56% of Americans say they're better off now than in 2016 according to Gallup. WHAT???

[BlueStater]

Anyone care to explain this, because I’m stumped. Who the fuck did they poll to get this result?

https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/321650/gallup-election-2020-coverage.aspx

[elleng]

1. Right, Who the fuck did they poll to get this result?

[bdamomma]

2. I just don't get this

at all, he's burning the country down. Who are the 56%?? Fucked up that is for sure.

This is not the first time I heard this.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. 56%!!!

But, only 42% are going to vote for PINO?
I have serious questions as to how the question was really framed, and need to know the demographics of the respondents.
The polls are in conflict.

[Sherman A1]

3. Sure they are..

and I have this lovely bridge just slightly used for sale..............

[Drunken Irishman]

4. Personally? I'm better off. Though I don't attribute that to Trump.

The only area I'm not better off in is that I had a job lined up in Chicago that I was only able to do for a month before heading back home due to COVID. But I was able to climb the career ladder at my job the last few years and received a promotion in May. It has nothing to do with Trump, of course, but I am technically better off than I was at this point in 2016.

[sweetloukillbot]

14. Me too

I got a good promotion, my job is still going strong and I have the luxury of working from home. But I don’t think about just myself so I don’t use that as my deciding factor.

[brooklynite]

47. This is the critical point...

People forget that, in the depths of the Great Depression, 70 PERCENT of Americans still had jobs. Was it an unfathomable crisis for the other 30%? Yes. But it wasn't FOR MOST PEOPLE.

People tend to associate "Am I better off" with their job security, their salary, and their investments. And MOST people (the survey does say close to half) feel that this applies to them.

[Abnredleg]

5. The Obama economy

Was still going strong up until the pandemic hit. Jobs were created and the stock market did well.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Good Point

And, I'm better off! I retired and actually make more money than when I was working.
But, PINO had NOTHING to do with that.

[Abnredleg]

17. Same here

I retired June 1st and I too am earning more, thanks to a good pension.

[dware]

36. I'm retired from the military,

but I own my own trucking company consisting of 1 truck, and I actually am better off what with trying to keep stores stocked up.

[ProfessorGAC]

39. Nice Looking Rig

My dad drove a semi, but he wasn't OTR.
He delivered milk to the supermarkets, (7 of them) so he was home each evening.
He didn't have a sleeper. I think his tractors were always IH, but I might be recalling that wrong. Talking 60-80s.

[dware]

40. I picked her up at the Pheonix, AZ Peterbilt facility,

as soon as I saw her, I knew she was the truck for me, named her Lucille, and me and my Chihuahua are now road warriors and we love the nomadic lifestyle.

[Phoenix61]

7. Look at the actual question that was asked.

It’s not the statement at the top of the poll. I can see how some might not understand how to answer it.

[elleng]

15. Right.

[Bleacher Creature]

18. You mean this?

"I'd like you to compare your situation today with what it was four years ago. Are you better off than you were four years ago, or not?"

I'm not sure I follow the confusion.

[Phoenix61]

25. If you answer yes is it yes I am better off or

yes to the “or not.” It’s a sloppy question which makes me think they are trying to get a specific answer.

[Bleacher Creature]

27. Ahh, that's a good catch. Nice. NT

[FakeNoose]

38. They're not asking the same people who answered 4 years ago

So in other words, the question is meaningless.

[ananda]

9. Billionaires and millionaires, obviously.

Certainly not the likes of me...

[exboyfil]

10. I will know by Friday

That is when the announcement of the last round of rightsizing will occur. If I keep my job, then I will be better off than four years ago (since at that time my youngest was still in college - she has now been working for 3+ years).

Given this has been a year of losses (both my trees, both my cars, and my collie mix is on his last legs), I am still better off. I weigh less and am in better shape. My grandma died right before the last election, but I have not lost any more family members.

My country, on the other hand, is a mess.

[JDC]

11. Gallup is a farce

You can bet that any actual trump supporter would say "yes I am" on their way back from cashing in their unemployment check and shopping with their freshly replenished EBT card.

Thinking you are "Better off" is subjective.

[empedocles]

12. B rated by 538

[genxlib]

13. In truth

I am better off financially than I was. Growth and lower taxes have left me better off.

And I am a white, middle class cis-gendered male.

So, at face value, things are better.

But that is not how I measure success. My Country and my fellow citizens are in far worse shape and I will vote like I am one of them because I am.

[PJMcK]

26. Well written, genxlib

I agree and relate to your entire post.

No one is better off if our society is as sick as it has become during Trump's years.

[unitedwethrive]

16. Many people I talk to are better off now. For instance,

our family usually takes a couple of big vacations every year (spring break and summer), but this year put that money into savings instead. Our monthly expenses have also gone down with much less spent on gasoline and car expense. The kids extracurriculars usually cost quite a bit, and that has been eliminated as well. We have not eaten out since March, and we used to at least twice a week.

To top it off, I have a part-time job and was laid off from March until August. My salary was made up by the base unemployment insurance AND I received an extra $600 per week from mid-April until the end of July, which totaled over $8K.

