This Friday feature, on the first of September, is designed for political junkies.
For years, despite generally favorable approval ratings for President Obama, we'd collectively been unhappy with the overall direction of our country.
In the early months of the Trump Presidency, we saw a shift with a less popular President, but a more optimistic country, generally. At one point earlier this year, we were nearly 20 percent more optimistic than under the Obama administration.
That all changed just over a month ago...
Here's where we stood on Inauguration Day:
Right Direction: 30 percent
Wrong Track: 59.1 percent
Net Negative: -29.1 percent
Last week:
Right Direction: 25 percent
Wrong Track: 64 percent
Net Negative: -39 percent
And today:
Right Direction: 25.5 percent
Wrong Track: 63.5 percent
Net Negative: -38 percent
Change:
- -8.9 percent since Inauguration Day
- +1 percent from a week ago
On the bright side, we're 1 percent more optimistic than a week ago😊.
In reality though, the country is now the least optimistic it's been since July of 2016 and still significantly more pessimistic than at the end of the Obama era. It is notable that despite record stock prices, a 3 percent growth economy, and a solid jobs market, we're remaining this negative in our view of things.
It's clearly fallout and frustration from drama in Washington absent of healthcare and tax reform to date.
Until next week...