Almost two thirds call the economic
condition in their region of the country
"bad"
NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite some
recent successes abroad, President Obama continues to
struggle with how Americans perceive the job he is doing
at home, particularly on the economy.
This month over three quarters of U.S. adults give
President Obama negative ratings on his handling of the
economy (77%) while just under one quarter give him
positive ratings (23%). While these numbers are fairly
dismal, they do show a slight improvement from September
when 79% gave the President negative marks.
These are some of the results of The
Harris Poll of 2,463 adults surveyed
online between October 10 and 17,
2011 by Harris
Interactive.
Criticism on President Obama's handling of the economy
is not confined to the opinions of Republicans (95% give
negative ratings) and Conservatives (93% give negative
ratings). Rather, members of all political parties and
philosophies currently give the President negative
marks, including over half of Democrats (56%), Liberals
(57%), three quarters of Moderates (76%) and over eight
in ten Independents (83%).
Further, Americans do not seem hopeful that this
situation will reverse any time soon—almost three
quarters say they are not confident that the White House
and Administration will produce policies to help fix the
economic crisis (73%).
Additionally, only one in five expects the economy will
improve in the coming year (20%); 46% say it will stay
the same and a third think it will get worse (34%).
Although negative feelings abound regarding
the economy, some regions of the country
seem to be in worse shape than others.
While almost two thirds rate the economic
condition in their region of the country as
bad (64%), virtually unchanged from the 65%
who said so last month, there are some
variances by area. Almost three quarters of
Westerners call the economic condition of
their region of the nation bad (73%) while
fewer say the same in the Midwest (64%),
South (61%) and East (59%).
The Buffett Tax
Recently some Americans have been protesting as part of
the Occupy Wall Street movement, communicating
displeasure with the extreme wealth disparity in the
country, among other economic and political woes. One
piece of legislature, recently proposed by the Senate,
could combat some of those issues. Two thirds of
Americans say they support the Buffett Tax, as it's
sometimes called, which would impose a surtax on those
earning more than $1 million per year (66%). This
potential legislation, which 45% of Americans say they
strongly support is supported (either strongly or
somewhat) by 85% of Democrats, 64% of Moderates and 48%
of Republicans. Interestingly those with a higher
household income support the legislation more with 70%
of those earning $100K per year or more supporting it,
compared to lesser majorities in lower income brackets.
So What?
Americans are unhappy about the economy and they seem to
be demanding change. And, unfortunately for the current
Administration the people seem to have little confidence
in its ability to bring that change. The longer this
unhappiness continues, the greater the "uprising" will
be, mostly likely at the ballot box next November. It
will be interesting to see how the Obama camp and the
Republican nominees cater to these financial concerns as
they campaign for the 2012 presidential election.
|
TABLE 1
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S JOB RATING ON THE
ECONOMY - TREND
"Now, turning to something
different, how would you rate the
overall job that President Barack
Obama is doing on the economy?"
Base: All adults |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
2009 |
|
| |
March |
April |
May |
June |
Aug |
Sept |
Nov |
Dec |
|
| |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
POSITIVE (NET) |
47 |
49 |
46 |
43 |
39 |
40 |
34 |
36 |
|
|
Excellent |
13 |
13 |
10 |
3 |
9 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
|
|
Pretty good |
34 |
36 |
36 |
34 |
31 |
33 |
27 |
30 |
|
|
NEGATIVE (NET) |
53 |
51 |
54 |
57 |
61 |
60 |
66 |
64 |
|
|
Only fair |
30 |
27 |
30 |
27 |
25 |
27 |
30 |
30 |
|
|
Poor |
23 |
24 |
24 |
30 |
36 |
33 |
37 |
34 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
2010 |
|
|
Jan |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
June |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
POSITIVE (NET) |
31 |
32 |
33 |
36 |
32 |
32 |
29 |
27 |
31 |
30 |
|
|
Excellent |
5 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
|
Pretty good |
25 |
27 |
27 |
30 |
27 |
26 |
24 |
22 |
26 |
25 |
|
|
NEGATIVE (NET) |
69 |
68 |
67 |
64 |
68 |
68 |
71 |
73 |
69 |
70 |
|
|
Only fair |
31 |
30 |
31 |
29 |
32 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
30 |
34 |
|
|
Poor |
39 |
37 |
36 |
34 |
37 |
39 |
40 |
39 |
39 |
36 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
2011 |
|
|
Jan |
Feb* |
Mar |
May |
June |
July |
Sept. |
Oct. |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
POSITIVE (NET) |
33 |
33 |
33 |
32 |
27 |
26 |
21 |
23 |
|
|
Excellent |
7 |
9 |
5 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
|
|
Pretty good |
26 |
24 |
28 |
26 |
22 |
23 |
18 |
20 |
|
|
NEGATIVE (NET) |
67 |
62 |
67 |
68 |
73 |
74 |
79 |
77 |
|
|
Only fair |
30 |
22 |
29 |
28 |
30 |
33 |
33 |
36 |
|
|
Poor |
37 |
39 |
38 |
40 |
43 |
41 |
46 |
41 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100%
due to rounding; *In February "Not at all sure"
was offered as a response choice and 4%
responded in that way. |
|
| |
|
|
TABLE 2
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S JOB RATING ON THE ECONOMY
– BY POLITICAL PARTY
"Now, turning to something different, how
would you rate the overall job that
President Barack Obama is doing on the
economy?"
