Behind the Numbers: Economy


Posted at 09:00 AM ET, 05/31/2012

Gas prices dropping. Will consumer spending rise?
By Scott Clement
Will lower pump prices boost consumer spending in other areas?

By Scott Clement  |  09:00 AM ET, 05/31/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy

Posted at 08:28 AM ET, 05/16/2012

Romney’s tax, health-care proposals draw partisan reaction
By Scott Clement
Public overall tilts positive on proposal for 20-percent income tax cut.

By Scott Clement  |  08:28 AM ET, 05/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  2012 polls, Economy, Health care

Posted at 09:11 AM ET, 04/19/2012

Gas prices: Global problem, domestic blame  
By Scott Clement
Polls show Americans are willing to dole out plenty of domestic blame.

By Scott Clement  |  09:11 AM ET, 04/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy, International polls, 2012 polls

Posted at 05:37 PM ET, 04/09/2012

Poll: Gas price pain — and blame
By Peyton M. Craighill
A third of all Americans say spiking gasoline prices have caused them serious financial hardship, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  05:37 PM ET, 04/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy

Posted at 12:11 AM ET, 03/14/2012

Is Romney losing his edge among "economy voters?"
By Jon Cohen
Beyond a pair of loses Tuesday, one potentially troubling sign for Mitt Romney is his slippage among "economy voters." The chart below compiles data from the Republican contests with exit polls. It shows Romney's once big advantages among these voters has dissipated significantly as the primaries have unfolded.

By Jon Cohen  |  12:11 AM ET, 03/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Crosstabs, Economy, Exit polls, Republican Party, GOP nomination, Voting

Posted at 12:34 PM ET, 02/21/2012

Obama’s rising gas prices problem
By Scott Clement
President Obama’s improved polling numbers (and his reelection chances) are threatened by a perennial bugaboo: spiking gas prices.

By Scott Clement  |  12:34 PM ET, 02/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  2012 polls, Barack Obama, Economy, GOP nomination, Republican Party

Posted at 04:54 PM ET, 02/09/2012

Does the public blame banks for housing woes?
By Scott Clement
Most see banks at least partly responsible for the nation’s housing woes, but polls show they are far from the only culprits.

By Scott Clement  |  04:54 PM ET, 02/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy, Financial regulation, Presidential Approval

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 02/09/2012

Tax policy for manufacturing jobs — carrots or sticks?
By Peyton M. Craighill
When it comes to U.S. manufacturing jobs, more Americans support the punishment than the enticement.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  07:00 AM ET, 02/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy

Posted at 10:11 AM ET, 02/06/2012

Obama and Romney on the economy — empathy or competence?
By Peyton M. Craighill
On trust to handle the No. 1 issue — the economy — public perceptions of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney diverge in important ways.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  10:11 AM ET, 02/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy, GOP nomination

Posted at 12:17 PM ET, 01/30/2012

Poll watcher: Are capital gains tax rates popular?
By Scott Clement
A New York Times/CBS News poll shows a stark partisan divide on whether investment income should be taxed at a lower rate than ordinary earnings.

By Scott Clement  |  12:17 PM ET, 01/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy, Federal Budget Deficit, GOP nomination, Presidential Approval, Republican Party, Voting, methodology | Tags:  budget deficit, gop nomination, Republican Party

Posted at 03:05 PM ET, 01/25/2012

Poll watcher: Domestic policy prime in 2012
By Scott Clement
A slender 9 percent of Americans say President Obama should focus on foreign policy, while 81 percent prefer a domestic focus.

By Scott Clement  |  03:05 PM ET, 01/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Congress, Economy, GOP nomination, Republican Party, International polls | Tags:  Barack Obama, Congress, Economy, GOP Nomination, International Polls

Posted at 02:59 PM ET, 01/06/2012

Poll watcher: Romney, Santorum surge in S.C.; Gingrich drops
By Scott Clement
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have gained support in South Carolina while Newt Gingrich has taken a nose dive, according to a new poll by CNN and Time magazine.

By Scott Clement  |  02:59 PM ET, 01/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  GOP nomination, methodology, Economy, 2012 polls, 2012 polls

Posted at 12:45 PM ET, 12/12/2011

Poll watcher: Unemployment drop no salve for Obama
By Scott Clement
Fewer Americans are hearing negative news about the economy, but there’s no apparent benefit for broader views of the U.S. economy, or for President Obama.

By Scott Clement  |  12:45 PM ET, 12/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Presidential Approval, Economy, GOP nomination

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 12/05/2011

Obama’s unemployment comeback?
By Scott Clement
Friday’s big drop in the unemployment rate to the lowest level since early 2009 comes as welcome news to President Obama, but are these numbers enough to bring him up from below sea level?

