Survey: Americans pessimistic, want jobs

By Becky Yerak
Posted Sep. 10, 2010 at 1:05 p.m.

Americans are more pessimistic about the country and the economy than they were four months ago, and it’s also showing in their approval rating of President Barack Obama, according to a study released Friday by  Northbrook-based Allstate Corp. and  the National Journal.

The sixth Heartland Monitor Poll also found that  a significant “jobs now” sentiment  outweighs concerns about the deficit or the size of government.
Among the findings:

  • 62 percent say the country is on the wrong track, up from 54 percent in April.
  • 40 percent believe the economy will worsen in the next 12 months, up from 27 percent in April.

That’s hurting Obama.

His job approval rating is 46 percent, down 2 points since April, and 10 points since last July.

The gap between the president and Congressional Republicans on who is more trusted on the economy  has narrowed to 5 points  — 42 percent for the president and  37 percent for Republicans in Congress. The president held an advantage of seven points in April, eight in January, and 21 in September 2009.

Americans are taking the economic slump personally.

A total of 70 percent say a close friend or family member have been laid off since the beginning of the recession in late 2007.

The study also found that consumers want the government to do what it takes to create jobs; 52 percent say they support tax incentives for business to hire more workers, even if it increases the deficit.

Read the entire study.

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7 comments:

  1. Jeeper Sep. 10, 2010 at 3:26 pm

    One thing Obama can do is fine corporations *heavily* for outsourcing work to India.

  2. ROBIN BRADY Sep. 10, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    Lets see the guvmint take the lead on hiring the older folks that have been laid off by the corporations. Its obvious that there’s nothing he can do about this obvious but “you can’t prove it” discrimination that happens everyday and everywhere.

  3. Mary Sep. 10, 2010 at 9:45 pm

    And just where is the link to the full study? The “entire study” link in the article takes you nowhere.
    It’s about time Obama and the government started going after the companies that are literally sitting on their record profits without creating any new fulltime jobs. I’m not talking about free-lance, temporary or contract work, either.

  4. JOHN C Sep. 11, 2010 at 7:11 a.m.

    15% Import duties on multinationals who import here will solve the jobless problem, the Dems in Congrss do not say a word since they are PAID off, true with repubs too!

  5. tom0942 Sep. 11, 2010 at 10:14 a.m.

    Hope and change.

  6. crobb Sep. 11, 2010 at 11:06 a.m.

    Done forget to take out the trash November 2nd. Vote out the incumbents.

  7. C Sep. 11, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    These guys can’t think of anything to “help” that doesn’t involve redistribution and picking favorites and passing out goodies to those who have sucked up to them enough–the more inefficient the more the reward. The last thing they’d ever entertain is just easing off the spending and meddling across the board and letting the private-sector economy find its footing and recover. There’s only one thing that will do it: November!