Last week, in light of the superstorm that slammed much of the East coast, Gallup decided to suspend its daily horserace tracking poll, but the pollster is still gauging public attitudes in a variety of other areas. Gallup's "U.S. Economic Confidence Index" continues to be of interest because it helps answer a fairly straightforward question: are Americans feeling better or worse about the economy?
Yesterday's results caught my eye because they pointed to a striking shift in public opinion. As things currently stand, Americans' confidence in the domestic economy isn't just improving, it's now at its highest point of the Obama presidency. (The results include voters' sentiment after Friday's fairly strong job numbers.)
[Update: On Sunday afternoon, the index reached another new high, so I've updated the image accordingly.]
I keep an eye on this because it seems likely to me that public attitudes about the economy may have electoral salience for late-deciding voters. As both campaigns make their closing arguments, Mitt Romney is, in effect, insisting the state of the economy is reason enough to elect him president, while President Obama argues that conditions are improving and it'd be a mistake to go back to the policies that got us in this mess in the first place.
It's hardly a stretch to think Romney's argument would be more effective if Americans' economic confidence weren't spiking as the campaign comes to an end. It's tough for a candidate to make the case for dramatic change when the electorate is starting to feel better, not worse.
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Romney WOULD enact drastic change, for sure... change DOWNWARD and FOR THE WORSE.
Lots of good things happening!!! 538 is showing Obama with MOMENTUM!
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/
In two days, I can finally get those American Crossroads/GPS "It's all about me" ads that are flooding Virginia right now off my TV set!!
Really, you see this fairly well off women sitting there in their fancy kitchens asking: "What has Obama done for me and my family"? Such a contrast to JFK's statement of: "Don't ask what your country can do for YOU, ask what YOU can do for your country"!!
When I think of who could be best at handling the economy, I think of how the GM and Chrysler situations were handled. Pres. Obama knew there was no private money available for these companies to go through a Chapter 11 so he used government money. Romney's plan would have meant Chapter 7 and over a million people would be out of a job.
To know why no private money was available you have to understand why the words "moral hazard" were being used at the time in regards to the banking industry.
IMHO voters tend to focus on how they are doing the few months prior to the election, if they feel they are doing better they tend to vote the party running for relection, feel they are worse then they vote the opposing party. I think most will feel things are improving as the chart above shows and Obama will be re elected. The GOP can spin the numbers anyway they want but the numbers have shown jobs being created and the economy improving.
I hope that people are seeing all the positive indicators and are not being gorged on Romney doom and gloom. Let's get out and vote, even if you have to stand in long lines!
Voters, who only think of themselves, should queation what is more importent, Back to Bush plan or see that, we (although still hurting from bush depression) are naking progress. This would have been done, and over with IF the congress, had past the jobs bill! When choosing who to vote for, look deeper, and ask why! Why did congress hold us back from a full recovery? Why was it so importent to have so many bills on womens health( or lack of womens health) more importent the getting this country back from this depression? I was a center road voter, but now, Republicans don't even deserve my smallest thoughts. Only disgust, is my feelings towards them.
This country woukd be better off without them! Lincon would agree on this point! He helped America, after the civil war, but todays republicans are distroying it! Why dosn't the people see that?
Here is the layout!
Republicans plans.
1 end planned parenthood?
2 defund FIMA?
3 Commit voter fraud?
4 Send freeport jobs to China?
5 End health care?
6 take away SOC.SEC. from prople who have bought and paid for it?
7 return the US to the Bush depression?
8 your on your own, when desaster strikes?
9 end foodstamps so most Americans will starve?
10 lower minimum wages, so the the rich can make more monney?
Shall I go on. This republican party is trying to ruin America, all because a person of color holds the highest office in this country. A person of color, who would be listed as a slave. This is why the republicans are doing everything illigal to oust this man.
Increasing consumer confidence = increasing confidence in Pres. Obama's economic leadership = increasing voter support for Pres. Obama = 4 more years