Poll: Americans – and Millennials – Lack Confidence in Government and Wall Street on Economy
by PubliusA new national poll finds a crisis of confidence on economic issues among Americans — and younger Americans (those 18-29) — alike.
Among the key findings, Americans and Millennials:
Are not confident in the government’s ability to handle the economic crisis. (59% of Americans; 55% of Millennials)
- Want a free market approach and oppose greater government regulation of business. (55% of Americans; 53% of Millennials)
- Believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. (67% of Americans; 60% of Millennials)
- Want the same set of moral standards in business life as in personal life. (75% of Americans; 66% of Millennials)
- See business decisions based on greed as morally wrong. (74% of Americans; 77% of Millennials)
- Think their careers will be negatively impacted for the long-term by the current economic situation (55% of Americans under 65 years old; 55% of Millennials).
“A year into the Obama administration, we find that Americans — and younger Americans — are having a crisis of confidence,” says Carl Anderson, CEO of the Knights of Columbus, the group that commissioned the poll. “People are increasingly pessimistic about the government’s ability to handle the economic crisis and a majority believes that increased government regulation will hurt the economy.”
Mr. Anderson adds, “At the same time, most Americans are unhappy with the ethical environment in business. They want less greed, and the same core values that govern an executive’s personal life to also govern business decisions. In other words, Americans neither want sleight of hand on Wall Street or a heavy hand from Washington, and these attitudes are shared by America’s young adults.”
The poll was conducted by the Marist Institute for the Knights of Columbus as part of the Moral Compass Project, a series of surveys on the ethical attitudes of Americans.
Survey results are available here.
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116 Comments
Crisis of Confidence? You betcha!
Is it going to get worse? Why certainly!
Madame Pelosi was interviewed today, saying they will pass Health Care, one way or the other. Essentially, Pelosi just told America to "Go **** Yourself.!"
Now if that doesn't creat a crisis of confidence, nothing will.
Imagine that. American's are disappointed that Obama hasn't been able to fix the GOP's catastrophic policies in his 1st year.
God you people are stupid.
I would have to say Andrew destroyed MSDNC's David Shuster today: http://tinyurl.com/yh87g97
I have two sons in their twenties, both educated, gainfully employed, and hard working. You can imagine their comments and opinions of politicians whenever they earn a bonus or a pay raise. They and most of their friends know the score and are looking forward to November.
.
Since 1955 when first tracked, Republicans yearly earn 65% more college degrees than democrats.
The difference is so great that if democrats would stay in school, and out of jail, we would have no national debt.
Democrats are not the "smart" ones with the solutions, they are the problem. Free stuff anyone?
How now Mao?
.
After 70 minutes of Obama patting himself on the back last night, you won't find many Americans, who think they have a future to look forward to…He is so full of himself, that he had the 'audacity', to scold the Supreme Court, for doing their job…and he did so in front of the entire world!!! This fool has no shame!
Did you ever think you would live to see such arrogance, such hubris? It is shocking.
What a disgraceful example of a president. He just spews empty rhetoric that smells of a broken sewer line … wait that would be disparaging to broken sewer lines.
And another rocket scientist checks in from grannies basement. Spoken like a true intellectual. /sarc
We may be stupid, but we're EDUCATED enough to know that there shouldn't be any punctuation in the word "Americans."
It's been a serious crisis in confidence since November 4. Folks with stock sold and moved their money to the hills, and they're not coming back until folks who know that change usually isn't good are in charge again.
That's why the fascist progressives are slithering all over the net today, They know Presidebt Sham Wow laid a big smelly pile last night. Class warrior all the way same old crap the left has espoused for 150 years of failure and genocide. The believer of a ideology that has been a complete failure and is directly responsible for tens of millions of executions because people just refuse to see how great and noble their cause is.
what is more of a disgrace is all the standing O's he received….well mostly love from the progressive left….
