Some new data suggests Americans hold a negative opinion about the state of the country and are optimistic as well. How can this be? At least two explanations are possible and there's data for each:
1. People are unhappy about how things are going now but hopeful about the future.
and/or
2. The country is split. Some optimists, some pessimists.
The latter split, according to one report, is not along party lines but a split between populists and the "ruling class." Details ahead.
Today, a continuation of a short series looking into the factors affecting the current political climate. It's no secret that the country isn't too happy about the economy, the war in Iraq, and the direction the country is headed in. But for me at least, I like to see the data. First, the right track/wrong track question:
Click to enlarge.
The trend is clear, the numbers are huge: almost three quarters say we're off on the wrong track. Much more below.
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