Here are some poll results released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
For the second straight week, the percentage of voters who say the United States is heading in the right direction rose to its highest level in recent years.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 35% now say the country is moving in the right direction, up from 30% last week and 28% the week before.
In the latest poll, 58% believe the nation is moving down the wrong track, compared to 62% last week and 64% the week before.
The number of American voters who say the country is heading in the right direction is the highest since October 2004, when 43% felt the same way. The latest result is now 14 points higher than the level found just after Barack Obama was elected president.
Thirty-five percent (35%) of men and 36% of women say America is heading in the right direction. Slightly more men (60%) than women (56%) believe the opposite is true.
Optimism among African-Americans has been steadily rising over the past few weeks, and this week is no different. Sixty-four percent (64%) of blacks say the nation is heading in the right direction, up from 59% last week and 53% the week before. Thirty-one percent (31%) of white voters agree, compared to 27% a week ago and 24% the week before that.
Despite their party's fierce opposition to the Obama administration's recent spending legislation, the number of Republican voters who say the nation is heading in the right direction rose from 12% last week to 15% in the latest poll. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Democrats agree, up from 51% last week. Over a quarter of unaffiliated voters (27%) now say America is heading in the right direction, up from 21%.
On the economic front, however, it's more bad news. The Rasmussen Consumer and Investor Indexes hit all-time lows in February. Today's release of the Discover Consumer Spending Monitor for February also showed a new record low.
The latest Rasmussen Employment Index , a monthly measure of the labor market, fell for the fifth straight month and found that 30% of workers say their employers were laying people off.
A separate survey released this week found that nearly one-third of Americans (32%) say crime has increased in their communities since last year , and 72% of those adults blame the suffering economy .
Despite the nation's troubles, President Obama continues to earn solid marks the Daily Presidential Tracking Poll .
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To download a copy of the original report, please use this link: Take a Left Where?