One thing I didn't realize he said was that since congress didn't want to approve his little blue ribbon panel he'd just issue an executive order….uh oh….the thug in chief has spoken…this, I'm afraid is just the beginning of something very very ugly…
Only a wild eyed fool thought that Barry was anything other than a wild eyed fool.
How did you like when Obumble said he won't tolerate
special interests and lobbyist?…What is Stern, and the
other Union bullies?…Belly dancers to entertain the
great Obumble??
Obama cut taxes. Moron.
Is that better?
You really love your Barry don’t you? What’s in it for you?
Oh the slings and arrows of intellectual impotence and nitwittery …
See poster jharp above
not really
The trolls are out full force today…
Be ready…don't bother with logic, it just makes them madder…
Be insulting; its more fun, anyway…
This poll comes as no surprise. Last night's address seems to show is more an an ideologue as opposed to Clinton's pragmatist. Personally, I like the fact he is sticking to his guns since I think it will lead to a quicker end to the folly of his policies come November and 2012. Barrack lies just as much as Clinton, but by now he is easier to see right through than the "slixkster."
Shhhh ….
(they'll start taxing college degrees)
I prefer to ignore the little peckerwoods.
Granted, there are a few select ones I respond to, but they are the exception to the rule.
For the most part, they just waste bandwidth.
All I can speak to is that I have 2 educated children. They fell hard into the Kool-aide vat. Now, they have crawled out and will never again waste their vote on style over substance. Before electing to national positions they want to review the candidates voting record. They do not think it is acceptable and have severed friendships with people playing the system on mortgages or bankruptcy due to greed and waste. They have learned their lessons well even though the entire nation is continuing to pay for it. It is quite nice to see them and many of their real friends growing up so much since 1 year ago. I tell your this so you can know that as a group they have lost much for a bad vote from their generation, and many have vowed to change the Barack Hussien Obama teams address as soon as possible.
Thank you so much for volunteering your time to teach us the error of our ways.
"See business decisions based on greed as morally wrong. (74% of Americans; 77% of Millennials) "
Honestly, what business decision is NOT based on greed? Cripes. I'm greedy because I made a business decision to please a customer so that they would give me money. I am greedy because I made a business decision to go to work so that my employer would pay me.
I am sick to death of other people attributing basic commerce and modern-day survival skills to greed.
PEANUTS.
Why isn't Obama supporting the preservation of the Bush tax cuts?
Hopefully you are keeping them away from strippers.
None of it is shocking anymore. It's saddening, but precisely what one might expect.
I'm actually happy Obama gave the speech he did. Let the Left pursue their policies in the open and let the American people judge them with clear eyes.
Who cares about David Shuster…?
No one watches that channel…I'm actually petitioning my sat provider for replacing it with "Nude Celebrity Midget Professional Wrestling…"
At least then you could get some entertainment out of it at times…
Yeah, no kidding. Who is John Galt?
I'm hearing this from younger family members as well.
Anyone who thinks the Dems are going to be able to rely on the younger voters over and over in elections is in for a big surprise. We're also seeing more and more younger folks getting involved in the 912 groups and Tea Party movement.
America is waking up, and every politician out there should be quaking in their boots, especially those that lie through their teeth.
It would be more helpful if the Obama would cut his own throat…
Oops. He's already doing that with his party…I'd better let him finish first…
Maybe they've finally realised that everyone is D.C. was to blame, not just the GOP.
I feel really sorry for you. Yes, he gave us a whopping $400 a year.
Unless you smoke of course, in which case you're rollay screwed by the higher tobacco taxes.
Given that the vast majority of smokers are in the lower earnings brackets, it would seem to me that his right hand gave a $10 bill, while his left stole a $50 bill out of their back pocket.
Nice way to treat the "working poor" he's apparently so concerned about…
How did you figure that out with you head buried in Obama's lap? Hmmm?
Pre Obama UNEMPLOYMENT – about 6%
POST OBAMA UNEMPLOYMENT – about 10% (17% including those that are part time and have given up)
States LOSING jobs in the last reporting period 37.
