{"id":50258,"date":"2012-02-16T13:43:58","date_gmt":"2012-02-16T18:43:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2012\/02\/16\/public-more-optimistic-about-economy-but-concerns-persist\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T04:10:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T09:10:47","slug":"public-more-optimistic-about-economy-but-concerns-persist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2012\/02\/16\/public-more-optimistic-about-economy-but-concerns-persist\/","title":{"rendered":"Public More Optimistic about Economy, But Concerns Persist"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overview<\/h2>\n\n

Optimism about the national economy, which sagged in 2011, has rebounded in the first two months of this year. Currently, 44% say they expect economic conditions to be better a year from now, up from 34% last month and 28% in December.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Moreover, 54% say either that the economy is already recovering (25%) or that it will recover soon (29%). Last April, 44% said a recovery was already underway or would occur soon.<\/p>\n\n

Yet the public\u2019s improved economic outlook is tempered by a number of factors. First, current views of the economy remain overwhelmingly negative: Just 11% say economic conditions today are excellent or good, a figure that has changed little over the past four years. While the percentage rating current economic conditions as \u201cpoor\u201d has fallen 13 points since August, from 56% to 43%, it is virtually unchanged from a year ago (42%).<\/p>\n\n

Second, economic optimism has proven fragile in the past. From October 2008 through April 2010, 40% or more said they expected economic conditions to get better in the next year. But by last summer, the percentage expecting things to improve had fallen to around 30%.<\/p>\n\n

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Feb. 8-12 among 1,501 adults, finds an uptick in Barack Obama\u2019s job rating. Currently, 47% approve of the way he is handling his job as president while 43% disapprove. Last month, 44% approved and 48% disapproved.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Obama\u2019s job rating among independents has rebounded sharply from a low point in January. Currently, 45% of independents approve of Obama\u2019s job performance while 44% disapprove. Last month, just 37% approved and 56% disapproved. Obama also has improved his standing with independent voters in a general election matchup with Mitt Romney. (For more see, \u201cSantorum Catches Romney in GOP Race,\u201d<\/a> Feb. 13, 2012.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Obama\u2019s overall favorability rating is about the same as it was in January (54% now, 51% then). Among independents, however, Obama is viewed more favorably: Currently, 52% have a favorable impression of Obama while 42% view him unfavorably. In January, 44% had a favorable opinion of Obama, while 51% viewed him unfavorably.<\/p>\n\n

Still, Obama\u2019s overall job rating \u2013 and his approval among independents \u2013 is no better than it was a year ago. In February 2011, 49% approved of his job performance and 42% disapproved. Independents were evenly split, as they are today (46% approved, 45% disapproved). (For breakdown of Obama\u2019s current job rating see detailed tables<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n

The public\u2019s perceptions of the impact of Obama\u2019s economic policies have shown <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

substantial improvement since last fall. Yet the overall balance of opinion about the effect of Obama\u2019s policies is about the same as it was at the beginning of 2011.<\/p>\n\n

Currently, 33% say Obama\u2019s economic policies have made conditions better while about the same percentage (35%) say they have made conditions worse; 25% say they have had no effect so far. Last October, nearly twice as many said Obama\u2019s policies had made conditions worse than better (38% vs. 20%). In January 2011, like today, opinions were mixed: 28% said Obama\u2019s policies made conditions better, 31% worse and 35% said they had had no effect.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

There are wide partisan gaps in views of the impact of Obama\u2019s economic policies, as well as in economic perceptions and economic optimism. About seven-in-ten Republicans (71%) say Obama\u2019s economic policies have made economic conditions worse; that is little changed from last October (70%), but up 12 points from January 2011 (59%). By contrast, Democrats are now more likely to say Obama\u2019s policies have made the economy better (60%) than they were in October (37%) or January (46%).<\/p>\n\n

Independents\u2019 evaluations of the impact of Obama\u2019s policies are more positive than in October, and about the same as in January 2011. Currently, 29% of independents say his policies have made the economy better, 34% say they have made it worse and 29% say they have had no effect so far.<\/p>\n\n

More Say Economy Will Improve<\/h3>\n\n

The survey finds an increase in economic optimism since late last year across nearly all demographic and political groups. In December, only about a quarter of whites (24%) said economic conditions would be better in a year; 53% expected conditions would be the same and 19% said they would be worse. In the current survey, 41% expect conditions to improve in the next year, 45% say they will be the same and 11% say they will be worse. There have been comparable gains in optimism among blacks and Hispanics, who have consistently been more optimistic than whites.<\/p>\n\n

In December, far more college graduates expected economic conditions would be the same in a year (52%) than said conditions would be better (29%). Today, more expect economic conditions to improve (52%) than to remain the same (36%).<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Democrats and independents have become much more optimistic about the economy. Currently, 61% of Democrats and 42% of independents say conditions will be better a year from now \u2013 the highest percentages expressing economic optimism since 2009. In December, just 39% of Democrats and 23% of independents expected the economy to improve in a year.<\/p>\n\n

Republicans are considerably less upbeat about the economy\u2019s trajectory. About half (51%) say economic conditions a year from now will be the same as they are today, which is little changed from December. Three-in-ten (30%) say conditions will be better, up from 21% in December.<\/p>\n\n

Despite the growing percentage that expects the economy to be in better shape a year from now, just a quarter (25%) say the economy is now recovering; 29% say the economy is not yet recovering but will recover soon; 44% say it will be a long time before the economy recovers.<\/p>\n\n

Opinions on this measure have fluctuated over time. Last April, more <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

said recovery was a long way off (54%) than do so today (44%). In February 2011, 24% said the economy was recovering, 33% said it would recover soon and 42% said a recovery was in the distant future.<\/p>\n\n

Partisanship is a major factor in views of the economic recovery. About seven-in-ten Democrats (71%) say the economy is recovering (39%) or will recover soon (32%); just 27% think the recovery is a long way off. Nearly six-in-ten Republicans (59%) say it will be a long time before the economy recovers. Independents are divided: 52% say either the economy is recovering (25%) or will recover soon (27%); 46% say an economic recovery is a long way off.<\/p>\n\n

Less Negative Views of Current Economy<\/h3>\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Currently, just 11% rate current economic conditions as excellent or good. Nearly half (46%) say conditions are only fair while about the same percentage (43%) rate them as poor. The number saying the economy is poor has declined in recent months \u2013 from 56% last August to 43% currently. But positive views of economic conditions have not risen.<\/p>\n\n

Democrats are now more likely than Republicans or independents to view current economic conditions as excellent or good. In the current survey, 19% of Democrats rate the economy positively, compared with 7% of Republicans and the same percentage of independents. In August, just 8% of Democrats, and comparable shares of Republicans (5%) and independents (6%) said economic conditions were excellent or good.<\/p>\n\n

Lower Jobless Rate Registers with Public\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/h3>\n\n

Nearly six-in-ten Americans (58%) know that the national unemployment rate has been decreasing in recent months. About a third (32%) say incorrectly that the rate has been going up.<\/p>\n\n

Better educated people are more likely than those with less education to be aware of recent declines in the unemployment rate. There also is a modest partisan gap: 66% of Democrats say the unemployment rate has been decreasing, compared with 56% of independents and 51% of Republicans.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Optimism about the national economy, which sagged in 2011, has rebounded in the first two months of this year. Currently, 44% say they expect economic conditions to be better a year from now, up from 34% last month and 28% in December. Moreover, 54% say either that the economy is already recovering (25%) or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sub_headline":"Obama, Economy Now Better Rated by Independents","sub_title":"Obama, Economy Now Better Rated by 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