Poor marks

Opinions about the President Obama’s handling of the economy have reached their lowest levels, according to the latest Harris Poll released Tuesday (Oct. 26).

“The new data contains nothing but bad news for the Democrats as we approach the November 2nd elections,” Harris noted in a statement.

The President’s rating on the economy is now 73% negative, compared to 71% in September, 68% in August and 64% in May. Only 30% of the public expects that the economy will improve in the next year, and only 22% believe that their own household’s finances will be better in six months time.

“These poll results show that the public is as pessimistic, or more pessimistic, than ever about the economy, strengthening the belief that that the Democrats will suffer very badly in the elections. The concern for the White House may be in looking past this November towards November of 2012 and what that may portend for President Obama’s re-election,” Harris said in the survey release.

The Harris Poll results are from the online survey of of 3,084 adults. The survey was conducted between Oct. 11 and 18.

OTHER FINDINGS
• In addition to the large majorities of Republicans (92%) and Independents (78%) who give the President negative ratings on the economy, fully 51% of Democrats do so, as well.

• At least seven in 10 of all generations give the President negative ratings on the economy, including 70% of people aged 65 and over, the generation that usually has the highest turnout in mid-term elections.

• Almost three-quarters (72%) of Echo Boomers (those aged 18-34) also give the President negative ratings (and these were some of his strongest supporters during his presidential campaign).

• While most people have very negative views on the economy, only 30% think it will get worse — the same number as think it will get better –in the next year.

• Two in five Americans (40%) believe that the economy will stay the same in the coming year.

• Few people accept the official view that, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the recession ended in June 2009.  Indeed, only 6% of all adults believe that the recession is over. A slender majority (54%) believes the "recovery has started but the recession is not over" and 33% believe that the "recovery has not started."