2. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Slide 3 10 20 23 28 Perceptions of Economic Conditions / Views of the Future Perceptions of Obama & Congress Creating Jobs Budget Battle Lowering the Deficit and Making Sacrifices
3. 2 SUMMARY Americans growing gloomier and more pessimistic about the economy. Obama’s overall job ratings at their lowest levels. The President’s weak approval on the economy and budget deficit are driving his negative numbers. While the President isn’t blamed for causing the current economic conditions, voters are increasingly frustrated that his policies haven’t gotten the economy going again. Americans want government to keep budget deficit down, but opinions differ on how best to lower the deficit.
5. 4 VIEW THAT COUNTRY IS ON WRONG TRACK HAS SHARPLY INCREASED RECENTLY Wrong Track 74.6% Right Direction 15.4% Source: Pollster.com composite measure as of September 1, 2011
6. 5 VOTERS BELIEVE THE ECONOMY IS IN A RECESSION & YET TO BEGIN TO RECOVER Do you think the United States economy is in a recession now? Do you think the economy is beginning to recover or not? Yes 76% No 68% Yes 28% No 20% DK/NA 4% DK/NA 4% Note: Results are among registered voters Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, August 16-27, 2011
7. 6 ECONOMIC RECOVERY SEEN THROUGH POLITICAL LENSE Do you think the economy is beginning to recover or not? Note: Results are among registered voters. “DK/NA” results not shown. Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, August 16-27, 2011
8. 7 STRONG SENSE THAT ECONOMY HAS GOTTEN WORSE AS SUMMER COMES TO AN END In the past month, do you think the economy got better, got worse, or stayed about the same? Source: AP-GfK Poll, August 18-22, 2011
9. CONSUMER CONFIDENCE INDEX PLUMMETS IN AUGUST; AT LOWEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN TWO YEARS 8 2009 2010 2011 Source: Consumer Confidence Index, The Conference Board
10. ECONOMIC CONCERNS TOP MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS: Mentions of Unemployment And Deficits Trending Up 9 Economy Unemploy. Deficit Healthcare What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today? Source: Gallup Poll, August 11-14, 2011
11. RISE IN NUMBERS THAT BELIEVE NOW IS A BAD TIME TO INVEST IN STOCK MARKET 10 STOCK MARKET REAL ESTATE Would you say now is a good time or bad time to invest in the stock market? And would you say that now is a good or bad time to invest in real estate? Note: “DK/REF” results not shown Source: AP-GfK Poll, August 18-22, 2011.
13. OBAMA’S OVERALL APPROVAL RATING SEES SLIGHT DROP; STRONGEST ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, WEAKER ON DOMESTIC PRIORITIES 12 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling [ITEM]? OVERALL JOB APPROVAL DISAPPROVE 53.7% APPROVE 41.8% Source: Pollster.com Aggregate Data (as of September 7, 2011) Source: Gallup Poll, August 11-14, 2011
14. 13 CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS STILL SEEN AS SITUATION OBAMA HAS INHERITED When you think about the current economic conditions, do you feel that this is a situation that Barack Obama has inherited or is this a situation his policies are mostly responsible for? Note: “Some of both (VOL)” and “Not sure” results not shown Source: NBC/WSJ Survey, August 27-31, 2011
15. 14 LACK OF POLITICAL COMPROMISE, WALL ST., BUSH, AND VOTERS GET MORE BLAME THAN OBAMA I’m going to read you a list of items and for each one I’d like you to tell me how much you think it is responsible for the condition of the nation’s economy. How much do you think [INSERT ITEM] [are/is] responsible for the current condition of the economy? Note: “Don’t know” results not shown Source: Fox News Poll, August 29-31, 2011
16. 15 BUT GROWING DISSASTISFACTION WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA’S HANDLING OF THE ECONOMY Disapprove 61.4% Approve 34.1% Source: Pollster.com composite measure as of September 1, 2011
17. GROWING SENSE THAT OBAMA’S POLICIES NOT IMPROVING THE ECONOMY 16 Would you say you, yourself are better off financially than you were in when Obama became president, not as well off, or in about the same shape as then financially? Do you think Obama’s economic program is making the economy (better), making it (worse) or having no real effect? Source: ABC News/Washington Post Poll, August 29-September 1, 2011
18. OBAMA GIVEN SLIGHT EDGE OVER GOP IN TRUST TO HANDLE ECONOMY 17 Note: “Both (vol.)”, “Neither (vol.) and “No opinion” results are not shown. Who do you trust to do a better job handling the economy - Obama or the Republicans in Congress? Source: ABC News/Washington Post Poll, August 29-September 1, 2011
19. 18 AMERICANS LACK CONFIDENCE THAT GOV’T CAN SOLVE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS In general, when the government decides to solve economic problems, how much confidence do you have that the problem actually will be solved: A lot, some, just a little, or none at all? Note: “No opinion” results not shown Source: Washington Post Poll, August 9, 2011
20. 19 LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN OBAMA OR REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS TO MAKE RIGHT ECONOMIC DECISIONS How much confidence do you have in [Obama / Republicans in Congress] when it comes to making the right decisions about the country’s economic future? Note: “No opinion” results not shown Source: Washington Post Poll, August 9, 2011