I think many people are just not spending, either because of lack of opportunity, or for fear of what may be coming.

[rockfordfile]

22. Who are you supporting? trump is a un-American pos

[unitedwethrive]

46. Already voted for Biden, but I'm still doing better economically...because I know that everyone

is not as fortunate, and I'm happy to vote for the greater good. I was just trying to shed some light on the survey responses.

[ProfessorGAC]

41. That Doesn't Sound "Better Off" Except For Cash Savings

Your kids aren't getting to be kids.
Those restaurant visits you enjoyed, you can no longer do.
Those vacations you were taking were for YOUR enjoyment, and that is lacking now.
So, while there is some fiscal advantage, I'm not sure what you describe constitutes "better off".

[elleng]

19. 'Three issues have dominated public discussion this year as the country fell into a pandemic

followed by a recession and experienced a seminal moment in race relations after the death of George Floyd in May. As such, candidates' positioning on the economy, race relations and the coronavirus all rank fairly high in importance to Americans' vote this year among 16 issues asked about. Two of these issues -- the coronavirus response and race relations -- show significant gender differences in stated importance. The economy is more of a universal concern.

Women are more likely to be Democrats than Republicans, and thus differences in views on the issues by gender will reflect these underlying partisan distinctions. One way to see past this is to review gender differences within each party group.

Here we do just that, based on Gallup's Sept. 14-28 national poll.'>>>

[Dem2]

20. All day long I see negative threads about polls and other stories

I should have known this would happen I'm sorry I've been posting here

[beachbumbob]

21. Laughable because if true, trump wouldn't be stuck in low 40s

[rockfordfile]

23. true

[helpisontheway]

24. If this is replicated in other polls then it could be a problem

Most people want to stay the course if they are doing better.

[BlueStater]

28. Thanks for the feedback.

Speaking for myself, I don’t feel better off at all. More money isn’t worth living in a world where I have to wear a mask everywhere and feel constant anxiety with every single person around me. Sad how financial gain is the only metric with how many people judge their lives being better off.

[Massacure]

29. I was unemployed for four months in 2016

My response to "Am I better off now than I was in in October 2016" is a no-brainer. I'd probably be even better off now under a Hillary Clinton presidency though.

[betsuni]

30. Everyone in the right-wing media bubble was told how terrible the Obama economy was.

Unemployment, deficit, taxes, regulations for businesses all increased, as well as crime and all other bad things. From January 2017, suddenly everything's coming up roses. They were pessimists in 2016 and optimists now.

[FoxNewsSucks]

31. I'm personally better off as far as my business,

but the question is designed to give the impression that it's to MF45's credit. It absolutely is NOT because of him, it is in spite of him and the republicons.

I just happened to get lucky. The businesses I work with stayed open, only about half cancelled our jobs from March-early June, PPP covered the employees who were laid off, things are back to "normal" and a few new customers. Again, that has nothing at all to do with MF45, Moscow Mitch, or any of those pieces of shit.

I'm well aware of how lucky that was. And I'm acutely aware that there is absolutely no security or stability whatsoever. All it would take would be one employee to put us in quarantine, or worse. And the next economic crash could end up with all of our work cancelling.

Personally as far as everything but business, it is also absolute crap. No one feels secure, everyone is ready to go off,

This sure as fuck hasn't "been great".

[hack89]

32. Most people I know are better off

I certainly am. Has nothing to with Trump.

[Demsrule86]

33. bullshit poll gallup.

[budkin]

34. BULLSHIT

Straight up laughable.

[BlueWavePsych]

35. only 32 per cent of Americans now believe they are better off financially

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214324969

[Polybius]

37. I was until Covid

Not so much now.

[Takket]

42. i'm better off, got a promotion and raise, but that was my own hard work. nothing to do with drumpf

[Blaukraut]

43. We are financially better off, too. Raise and promotion.

But as others mentioned above - that is not because of Trump.

[Kaleva]

44. As climate change accelerates, 100% are worse off.

[Totally Tunsie]

45. Financially, I'm certainly better off today than in 2016.

I've been retired for several years now, and find that I make considerably more $$$ in retirement than I ever did while working. My investments, 401(k), IRA, and individual stocks are doing exceedingly well, and my net worth has increased exponentially since Nov., 2016.

Now, if we're speaking other than financially, I'm NOT happier, I'm NOT healthier, I'm NOT better-looking, and my children and grandchildren are now off living their own lives in other states and countries. My dissatisfaction with tRump and his administration color many aspects of my daily life in areas such as social climate, earth climate, and our standing in the world, and leave me banging my head against hard objects on many a day.

Guess being "better off" depends upon the criteria for describing "better"!

[Amishman]

48. Sounds about right.

Steady economic expansion from 2016 to Q2 this year.

I'd say about 1 in 3 directly impacted by covid and the current downturn.

So slightly more than half saying their better off seams reasonable. I probably would say Yes to that as well.

[marie999]

49. I would have to know the exact question before I can answer.

I am not better off because I am stuck at home and can't go to a restaurant or movie. I am better of financially because I am stuck at home and can't go to a restaurant or a movie. I am better off because my husband's family members don't wear masks so they can't come over.