OBAMA=EPIC FAILURE
Indeed!
Yeah, please don't feed the communist* trolls. Make them get a real job.
* I refuse to call them democrats, liberals, socialists, or even marxists any more… they're all communists, even if some of them haven't realized it yet.
So what are Millennials? Haven't heard that one before. Are they Americans, too?
I also have a niece in her late 20's, college educated having to work as a bartender because no jobs are available here in OH. She is actively looking. Like so many young adults, she too voted for Obama, but did not have a clue as to what he stood for. SHE's FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT and also looking forward to Nov. 2010 elections!!
Look at the (FAILED) state of California. That is O-bow-man's economic strategy in a microcosm.
Punish the productive – reward the unproductive – kneel at the alter of enviro extremism – chase away industry with high taxes, over regulation and ridulous enviro-wacko-ism – encourage illegal aliens to flock in…
eventually you shrink the tax base and chase off people earning decent salaries – thus lowering tax revenue – all the while raising pay outs to the unproductive -illegals and the unmotivated -as well as ridiculously over paid civil servants a.k.a. Democrat slave voters –
eventually you have expenditures that are SKY HIGH and a tax base that is DISAPPEARING – hence a BUDGET DEFICIT of 23 BILLION dollars
or if you the United States 2 TRILLION $$$$$ a year.
The economy was looking pretty good right up until the dems took over congress and 'drained the swamp'. Don't believe me take a look at GDP and the unemployment numbers in 2006, we know what has happened since!
I believe these trolls to be the whole of Schuster's support staff. After AB's interview…they were pretty much done the day.
"Yes, he gave us a whopping $400 a year."
Yes he did. And $800 for couples.
That's $400 and $800 less taxes than 95% of us paid under George Bush.
So I guess if Obama raises taxes for 95% of us by $400 then it's no biggie? Is that how it goes?
Looking at the figures, 95% of working households got a tax cut.
Democrats are basically bad for private businesses and industry – unless they are presonally profiting from it, like John Murtha (D) Pennsylvania.
This White House was bought by Wall Street and he has delivered, with BILLIONS of OUR tax $$$$.
American's by jharp
vlscpa responds "EDUCATED enough to know that there shouldn't be any punctuation in the word "Americans."
jharp – that is one funny b!tch slapping! Have any other 'gems of wisdom'?
"God jharp you're stupid"
"POST OBAMA UNEMPLOYMENT – about 10%"
He's nearing Reagan's numbers. Let's hope it doesn't get that bad.
Which were a DIRECT RESULT of CARTER'S DISASTER! Look it up.
"Under Jimmy Carter Interest rates topped out at 21.5% in Decemeber 1980, 5 times higher than today." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter
Looks kije jharp is back for another day of sharing his "pearls of wisdom" with us stupid, stupid people.
Not to mention INFLATION which spiraled out of control under the FAILED OBAMA LIKE REGIME of Jimmy FAILURE Carter:
"On assuming office in 1977, President Carter inherited an economy that was slowly emerging from a recession. He had severely criticized former President Ford for his failures to control inflation and relieve unemployment, but after four years of the Carter presidency, both inflation and unemployment were considerably worse than at the time of his inauguration. The annual inflation rate rose from 4.8% in 1976 to 6.8% in 1977, 9% in 1978, 11% in 1979, and hovered around 12% at the time of the 1980 election campaign."
http://mcauleysworld.wordpress.com/2008/11/07/job...
Which were a DIRECT RESULT of CARTER'S DISASTEROUS ONE TERM as President!
*******************************************************************************************************
Really? Really?
Kind of like Obama's numbers are a DIRECT RESULT of BUSH"S DISASTEROUS TWO TERMS?
. The US Misery Index by President
January 1948 to December 2009
Misery Index = Unemployment rate + Inflation rate
President Time Period Start End Change Avg
So you want to blame Bush and the Republicans hmm?
