More 'can't get no' satisfaction

Source: GALLUP PRINCETON, NJ --

Twenty percent of Americans say they are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States, a slight decline from recent months, when between 24% and 26% were satisfied. Satisfaction has reached as high as 36% during President Obama's first term, before falling back to 11% last August and September. Compared with May, satisfaction ratings are down nine percentage points among Democrats (from 43% to 34%) and three points among independents (20% to 17%), while they are up three points among Republicans (9% to 12%). Democrats remain much more satisfied than either independents or Republicans. Low satisfaction ratings are an ominous sign for a president seeking re-election. Today's 20% satisfaction among all Americans is similar to the final ratings prior to the 1980 and 1992 elections, when Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush were defeated for re-election. In November 1979 (Gallup did not ask about satisfaction in 1980), 19% of Americans were satisfied with the direction of the country, and in August-September 1992, 22% were. In contrast, Ronald Reagan (48% in 1984), Bill Clinton (39% in 1996), and George W. Bush (44% in 2004) were re-elected at times when Americans were much more satisfied with national conditions. One factor that may mitigate the current low level of satisfaction is that more Americans are satisfied now than just before Obama took office in January 2009, 13%. Satisfaction also improved during Clinton's and Reagan's first terms, while declining in both Bush presidents' first terms. For the younger Bush, the decline was from a very high 56% in January 2001 to a level still above the historical average 39% satisfaction rating. Economic Concerns Remain Paramount The state of the economy is undoubtedly a factor in Americans' generally sour mood. Sixty-eight percent of Americans mention some aspect of the economy when asked about the most important problem facing the country today, with the economy in general (31%) and unemployment (25%) most often mentioned as specific concerns. Americans are a bit less likely now than just before Obama took office (79%) to mention any economic issue as the most important problem facing the country. Since that time, there has been a significant drop in the percentage mentioning the economy in general as the most important problem (from 57%), but an increase in the percentage mentioning unemployment (from 11%). The economy and unemployment have ranked first and second on the most important problem list each month since December 2009. After those two issues, Americans' next-biggest concerns are dissatisfaction with government, mentioned by 12%, and the federal budget deficit, mentioned by 11%. Americans' perceptions of the most important problem are similar to what Gallup found in May as well as in prior months. Implications Americans' preoccupation with the economy and broader dissatisfaction with the way things are going in the United States are not working in President Obama's favor as voters prepare to decide whether he deserves a second term. At the same time, Americans are a bit less concerned about economic issues, and a bit more satisfied with the way things are going, than they were when he took office in the midst of arguably the worst U.S. economy since the Great Depression. Whether voters emphasize the current state of affairs, or how things have changed since Obama took office, may ultimately determine his re-election fate.

URL to original article: http://www.builderonline.com/builder-pulse/more--can-t-get-no--satisfaction.aspx?cid=BP:061312:JUMP

For further information on Fresno Real Estate check: http://www.londonproperties.com