Public Opinion Snapshot: A New Direction on the Economy

[EV_Ares]

Despite Bush’s best efforts to convince the public that the economy is really doing just fine, stagnating wages, incomes, and job growth, and eroding benefits, not to mention the credit and housing crunches, have shown the public firsthand that the situation is otherwise.

The most recent Gallup reading on the public’s economic outlook finds that 72 percent describe economic conditions as “only fair” (45 percent) or “poor” (27 percent), compared with only 28 percent who think conditions are “excellent” (3 percent) or “good” (25 percent).

Back in January 2001, at the beginning of Bush’s first term, there was an almost exact opposite reading of 67 percent excellent/good and 33 percent only fair/poor. This is a particularly amazing contrast when you consider that the current business cycle is now well over six years old.

rest of this article w/graphs @ link below:

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/01/new_direction.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Bush is an idiot

Even the Kool Aid drinkers have noticed that people aren't buying as much. People aren't getting services done, like carpet cleaning and pest control. And it is obvious that everyone is hurting financially--unless they are wealthy.