Right Direction or Wrong Track
17% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction
Wednesday, July 27, 2011


Just 17% of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, July 24. That finding is the lowest measured since January 11, 2009.

From August 2007 to early January 2009, confidence in the nation’s current course ranged from a low of 10% to a high of 24%. When President Obama assumed office, optimism rose to 27% and climbed to the low to mid 30s until May 2009. That figure has steadily declined since.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of voters say the country is heading down the wrong track, the highest finding since early January 2009. Since that time, voter pessimism had ranged from 57% to 72%.

Most Republicans (91%) and voters not affiliated with either political party (77%) believe the country is heading down the wrong track. Even a strong majority (58%) of Democrats now say the country is heading in the wrong direction.

From the Gallup website.

With that many Americans believing we are going in the wrong direction, what is the right direction?

What are your thoughts?

If you take the government out of this equation I would say that as citizens facing an economic calamity the turn into the right direction has begun.

Personal Savings.

2006: $235 billion
2007: $214 billion
2008: $448 billion
2009: $655 billion
2010: $654 billion

The numbers I've seen through May show that personal savings are up over last year.

Does this mean that we won't go back to relentless debt driven consumption?

Maybe not.

If you are looking for something positive coming out of this economic morass this is it.

Are they saving instead of spending or are they converting other items, such as stocks, into savings?

Its DPI minus personal outlays.

Personally, I think a big part of the problem is Congress. I think we need term limits, no congressional retirement program other than SS, and a balanced budget amendment to start. After that, there needs to be some disconnect between congress and special interest influence money.

I think you should be barred from taking a lobbyist position after you serve in Congress. I think too many of them are using their position in congress to audition for the 7 figure salaries afforded the top lobbyists.

That's exactly the "disconnect" of which I was referring.

There also some be something done about the theft of intellectual property by China. They are copying everything we invented with no restraints at all. This is where a lot of our jobs have gone.

America is on the wrong track all the way. We are loosing Industry! We lost credibility in the world. The numbers of poor are growing and the middle class is shrinking. There are way too many fingers in the political pie. Nothing is being done to actually curb the deficit. There is not enough personal responsibility of our leadership. I mean I could go on and on and on but to keep things to the point there is no way I am going to believe America or Americans are on the right track.

Yeah but what is the right track?

stocks ARE a means for saving. no different than putting money in a bank. both have risks most often related to interest rates. if you're money is in a bank and interest rates fall with the usual rise in equity value you made a bad choice in your savings strategy. the oposit is true if interest rates rise. then cash is king.

you'd have to toss the constitution first. or amend it.

..there are forces at work both overtly and covertly that aim to destroy America ..everything from the moral degradation to it's financial ruin...that's all i am at liberty to say right now...

Lobbying?????

Everywhere else, we call it "influence peddling" and it's absolutely illegal.

In Afghanistan, they call them "power brokers" same chit, different country.


Corruption!

not sure how you came to such conclusions. by far america has the world's largest auto industry, aircraft and aerospace industry, technology industry, farming industry, defence industry, service industry.......... i too could go on and on. and we continue to attract foreign industry to our shores as is obvious in the auto industry. just because some industrial output sinks in some areas of manufacturing does not equate to 'we are losing industry.' in fact our industrial output is greater than any in the world and still growing.

as for 'lost credibility in the world'??? not sure how much traveling you've done or how much media you're exposed to outside of the msm in america but i've traveled to fifty two countries on six continents over the most recent decades and from what i have observed is that america is highly appreciated around the planet. sure, just like here there are those in foreign countries who'll whine about anything and everything, but ask people around the world this question as i do often: if you were to choose which coutry you'd want to be the world's superpower, which would you choose? the usa is the answer i hear by an overwhelming margine and i'm including present day russians.

Wrong direction:

Wars or military actions in other countries. Would solve our budget problems too and save lives.

More self produced industries. Obama is working on this with all the environmental friendly industries. Just saw a sign for training for this on the church lawn up the street the other day.

Spending money reinforcing big oil.

Bush tax cuts that have never stimulated anything except already rich folks pockets.

We really need to stop corporate financing of our public officials also we should stop them from financing themselves.

Bush tax cuts gave me money and I am not a super rich person.
also the cost of wars for the past 10 years is about 1 trillion. Our dept is 14 trillion. So no you are wrong.

You are wrong still.

The Uber rich benefited from the Bush tax breaks far more than any average Joe did.

Your cost of the wars is not accurate either.

Yeah, I got that $300 check too ... yippee ...

I didn't get no $300!

http://costofwar.com/en/
And yes the rich people got about 1% more cut yet they pay a much higher percentage than I do. And No I am not wrong. You said it only stimulated the rich. By informing that it gave me money it proves you are wrong. Just because rich people ALSO got money doesn't mean other people didnt.