No this is not an option for you Obama drone jerks. After all this money, all your promises, programs and empty words we have 10% unemployment (18% real unemployment). This is not a game these are real people out of work with families and houses and it is going to get worse. Real people do you hear me? I have had it with you jerks continuing to blame everyone but yourselves. Wake up you idiots.
Obama was supposed to be soo smart, he had all the answers. He and his statist policies are buttressed by a supermajority in the house and senate, thankfully nearly ended. These are HIS policies and HIS economy.
Hence this is HIS unemployment and get used to it jerk because it is not going anywhere but up until (God help us) we put the adults back in charge.
Now spin on it.
I'll bury him in research and facts – that usually works…
I've seen numerous stupid and many nasty comments here at BG, but rarely do I see comments being deleted by admin. Dear jharp has 4 or 5 in one 24 hour period.
Keep it up jharp and the mods will be forced to contact your Mom.
What was so disastrous of Bush's two terms? Six out of 8 years were profitable ones. His tax cuts got us out of the Clinton recession and past 9/11 numbers. Guess you're reading from your master's talking points as you imbibe the kool-aid? The economy didn't start taking a turn for the worse until after the Dems took over in January 2007.
Barack H. Obama 2009-01 – 2009-12 7.63 12.72 + 5.09 8.92
George W. Bush 2001-01 — 2008-12 7.93 7.29 -0.64 8.10
Don't forget…23% unemployment in places like Michigan and 50% among blacks.
James E. Carter, Jr. 1977-01 – 1980-12 12.72 19.72 + 7.00 16.26 see – HIGHER
Ronald W. Reagan -1981-01 – 1988-12 19.33 9.72 –9.61 12.19 see LOWER
It's a simple MATHEMATICS thing, work with it…
Yes, jerk, I got exactly $13 in my weekly paycheck and a few months later, it was cut back to $5. One extra Happy Meal for my 3 kids to split every week. I'm sure that will definitely stimulate the economy…in a banana republic. Which is where Obamao should rule, given his political leanings.
People made more money under Bush and paid less taxes. Bush was pro-business. Obama is pro-Obama, a dictator wannabe.
Forgot to add that the dollar has been mightily devalued under Obamao.
At the rate your master is going, you'll need a grocery cart full of money to buy a loaf of bread.
All of this discussion no longer matters. Whether Democrats or Republicans, they have all spent the nation into an unrecoverable situation. Obama and the Democratic Congress are already "fiddling while Rome burns". All of these politicians are posturing for the best possible positions they can obtain when the whole mess falls apart.
Haven't any of you seen the plans floating around where the Government will nationalize our personal IRAs, SEP and other retirement accounts?
They have us so busy fighting each other we won't notice when they bring down this country around our ears.
The worst part of all of this is that we have probably already run out of time.
Do you REALLY THINK that the Congress will exercise the fiscal discipline necessary to pay down the debt? We need to cut the budget by half if not more and that will NEVER happen because they know we as Americans are OK with a cut in spending or an increase in taxes as long at is someone elses nickel.
Try and run on a balanced budget and tell everyone that the party is over – you won't be able to fill a 10' X 12' room with voters who will support you.
james,
Good thought, but……had this troll done any research or gather any facts BEFORE posting, we wouldn't be readind his/her drivel here. Feel free to try though.
I was going to make the same point. Nothing wrong with being successful, or making decisions based upon maximizing profit, that's how it works.
What is bad is when government colludes to make the conditions or playing field allow undeserved success.
Ask somebody – When is the last time they turned a pay raise down?
Communists wouldn't know the truth if it hit them square between the eyes with a 2-by-4 wielded by a brown-shirted thug wearing an "I love Communism" baseball cap…
Here's an idea as to where the "special interests" sent their money in the 2008 presidential election. Why, to the hypocrite posing as our president.
