76% think country going in the wrong direction. Does that mean recovery is the "wrong" direction?

[kelliekat44]

I just don't get it. Any President would love to have the economic numbers trend Obama has now. What is wrong with people. The media has drumbeat the GOP fear and lying mantra and it has worked well for them.

[Fumesucker]

1. What's wrong with people is that they are believing their lying eyes

The "recovery" has largely bypassed the majority of Americans while the 1% is raking in money that would make Scrooge McDuck green with envy.

[Nay]

18. Yup. We traveled the US for three months this summer and were appalled at

the condition of many, many small/medium towns. They look blasted and unkempt. Houses are burned, and left to rot. The only store is a Dollar Store. Frankly, it was horrifying.

[Adrahil]

20. I'm gonna agree with this....

I mean, I think Obama is trying to improve things, but Congress has blocked him every step of the way. If Congress has implemented Obama's policies, our economy would be much better off, instead of struggling to establish a stable expansion.

Instead, Obama has been JUST able to maybe reverse the tide ever so slightly.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. same reason bud light is the best selling beer. Advertising works.

And the 24 hour right wing corporate owned news cycle bombards them with what they want people to hear. Truth is no longer truth - truth is whatever the message needs to be at the moment to push the masses into the proper group think.

[JI7]

3. ISIS and Ebola, this kind of reminds me of those people who are into the gluten free

and other latest "health" things but don't really know what it is and could not explain it.

but they make their decision based on what they are hearing around them. they hear a lot about isis, ebola etc and they get scared and think they could die any moment.

just like the gluten free thing and how people just see it being talked about, and how certain celebs are on it and stores selling gluten free and they feel they must become gluten free to be healthy and think it's a good thing.

but ask them what it is and most could not tell you.

[Fred Sanders]

8. Herd mentality, humans would be screwed without it, the trick is getting them pointed in the right

direction, using all humane means necessary.

[Maedhros]

4. There is more to consider than just the recovery.

Civil rights? Actively eroding.

More stupid wars of choice? Here, have some Iraq with a side of Syria.

Criminalization of investigative journalism. Blanket surveillance intensifies. Trade agreements shrouded in secrecy promise to further weaken the non-existent middle class. Global warming continues to be ignored. More fracking on the way.

Yeah, we're headed in the wrong direction.

[woo me with science]

19. [phone]

And there is no recovery for most of us. It was a restructuring, with virtually ALL benefit going to the very top.

[Maedhros]

23. Make no mistake.

When they tout "recovery," they are talking strictly about the markets. "Recovery" for the average American means finding a low-wage part-time job after years of unemployment. Maybe two, if one is lucky.

[Autumn]

5. Yeah, I think the recovery has gone in the "wrong" direction

the wealthy and corporations are doing great. The politicians are "concerned" about the middle class, no one gives a fuck about the rest of us who will never recover.

[LittleBlue]

6. It's because the numbers are BS

Inflation, unemployment and many other numbers are doctored. They don't reflect the economic situation of most people. The numbers are manipulated by using methods like applying Hedonic pricing models, and not counting people who dropped out of the workforce.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_regression

We don't have a comprehensive measure of total economic health in this country. But when you see a rejection of the party in power, it's a condemnation of the way that they've run the country. If 76% say it's going in the wrong direction, that means for 76% of the people, it is going in the wrong direction. And that's pretty terrible.

[Mnpaul]

14. If we had real inflation numbers

that included things like food and gas, you would see how bad it has become. Many don't see it because it has been declining their whole adult life.

[roamer65]

21. If we simply used the inflation measurement we used in 1980...

...we are running between 8-10 pct a year. From my recollection as young child, we have now reached the point where most prices are 10 times as high as they were in late 1960's, early 1970's.
Wages are definitely not 10 times as high for the working people over the same time period.

[Art_from_Ark]

24. I remember "gas wars" back in the late '60s

where the price of a gallon would sometimes drop below 20 cents (I remember my grandmother complaining when she saw a "gas wars" sign advertising at 19 cents/gallon, because she had just filled up at 21 cents!). Candy bars were a dime (sometimes less), and they have gotten smaller and much more expensive over the years. The ice cream bars that I would buy for a dime from the ice cream wagon now cost $2 from the ice cream truck. Saturday matinees were 25 cents where I was, now the cheapest (and the only) movie theater in my hometown is way away from downtown and it costs more than $7 to see a movie. We bought a modest house on a 1/4 acre lot in the '60s for around $6000, it was recently listed for $60,000. So from my experience as well, the dollar's purchasing power is about 1/10 of what it was back then.

