US Satisfaction Index Declines — Gallup

The latest Gallup telephone survey of how satisfied Americans are “with the way things are going in the United States at this time” indicates that satisfaction has slipped since the July survey but remains higher than it was in January. Only 23% of Americans said they are satisfied in August, compared with a high so far this year of 28% in July. In January, only 18% of those surveyed were satisfied.

Gallup notes the political implications of this survey:

The current level of satisfaction could put President Barack Obama’s re-election in jeopardy. Satisfaction is now similar to what it was in early August 1992 (17%), prior to George H.W. Bush’s re-election defeat. It is significantly lower than what it was in mid-August 1996 (38%) and mid-August 2004 (44%), years in which incumbents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, respectively, were re-elected. …

Democrats (35%) are currently much more likely to be satisfied than Republicans (12%), but Democrats are hardly upbeat about the state of the nation. Independents’ satisfaction level falls in between, but is closer to that of Republicans.

The US economy continues to be the respondents’ main concern, with 31% saying it is the most important problem facing the country today. Another 23% say jobs and unemployment are the main concern, and 15% cite dissatisfaction with government.

Paul Ausick