May 1, 2015 12:00 PM
State of the Nation
An average of four surveys taken from April 1 through April 22 found that 60% of Americans think the country is on the wrong track, while 28% of us think the country is on the right track.The official BLS unemployment rate for March 2015 is 5.5 %, showing no change from February. The rate is down 1.1% points from a year ago. If one takes into account the total unemployed + those marginally attached to the labor force + those working part-time who want full-time work, the rate is 10.9 %. This is down from 11.0% in February 2015. 2.4% have been unemployed for 15 weeks or longer, down from 2.6% in February, and down from 3.4% a year earlier.
In the third week of April (April 24), Gallup found an unemployment rate of 6.0%, down from 7.4% at the same time in 2014. It also found an under- employment rate (unemployed +those working part-time, but wanting full time) of 14.7%, down from 17.1% in April 2014.
In 2014, 8% of families included an unemployed person. This is down from 2013, when 9.6% of families included an unemployed person.
Since the 2000 election the shares of the electorate who identify themselves as liberal, conservative and independent have grown. The percentage identifying as conservative is greater than those identifying as liberal.
The percentage identifying as conservative has grown from 17% in 2000 to 20% in 2012. In 2004, conservatives accounted for 21% of the electorate.
The percentage identifying as liberal has grown steadily from 12% in 2000 to 16% in 2012.
Those identifying as independents has grown from 25% in 2000 to 29% in 2012. [PEW]
By 2043, non-Hispanic whites will -- for the first time -- comprise less than 50% of the population of the United States. Non-Hispanic whites will still remain the largest single group, but no group will have majority status.
By 2060, those considered minorities in 2014 will comprise 57% of the population.
By 2060, the Hispanic population is expected to double to 128.8 million. One in three U.S. residents would be Hispanic. The black population would increase to 14.7% of the population, an increase from 13.1% in 2012. The Asian population is projected to more than double to 34.4 million. [U.S. Census Bureau]
In 2014, 43% of Americans identified themselves as politically independent, the highest number found by Gallup in survey research going back to 1988. Meanwhile, the number of Democrats has dropped to 30% and the number of Republicans to 26%. [Gallup 1/15]
While the amount of money being spent on campaigns continues to grow, the number of donors has been dropping.
There were 434,256 identifiable donors to candidates in the 2014 election, 107,000 fewer than in the 2010 election. The number of donors to outside groups also dropped. [Center for Responsive Politics]
60% of Americans believe that it is possible for a person to get ahead in the United States if he or she works hard. This is up 6 points from 2014. Looking back over the last 15 years, the high point for this kind of satisfaction came in 2002, when 77% were satisfied with the opportunity to get ahead. The low point in this period came in 2012, when only 53% expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to get ahead. [Gallup 1/15]
The U.S. government itself is the number one problem facing the country today. This is according to participants of a recent Gallup survey in which 18% so identified the government. Coming in at second place was the economy at 11% and unemployment at 10%. If one thinks about the economy/unemployment as a single problem, the combined problems move into 1st place, with 21%.