That's true. It almost seems as if Bwarney Frank and Cwissy Dodd's housing bubble was timed to explode just in time, like it did. Obama pivoted from being the "anti-war" candidate to the "economic" candidate despite the fact that he has shown he knows NOTHING about either subject.
Oops, forgot to post the link to whose presidential campaign "special interests" contributed to:
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/1945...
True, but it gives me an opprotunity to print facts and links to the sources, so it's still cool.
It gets the numbers out there for all to see.
These seem like pretty straightforward questions, i'm amazed at the percentages, and surprised they are not more along the lines of 80%-20% or even greater splits.
The percentage on greed is the one that is truly laughable, it's only greed if it's somebody else that is successful.
When is the last time you turned a pay raise down?
Atleast 15% or so of you on here work in the government producing nothing, now staying in that job position might be considered greedy.
The US Misery Index by Congress
January 1948 to December 2009
Misery Index = Unemployment rate + Inflation rate
Congress Senate House Time Period Start End Change Avg.
111 Dem Dem 2009-01 – 2009-12 7.63 12.72 +5.09 8.92 DEMOCRAT CONGRESS
110 Dem Dem 2007-01 – 2008-12 6.68 7.29 +0.61 8.53 DEMOCRAT CONGRESS
109 Rep Rep 2005-01 – 2006-12 8.17 7.04 -1.13 8.17
108 Rep Rep 2003-01 – 2004-12 8.40 8.66 +0.26 8.23
107 Dem Rep 2001-01 – 2002-12 7.93 8.38 +0.45 7.48
It is funny that people forget that the economy started the steep decline when it looked likely that we were going to get such an extremely liberal president. When things looked likely that an anti-private sector president was about to be elected many companies went into survival mode. They cut their losses and trimmed up their work force early. That is why we find the DOW up and unemployment unchanged. We streamlined our productivity, and the less productive/ less educated suffered. To me it is sad that it happened, but probably needed to happen. The only thing that will help us move forward is to become a producer nation again. Bring home the production and industry and let them compete under the regulation of supply and demand. Laissez Faire economics.
I agree. They have already jumped off the cliff, and it's only a matter of time before the government hits the canyon floor.
Yes, I have seen the idea to force workers to purchase government securities, it's atrocious.
"they have us so busy fighting each other…" a divided public is easier to rule, while keeping the anger away from government, both sides maximize this technique.
No, neither party will commit to being fiscally disciplined, ask a republican to reconsider foreign policy/defense spending or ask a democrat to reconsider welfare spending.
You make too much sense for this or any other partisan blog.
States should man up and exercise state nullification. Problem is they have all bowed down to the U.S. government because the government says if you don't do what we say, then we will withhold federal dollars.
A smart state would even consider succession and restructure with a new currency, drop the welfare roll, and cater to business. It would probably set the standard for other states to follow.
watching you defend Obama is as amusing as watching someone on here trying to defend Bush.
These morons don't remember or have not experinced Regan. I work with these communist trained morons. UC Irvine produces particarly economicly eliterate graduates.
Did she get a degree in underwater basket weaving? Most college degrees are worthless as teats on a bore.
People have been conditioned to think that they have to get a college degree and then they go and get a degree in something like history, or political science, or sociology…. subjects that should just be learned on your own.
This system has done nothing but perpetuate college administrators and professors jobs.
just as long as they get out of politics.
Most economists are nothing more than shills for the federal government and the federal reserve. They still peddle keynesian economics like its the truth, the solution to everything is we just need people to get out and spend more, lol.
Are you saying you don't care for the Laffer Curve and supply side economics?
agreed. who the hell made profit a dirty word. Liberal academics who produce nothing for nobody. Yep. It's only moral if payed for by taxes.
If they do pass it let's hope the states man up and exercise state nullification.
The are the generation educated by 60's radicals and commies. They think getting a government grant is entripenurship.
