:

Actually, the narrow-minded reactionary reductionism in your post perfectly mirrors what the right-wing routinely serves up. Seems you might have become what you claim to detest.

[Clio the Leo]

14. dude!

Increase your screen resolution. The pic isn't really that big.

Nor is this one....

[DCBob]

8. "We haven't seen numbers this good since April of 2007," ...

Here are the numbers... the left percent is "very well+fairly well", the right percent is "pretty badly+very badly"..

Jan. 21-23, 2011 43% 56%
Dec. 17-19, 2010 29% 71%
Oct. 27-30, 2010 25% 75%
Sept. 21-23, 2010 29% 70%
Aug. 6-10, 2010 31% 69%
June 16, 2010 27% 73%
Mar. 19-21, 2010 32% 67%
Jan. 22-24, 2010 32% 67%
Dec. 2-3, 2009 34% 66%
Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2009 37% 63%
August 28-31, 2009 30% 69%
May 14-17, 2009 28% 71%
April 3-5, 2009 23% 77%
February 18-19, 21% 79%
December 1-2, 2008 20% 79%
November 6-9, 2008 16% 83%
October 17-19, 2008 25% 75%
October 3-5, 2008 20% 80%
Aug 23-24, 2008 3% 31% 69%
July 27-29, 2008 24% 76%
Apr. 28-30, 2008 30% 70%
Nov. 2-4, 2007 42% 58%
April 10-12, 2007 48% 51%
January 11, 2007 57% 42%
November 3-5, 2006 51% 48%
October 6-8, 2006 49% 49%
Sept. 29-October 2, 2006 51% 49%
August 30-Sept. 2, 2006 46% 54%
August 2-3, 2006 55% 44%
May 5-7, 2006 46% 53%

Shows quite a sharp abrupt change in mood in this country. I think that is a good sign.

[Scurrilous]

11. K & R

:thumbsup:

[woo me with science]

15. Gallup poll changes are dismal from Jan 2008 to Jan 2011:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/145760/Satisfaction-Gov-Morality-Economy-Down.aspx



What do you think primarily accounts for the recent uptick? It's sort of disheartening that they put as an option hopefulness just because it's January.