[world wide wally]

7. Do you think I could get elected to something if I tell people that I will cut all of their gov't

supported benefits, I promise to start at least one war, fuck global warming, and only certain people will be allowed to vote from now on.... But they can keep their guns?

[JI7]

9. that's how the red state republicans are leading

[BKH70041]

10. Because what they hear and what they're experiencing are two different things.

Some have touched on it here, but they allow their ideology to take them too far.

Forget all those who would say it's because the leaders aren't "progressive" enough. That's a pant load they want to believe and they want others to believe. And most people aren't into class warfare or climate change or any of the other 20 dozens issues that, if you only read this site and those like it, you would think they're all top priority. Believe that nonsense to your own peril.

People vote their wallets. It's the economy, stupid.

For example, unemployment may be at 5.9%. But for every 1 person I know who's become re-employed in the last six months, I know 3 people who have been unemployed for so long they've fallen off the statistical chart and aren't even counted. And of the ones who have been hired after having no job for a while, most have gone back in a maybe half of what they were making before. I worked the floor at the NYSE after I got my Master's and still keep up with several of my old acquaintances. They'll tell you conservative estimates of real unemployment is more like 12%-15%, and that's not counting the number of people forced to move from full-time to part-time work. It's not pretty.

I could keep going with other examples of things people point to and say "These are signs things are going well," and they really aren't. But I don't have a lot of time tonight.

Who's the president? Obama? When things are going good, they get the credit. When they're not, they get the blame. Despite the "numbers" that would say things are going good, things really aren't going all that great. Ergo, he gets the blame.

So Americans, do what they always do; they say "Let's try the other guys and see if they can do any better."

[catnhatnh]

11. If asked I would reply the country is going in the wrong direction also...

as would many other democrats. If asked why I would say "unprecedented Republican obstructionism and money in politics". Without delving further into the respondents reasoning the question is just worthless except as propaganda.

[gratuitous]

12. It all depends on what you mean by the "wrong" direction

It's a purposely vague question that allows people to interpret it practically any way they want, and in the hyperpartisan, politically-charged atmosphere we're currently in, almost surely gather a large majority of people dissatisfied with the direction of the country.

But what does that mean? Surely my own discontent with the way things are going right now is matched by the knuckleheads in whatever remains of the Tea Bagger faction of the Republican Party. But a short list of my objections compared to the knuckleheads would yield widely divergent concerns. The solutions each of us would endorse would similarly diverge. Keep an eye on the commentary or coverage for this 76% figure: If the media cram all that concern into unpopularity for the president, they're either grossly mistaken or purposely misleading (our old conundrum friend, "stupid or evil" stops by for a visit). Without getting into the reasons why any one person might think the country is going in the "wrong" direction, the number is pretty meaningless.

[TransitJohn]

13. It means Democrats are inept at framing the narrative, nothing more. eom

eom

[bigwillq]

15. I feel the country is headed in the wrong direction.

As is the government. Our country, and the government, has been held hostage by greed and corporations. Our elections are being bought by both sides. Both parties are guilty of contributing to this downfall.

[napkinz]

16. it means racism is alive and well

[nilesobek]

25. Yes. If you paralleled

the percentage of people "losing confidence in President Obama," with the overall white population in America you would see a certain correlation.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

44. That's it!! Racism on ALL sides! He'll never be good enough!

Few are blaming Republicans. Cowardly Democrats are running away from him despite the record. RACE is the underlying reason for the hate, for why even some on the political left have raised the bar impossibly high no matter what he does, who forgave Bill Clinton for far greater crimes but hold this president to a different standard.

We all know why.

I will never back down, either.

[Ykcutnek]

22. Because most Americans don't understand data. And others are just flat out full of shit/selfish.

If they don't personally experience a bad economy, the economy is good. If they don't personally experience a recovery, the economy is still bad... guess what, though? It doesn't fucking work like that. Your personal experience means jack shit.

What people don't realize is it doesn't mean a fucking thing what your personal experience is...

All the data points to a huge recovery.

And all the bullshit about this being a fake recovery is something people like the braindead FOX News crowd pushes to their ignorant masses. Unfortunately, some of the brain-dead nitwits on our side buy the lies and spread those same bullshit memes.