Base: All adults |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Total |
Political Party |
Philosophy |
|
|
Rep. |
Dem. |
Ind. |
Cons. |
Mod. |
Lib. |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
POSITIVE (NET) |
23 |
5 |
44 |
17 |
7 |
24 |
43 |
|
|
Excellent |
3 |
* |
7 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
|
|
Pretty good |
20 |
5 |
38 |
16 |
5 |
22 |
37 |
|
|
NEGATIVE (NET) |
77 |
95 |
56 |
83 |
93 |
76 |
57 |
|
|
Only fair |
36 |
21 |
44 |
40 |
22 |
41 |
45 |
|
|
Poor |
41 |
74 |
12 |
43 |
71 |
35 |
11 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100%
due to rounding; * indicates less than .05% |
|
| |
|
|
TABLE 3
RATING OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN REGION -
TREND
"How would you rate the economic condition
of your region of the nation?"
Base: All adults |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
2008 |
2009 |
2011 |
2011 |
2011 |
|
|
Nov. |
Jan. |
May |
Sept. |
Oct. |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
GOOD (NET) |
10 |
10 |
18 |
12 |
11 |
|
|
Very good |
1 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Somewhat good |
9 |
9 |
14 |
11 |
10 |
|
|
Neither good nor bad |
16 |
17 |
23 |
22 |
25 |
|
|
BAD (NET) |
74 |
72 |
59 |
65 |
64 |
|
|
Somewhat bad |
45 |
46 |
36 |
39 |
40 |
|
|
Very bad |
28 |
26 |
23 |
26 |
24 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to
rounding |
|
| |
|
|
TABLE 4
RATING OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN REGION – BY
REGION
"How would you rate the economic condition
of your region of the nation?"
Base: All adults |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Total |
Region |
|
|
East |
Midwest |
South |
West |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
GOOD (NET) |
11 |
14 |
8 |
12 |
11 |
|
|
Very good |
1 |
3 |
* |
* |
1 |
|
|
Somewhat good |
10 |
11 |
8 |
12 |
10 |
|
|
Neither good nor bad |
25 |
28 |
28 |
26 |
17 |
|
|
BAD (NET) |
64 |
59 |
64 |
61 |
73 |
|
|
Somewhat bad |
40 |
37 |
41 |
37 |
45 |
|
|
Very bad |
24 |
22 |
22 |
25 |
28 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to
rounding |
|
| |
|
|
TABLE 5
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE ECONOMY IN THE COMING
YEAR - TREND
"In the coming year, do you expect the
economy to…?"
Base: All adults |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
|
|
April |
May |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
May |
June |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Feb |
June |
July |
Sept |
Oct |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Improve |
39 |
38 |
46 |
40 |
34 |
38 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
30 |
34 |
29 |
34 |
26 |
23 |
21 |
20 |
|
|
Stay the same |
35 |
35 |
32 |
36 |
37 |
34 |
42 |
39 |
40 |
40 |
41 |
45 |
42 |
41 |
41 |
45 |
46 |
|
|
Get worse |
26 |
27 |
22 |
24 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
32 |
32 |
30 |
25 |
26 |
25 |
33 |
37 |
34 |
34 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100%
due to rounding |
|
| |
|
|
TABLE 6
CONFIDENCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE
"How confident are you that the White House
and the Administration will produce policies
to help fix the economic crisis?"
