State of the Nation

In the fourth week of April, the NBC/WSJ poll found that 63% of us think the country is on the wrong track. In April 2013, 61% held that view. The ABC/WP survey taken at the same time found that 66% believed the country was on the wrong track. In May 2013, 57% held that view.

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The official BLS unemployment rate for April 2014 is 6.3%, down from 7.5% one year ago. While this is evidence of an improving employment situation, it may not be as positive as it appears. 800,000 additional people dropped out of the work force and the participation rate is 62.8%, down from 64% a year ago.

In early May, Gallup found an unemployment rate of 6.9%, down from 7.4% a year ago. It also found an underemployment rate (unemployed +those working part-time, but wanting full time) of 16.1%

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Here is a partial portrait of the country as reflected by the current NBC/WSJ survey. Most notable, more people have a positive view of the IRS than large corporations, health insurance companies, and the financial industry.

- 55% believe the economic and political systems in the country are stacked against people like them

- 26% think the economy will get better in the next 12 months, while 26% think it will get worse

- 48% think that globalization has been bad for the US economy, while 43% think it has been good

- Confidence in American institutions, other than the military and the high tech industry, is in the tank. Here are the confidence levels

Military 69%; high-tech 53%; the internet 39%; Supreme Court 32%; public schools 29%; auto industry 27%; religious leaders and organizations 24%; telecommunications industry 23%; national news media 19%; online social networking websites 18%; Federal government 16%; IRS 15%; large corporations 13%; health insurance companies 13%; financial industry 13%.

- Democratic Party is viewed negatively by 37%, while 36% view it positively

- Republican Party is viewed negatively by 44%, while 25% view it positively

- Tea Party is viewed negatively by 41%, while 22% view it positively

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By 40% to 34% the Democratic Party is trusted to do a better job than the Republican Party in dealing with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years.

When asked which political party is most trusted to deal with a series of specific problems, the Democrats led on every issue except dealing with the Federal budget deficit. The most dramatic space between the two parties is the Democratic advantage in dealing with “issues that are especially important to women.”



And when asked which political party is closer to their own opinion on a variety of issues, Republicans are rated higher than Democrats only on the issue of gun control.

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