Unfortunately, most of the proposed economic fixes entail pumping "money" into the economy either directly by distribution of the money itself or by funding "projects" as the vehicle. This does not create "goods and services" for which there is a need and provide for their distribution to consumers.
A light rail project in Florida puts people to work and there is an infusion of "money," but similar to building pyramids or other public owrks projects, the type of product that is consumed, does not increase. It is the idea of many economists that merely providing dollars will magically transform into other productivity, but unfortunately this money usually just distributes purchasing power so that there are no more goods to be consumed and raise our standard of living that are created, The public works projects are a drain on the economy. Of course, they are no worse than keeping such a huge percentage of the workforce idle and non-productive …
Bullhorn Barack Obama has been tutored to believe that there is a cornucopia of goods and that their distribution is prevented by an evil consortium whose goal is to have people live deprived. During his early days he was engaged in extorting the goods from producers and distributing them to non-producers under the threat of disrupting the society. But wealth needs to be produced to be available for distribution, and this concept eludes Obama. Obama's model of how an economy performs creates a system where productivity is reduced and there is less and less to be distributed. Black liberation theology and liberation theology generally are not conducive to maximized production of goods.
Unfortunately, Obama's vision is further compromised by the reality that production for human use involves increase in "pollution," and that such "pollution" is a result of population numbers and productivity per capita to produce "standards of living." The impoverished peoples generally such as the pygmies and Bushmen of Africa produce very little per capita. The wealth of Haiti was minimal prior to the recent catastrophe. Certainly, "pollution" can be reduced, but eventually increases in populations and of standards of living will result in increased "pollution."
How the Obama-ites will reconcile their concerns for "the masses" and the liberation theology goal of increasing their living standards worldwide with increased generation of pollutants will require feats of legerdemain that will be deceptive but are irreconcilable.
Thank you for not using the Democrats modern day code word for slave "African-American". Oh, and great point.
You have never studied cause and effect have you? . Cherry picking historical statistics outside of context and the cause/effect relationship is very disingenuous.
Nice to know!
It's part of his winning personality. He's been banned from at least one other blogs I've read. I think he still posts at Pajamas Media, apparently to be used as a bad example.
Well, don't expect logic to convince the trolls of the error of their ways. Might convince lurkers the troll's faction is utterly worthless, though.
Apparently they didn't listen to the SOTU speech, according to Obama what we need is… more Obama.
Obama vs. The Constution of the United States
http://usataxpayer.org/?0046741148
Der Fuhrer is not Happy With Obama
http://usataxpayer.org/?0048095979
Don't miss this line…
Hitler: "Now we know why Obama won't release his school records. Bush got C's, Obama probably failed lunch."
Bet he/she/it fits right in at Huffy Puffy and Daily KOS just fine.
It's understandable why Big Pharma wants O'Bummer's Healthscare so much. Sales Zoloff and whatever it is that the libturds add to the kool aid would skyrocket.
Got to admit, the trolls do make posting more fun at times.
But the Godhead Obama promised…he did…!
The Obama couldn't fix toast…with six pages of instructions, a map, and two sous chefs, each with complete line cooks and commis…
I actually hope he tries to push nuc power and dill for more oil, as well as more coal…might as well throw some more environmentalists under the bus…if he can find room, its getting crowded under there…
"Lobbyists." As though a lobbyist is some sort of organic creature sent by God to punish us for our sins.
Lobbyists exist to advocate on behalf of clients, who have First Amendment rights. If you don't want lobbyists in Washington, then don't give them anything to lobby for. The more legislation you pass, the more lobbyists you'll have.
The idea Obama doesn't know or understand this is a colossal delusion. Of course he understands it. He just doesn't think the American people do.
Back in the old days, we used to call 'crisis of confidence' —-"REALITY" it's a b!tch.
"But i'm sure people would trust the government if they really thought they got value for money. We don't though."
Take another toke off the bong and try again. My money spends just fine. Groceries, electronics, clothing, cars, etc. I've never had anyone turn down cash.
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