New CNN Poll Tells Us Most Are Pessimistic About Economy

CNN Poll: More Americans Pessimistic About State of Nation

Friday, 29 Nov 2013 08:23 AM

By Sandy Fitzgerald

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Americans are becoming even more pessimistic about the state of the nation, according to a new CNN/ORC International poll released Friday, with more than half saying conditions are going badly.

The survey, conducted on Nov. 18-20 of 843 adults, showed that 41 percent believe conditions are going well, marking the lowest that number has been in a CNN poll since February 2012.

Meanwhile, 59 percent say things are going badly, a number up nine points since the last poll in April. The opinions were along a partisan divide, as well as a difference of opinion between younger and older people.

"There's a slight generational divide, with 46 percent of those under age 50 saying things are going well. That number drops to 36 percent for those 50 and older," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

Americans are also pessimistic about the economy, the poll showed. Thirty-nine percent believe the economy is still declining, and just 24 percent believed a recovery is occurring. Meanwhile, 36 percent said they do not believe there is a recovery going on, but still think conditions are becoming stable.

The numbers were similar to those from a CNN/ORC International survey in October, when 59 percent predicted poor economic conditions a year from now, while 40 percent said the economy would be in good shape next year, marking the lowest level of optimism from the public in two years.

Partisan and geographic divides also came into play when it came to the economy. Forty-five percent of people who are 50 or older say the economy remains in a downturn, but 34 percent of people younger than 50 said the economy is declining.

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Pew Survey: Americans Still Fearful About the Economy

Blurry View of Economy Complicates Fed's Task

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Americans Vastly Against Any Syria Action

Poll: Most want Congress to rebuff Obama on Syria

By Rebecca Shabad - 09/09/13 10:17 AM ET

  

More than two-thirds of people in the United States want Congress to reject military action against Syria, according to a new poll.

While CNN/ORC International found that 80 percent of people believe Syrian President Bashar Assad gassed his own people, about 70 percent say a strike would not achieve U.S. goals or serve the national interest.

And even if Congress were to give President Obama the green light to launch an attack, 55 percent of Americans would still oppose it.

“Congressional approval would help Obama a little, but a majority would still oppose airstrikes against military targets in Syria,” said Keating Holland, CNN’s polling director.  

With approval from Congress, 51 percent of Democrats and 47 percent of Republicans would favor military action, the CNN poll found.

Most of the 1,022 people surveyed said their votes in future elections would not be influenced by their congressional representative’s stance on the resolution.

But by a 3-1 ratio, people who said it would influence their votes said they’d be more likely to vote against lawmakers who support strikes.

Several polls last week also found most Americans oppose intervention. Gallup found that 51 percent opposed a strike, and 13 percent were undecided. A Washington Post/ABC News poll found 59 percent opposed a strike. And Pew’s survey showed 48 percent disapproved.

Many lawmakers who have come out against attacking Syria have said they are being overwhelmed with calls from constituents who want them to vote “no.”

The Senate is likely to hold a procedural vote on Wednesday to move toward a final vote on Syria strikes, perhaps by the end of the week.

The House’s schedule is unclear. The lower chamber may vote late this week or sometime next week.