Base: All adults |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
|
|
March |
April |
May |
June |
Aug. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Jan |
June |
June |
Oct. |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
CONFIDENT (NET) |
57 |
57 |
55 |
49 |
53 |
44 |
44 |
41 |
39 |
33 |
27 |
|
|
Very confident |
16 |
17 |
17 |
12 |
16 |
13 |
9 |
10 |
7 |
8 |
4 |
|
|
Somewhat confident |
41 |
40 |
38 |
37 |
37 |
31 |
35 |
31 |
33 |
24 |
23 |
|
|
NOT CONFIDENT (NET) |
43 |
43 |
45 |
51 |
47 |
56 |
56 |
59 |
61 |
67 |
73 |
|
|
Not that confident |
23 |
21 |
24 |
25 |
23 |
25 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
31 |
36 |
|
|
Not at all confident |
20 |
22 |
21 |
27 |
25 |
32 |
31 |
33 |
34 |
36 |
37 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to
rounding |
|
| |
|
|
TABLE 7
CONFIDENCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE – BY POLITICAL
PARTY AND PHILOSOPHY
"How confident are you that the White House
and the Administration will produce policies
to help fix the economic crisis?"
Base: All adults |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Total |
Political Party |
Philosophy |
|
|
Rep. |
Dem. |
Ind. |
Cons. |
Mod. |
Lib. |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
CONFIDENT (NET) |
27 |
7 |
52 |
19 |
11 |
29 |
47 |
|
|
Very confident |
4 |
* |
10 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
9 |
|
|
Somewhat confident |
23 |
7 |
42 |
17 |
10 |
24 |
38 |
|
|
NOT CONFIDENT (NET) |
73 |
93 |
48 |
81 |
89 |
71 |
53 |
|
|
Not that confident |
36 |
38 |
35 |
35 |
31 |
40 |
34 |
|
|
Not at all confident |
37 |
55 |
13 |
46 |
58 |
31 |
19 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to
rounding |
|
| |
|
|
TABLE 8
BUFFETT TAX OR SURTAX
"Do you support or oppose a surtax on
incomes of more than $1 million per year, as
has been proposed by the Senate?"
Base: All adults |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Total |
Political Party |
Income |
|
|
Rep. |
Dem. |
Ind. |
$34.9K or less |
$35K-$49.9K |
$50K-$74.9K |
$75K-$99.9K |
$100K+ |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Support (NET) |
66 |
48 |
85 |
64 |
67 |
59 |
64 |
66 |
70 |
|
|
Strongly support |
45 |
21 |
68 |
43 |
46 |
41 |
45 |
44 |
45 |
|
|
Somewhat support |
21 |
27 |
18 |
21 |
21 |
19 |
19 |
22 |
25 |
|
|
Oppose (NET) |
23 |
43 |
8 |
24 |
16 |
27 |
26 |
27 |
22 |
|
|
Somewhat oppose |
8 |
17 |
3 |
8 |
7 |
12 |
8 |
11 |
7 |
|
|
Strongly oppose |
14 |
27 |
4 |
17 |
10 |
15 |
17 |
16 |
15 |
|
|
Not at all sure |
11 |
9 |
7 |
12 |
17 |
14 |
10 |
7 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to
rounding |
|
| |
|
Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United
States between October 10 and 17, 2011 among 2,463
adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex,
race/ethnicity, education, region and household income
were weighted where necessary to bring them into line
with their actual proportions in the population.
Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for
respondents' propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use
probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of
error which are most often not possible to quantify or
estimate, including sampling error, coverage error,
error associated with nonresponse, error associated with
question wording and response options, and post-survey
weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive
avoids the words "margin of error" as they are
misleading. All that can be calculated are different
possible sampling errors with different probabilities
for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response
rates. These are only theoretical because no published
polls come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among
those who have agreed to participate in Harris
Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to
reflect the composition of the adult population. Because
the sample is based on those who agreed to participate
in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of
theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
... ..
...
...
