December 3, 2010 8:59 PM
Leading up to the Election
Unemployment was 9.6%. Under-employment (including unemployed) was 16.8%.23 States were experiencing increases in unemployment, while 13 States were experiencing increases in employment.
71% said the country was on the wrong track. (WP/ABC)
65% said America was in a decline. (NBC/WSJ)
73 % had a great deal of confidence in the military; 13% had confidence in the news media; 12% in health insurance companies; and 9% in Congress.
75% believed that Federal workers get better pay and benefits than people doing similar work outside of government. (NBC/WSJ)
74% disapproved of the job being done by Congress; 52% disapproved of the job being done by the President; and 55% disapproved of the job he was doing on the economy specifically. (WP/ABC)
46% thought the healthcare reform legislation was a bad idea (NBC/WSJ), even though 62% think the overall quality and coverage of healthcare in America is excellent/good, and 82% think the quality of their own healthcare is excellent/good. (Gallup)
30% of the electorate described themselves as Tea Party supporters.
46% of the whole electorate, 66% of Republicans, 49% of Independents, and 21% of Democrats, thought the Federal government is a threat to rights and freedoms. (Gallup) By 45% to 41% likely voters thought the Republicans would do a better job of coping with the country’s main problems over the next few years. (WP/ABC)
92% thought the economy was "not so good/poor." (WP/ABC) When asked in late October what message they wanted to send with their votes in the coming election, 21% said "focus more on improving the economy and creating jobs." Only 6% mentioned the President’s healthcare legislation, and half of them were supportive of the legislation. (NBC/WSJ)