Instead of praising the recovery, job creation, low unemployment, low gas prices, etc. the cynical fucks on our side haven't the mental fortitude to get out the fucking Great Recession mindset and admit that things are getting better. "Boohoo, it hasn't for me. Everyone is lying." Cut that shit out, for the sanity of everyone.

[badtoworse]

38. See Post 33. I've been very fortunate in my career and the economic downturn didn't hit me.

But I'm seeing more and more people who literally have nothing. I'm not imagining it.

[hobbit709]

26. When 95% of the economic recovery gains went to 1% of the people.

what do you think the majority of those left out in the cold are going to do. Jump up and cheer?

[eridani]

27. There has been no recovery for the 99%

All gains have gone to the 1%. People don't give a shit about numbers--they care about what is happening in their lives.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

45. No one is disputing this fact. The problem is that people are blaming the WRONG people.

People on both the left and the right are blaming Obama and the Democrats, while giving the Rethugs a pass. That's the problem!!

The government is 100% broken and people think that by electing more Republicans, they can fix what's wrong. That's the problem!!

[B Calm]

28. I think it's because of congress people feel that way.

[Katashi_itto]

29. Theres a recovery? The jobs being created are mainly low paying service jobs.

The Banksters are even stronger. Citizens United has destroyed democracy.

[cali]

30. I think it's pretty easy to understand the majority of people are not benefiting

from the economic recovery which has rewarded the 1% handsomely. In addition, there's just a shitload of free floating fear permeating the atmosphere and fear is meat and potatoes for the republicans.

[beachbum bob]

31. recovery has not been a recovery

most people haven't seen much change in their income or job prospects. Combine that with a media that ONLY concentrates on the negative

we get what we get. People losing faith and that will bode ill for democrats.....today's election will not be pretty.

[Tommyb1951]

32. Bad Timing

Got my letter saying my Obamacare premium is going up approx. 50%. Pretty sure I wasn't supposed to get that until after the election.

[Vinca]

35. Not sure I believe you, but if that is the case you can shop for another policy.

There are more insurance companies participating this time around so the trend for premiums is downward, not upward.

[uppityperson]

46. Uh huh. eom

[badtoworse]

33. I've never seen so many homeless people on the street in my life.

I've been working more than 40 years and most of that time, including now, it's been in Manhattan. In the 10 - 15 minutes it takes me to walk from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to the office, I pass at least 1 homeless person every time and usually, it it's 2 or 3. Over the past 3 or 4 years the problem has been getting worse, not better.

Maybe the "recovery" hasn't helped as many people as you thought.

[Vinca]

34. It means too many people watch Faux News.

[LWolf]

36. Yes.

"Recovery" is the wrong direction when the "recovery" is all about the recovery of Wall Street, and not the rest of us.

The "recovery" itself is going in the wrong direction.

Since you asked.

[HereSince1628]

37. But that doesn't imply they all would choose the same, different compass heading.

Most of see things that are going the wrong way in from our personal perspective.

The economic recovery provides just one vector contributing to the movement of the whole. You can believe that vectors on the right heading and have one strong myriad other little weak pushes in other directions that ulitimately lead to a percieved 'wrong course',

[Orsino]

39. That figure includes the dumbasses...

...who believe, because they are told, that those other people are benefiting at their expense...while simultaneously applauding the concentration of wealth in the hands of the .01-percenters.

[Skidmore]

40. The problem I always have with that metric is that

one person's "wrong" may be diametrically opposed to the next person's. This type of stat is always just tossed out there as a detached from every other qualifier. Never any push back to define what is "wrong," let alone how to solve problems.

[HereSince1628]

43. Yep, and the "direction" percieved results from the influence of many "vectors"

which might be expected to push in different directions and with different strength.

It's possible for all 76% to see the recovery as a "good vector", but that the overall movement is not going in the direction they percieve as 'right. And there are likely as many 'right directions' as there are perspectives

[muriel_volestrangler]

41. What was the precise "wrong direction" question asked?

You tie it to 'recovery' - meaning economic recovery, it seems. Did the question explicitly ask about the economy? If not, then people could easily be thinking of Ferguson, or the polls predicting a Republican win in the Senate.

As others have said, the economic news is not all good. The median income and wealth has dropped in the past few years. No president would love to have that. It may well be the fault of the Republican House (or stupid Dems) for blocking stimulus packages, but it's still an indication the economic recovery isn't happening to the average person.

[Bluenorthwest]

42. So OP. Do you look at Ferguson and think 'the right direction'? How about climate change?

Does a nation's 'direction' only concern money?