22. 21 FEW SEE JOB PROPOSALS HAVING MUCH EFFECT Thinking specifically about the job situation in the country, please tell me how much each of the following would do to help improve it. First, do you think... [INSERT ITEM would help improve the job situation a lot, a little, or would it not help at all? A LOT A LITTLE NOT AT ALL Source: Pew Research Center / Washington Post Poll, September 1-4, 2011
23. 22 SLIGHT MAJORITY WOULD FAVOR FEDERALLY SUSIDIZED NATIONWIDE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM; MANY UNDECIDED As you may have heard, President Obama is planning to propose measures aimed at creating jobs. One of these proposals may be a large scale federally subsidized nationwide construction program putting Americans back to work building roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals. With this in mind, would you favor or oppose this proposal, or are you undecided? 51% 21% Source: Politico/GW Battleground Poll, August 28 – September 1, 2011
25. 24 VOTERS DIVIDED ON REACTION TO DEBT CEILING AGREEMENT Disapprove 44% Approve 45% DK/NA 10% As you may know, President Obama and Congress reached a deal to raise the government's debt ceiling while cutting spending by about $2.4 trillion. Do you approve or disapprove of this deal? Note: Results are among registered voters Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, August 16-27, 2011
26. 25 PLURALITY SAY SPENDING CUTS IN DEBT CEILING AGREEMENT DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH Do you think the spending cuts included in the debt ceiling agreement went too far, didn’t go far enough, or are they about right? Note: “DK/NA” results not shown Source: CBS News / NY Times Poll, August 2-3, 2011
27. 26 A QUARTER THINK DEBT CEILING AGREEMENT WILL MAKE ECONOMY WORSE; MOST SAY IT WILL HAVE NO IMPACT In general, do you think the debt ceiling agreement will make the economy better, make the economy worse, or have no impact on the economy? Note: “DK/NA” results not shown Source: CBS News / NY Times Poll, August 2-3, 2011
28. 27 VOTERS SPLIT ON MOST IMPORTANT ITEM FOR SUPERCOMMITTEE TO CONSIDER As you may already know, President Obama and the US Congress recently agreed on a law to increase the national debt ceiling. One of the key parts of this law was the creation of a bipartisan committee which will examine ways to balance the federal budget. This committee will likely consider several proposals to accomplish this goal. Which of the following do you think is most important item for the committee to consider? Would you say it is: Note: “Combination”, “Other”, “Unsure” results not shown Source: Politico/GW Battleground Poll, August 28 – September 1, 2011
30. 29 Information Flow About Charter Schools BUSH ADMINISTARTION BLAMED FOR CURRENT FEDERAL BUDGET DEFICIT Who do you think is mostly to blame for most of the current federal budget deficit – (1) the Bush Administration, (2) the Obama Administration, (3) Congress, or (4) someone else? Note: “DK/NA” results not shown Source: CBS News /NY Times Poll, August 2-3, 2011
31. 30 NO MATTER HOW YOU FRAME IT, REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT SEEN AS MORE IMPORTANT What do you think is more important - reducing the federal budget deficit, or reducing unemployment? What do you think is more important - reducing the federal government spending, or reducing unemployment? Reducing unemployment 61% Reducing unemployment 51% Reducing spending 42% Reducing deficit 31% DK/NA 7% DK/NA 7% Note: Results are among registered voters Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, August 16-27, 2011
32. YET AMERICANS WANT GOVERNMENT TO KEEP BUDGET DEFICIT DOWN 31 Which of the following two statements comes closer to your point of view? Statement A: The President and Congress should worry more about boosting the economy even though it may mean larger budget deficits now and in the future. Statement B: The President and Congress should worry more about keeping the budget deficit down, even though it may mean it will take longer for the economy to recover. Source: NBC News/Wall Street Journal Survey, August 27-31, 2011
33. 32 MAJORITY THINK TAXES SHOULD BE INCREASED FOR THE WEALTHY IN ORDER TO LOWER THE DEFICIT In order to lower the nation’s budget deficit, do you think taxes should be increased on households earning $250,000 a year or should the government address the budget deficit without increasing taxes in those households? Note: “DK/NA” results not shown Source: CBS News / NY Times Poll, August 2-3, 2011
34. 33 GPG Research GPG has a full-scale internal research team offering the full complement of qualitative and quantitative public opinion research services. We use research to inform message development and communication strategy, as well as to help clients assess and monitor critical issues and track the effectiveness of strategic communication campaigns. GPG has a deep experience conducting research about complex economic topics with diverse audiences. We go beyond the standard Q&A, using innovative, projective techniques to uncover key insights. The result is actionable research that helps shape our clients’ messaging and strategy. For more information about this presentation or to find out more about GPG’s research capabilities contact: David Cantor (dcantor@gpgdc.com)