By Scott Clement  |  07:00 AM ET, 12/05/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy, Presidential Approval

Posted at 12:38 PM ET, 10/27/2011

Poll watcher: Cain and Romney dominate, but GOP race is fluid; unemployed woes and handgun bans
By Scott Clement
A bevy of national and early primary state polls show businessman Herman Cain and Mitt Romney well ahead of other major candidates, but also a Republican electorate that has not fully made up its mind. We picked five key findings from these new polls.

By Scott Clement  |  12:38 PM ET, 10/27/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  GOP nomination, Economy

Posted at 01:21 PM ET, 10/21/2011

Obama: Jack of the wrong trades?; poll spins message on jobs bill
By Scott Clement
Obama earns his highest poll marks as president on issues that rank among the least important to Americans.

By Scott Clement  |  01:21 PM ET, 10/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy, Presidential Approval

Posted at 12:20 PM ET, 10/19/2011

New high supports legalizing marijuana, Cain and Romney close in S.C., and other top polls
By Scott Clement
Fully 50 percent of Americans say the use of marijuana should be legal according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday, the highest in polls since 1969, when just 12 percent favored legalization.

By Scott Clement  |  12:20 PM ET, 10/19/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy, GOP nomination

Posted at 01:54 PM ET, 10/13/2011

#pollwatch: Cain ahead in GOP race? Obama’s jobs bill potentially popular; OWS, death penalty and ‘Jersey Shore’
By Scott Clement
A new poll shows Cain outpacing Romney; Obama’s jobs bill is potentially popular; Occupy Wall Street; “Jersey Shore”

By Scott Clement  |  01:54 PM ET, 10/13/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  GOP nomination, Barack Obama, Economy

Posted at 03:53 PM ET, 09/29/2011

#pollwatch: Perry down; GOP excited for 2012, but not for Christie; economic confidence on the brink
By Scott Clement
A host of new polls provide new perspective on the 2012 election and how America sees the nation’s economic woes.

By Scott Clement  |  03:53 PM ET, 09/29/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  GOP nomination, Economy

Posted at 01:08 PM ET, 09/14/2011

Pollwatcher: Obama’s troubles on the economy, jobs and in California; new Virginia poll
By Peyton M. Craighill
A summary of daily polling.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  01:08 PM ET, 09/14/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy, Virginia, Congress

Posted at 12:21 PM ET, 09/13/2011

No quick bounce for Obama, but speech proposals seen as promising
By Scott Clement
President Obama's job approval rating received no immediate bounce following his prime time speech before Congress, but Americans do say several of his specific job proposals are promising.

By Scott Clement  |  12:21 PM ET, 09/13/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Presidential Approval, Economy

Posted at 05:03 PM ET, 09/08/2011

Obama speech: Will he channel Deion Sanders
By Scott Clement
So will it be pepperoni or stuffed crust? If his recent town hall forums are any indication, Obama plans to channel Sanders and endorse “both.”

By Scott Clement  |  05:03 PM ET, 09/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 09/07/2011

Public more focused on jobs; less sure of fixes
By Jon Cohen and Peyton M. Craighill
Americans are increasingly focused on the flagging jobs situation, but broadly skeptical about the most frequently discussed remedies, according to a new poll by The Washington Post and Pew Research Center.

By Jon Cohen and Peyton M. Craighill  |  12:00 PM ET, 09/07/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy

Posted at 05:20 PM ET, 09/01/2011

Poll: Recession-bit workers continue to feel brunt of downturn
By Scott Clement
As lawmakers hold their breath for the new batch of unemployment numbers to be released Friday, workers who felt the sting of unemployment in 2008 and 2009 are still struggling to recover from the Great Recession almost three years later.

By Scott Clement  |  05:20 PM ET, 09/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy

Posted at 11:51 AM ET, 08/31/2011

Pollwatchers: Perry’s rise, Libya after Gadhafi, job fears and Muslim assimilation
By Peyton M. Craighill
A review of daily polling.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  11:51 AM ET, 08/31/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  GOP nomination, Economy

Posted at 11:37 AM ET, 08/26/2011

Poll watchers: Anger at government peaks; GOP favors Perry; MLK popular in retrospect
By Scott Clement
More than a quarter of Americans are outright “angry” at the federal government, almost doubling from March and the highest in polls dating to 1997, according to a new poll.

By Scott Clement  |  11:37 AM ET, 08/26/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Congress, Barack Obama, Economy

Posted at 01:18 PM ET, 08/25/2011

Poll watchers: Rick Perry’s GOP shuffle, economic gloom and Steve Jobs
By Peyton M. Craighill
A review of daily polling.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  01:18 PM ET, 08/25/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  GOP nomination, Barack Obama, Economy

Posted at 09:57 AM ET, 08/15/2011

Poll watchers: GOP nomination update, Obama sub-40, economic gloom
By Scott Clement
A review of daily polling: GOP nomination update, Obama sub-40, economic gloom.

By Scott Clement  |  09:57 AM ET, 08/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  GOP nomination, Barack Obama, Economy

Posted at 10:34 AM ET, 08/12/2011

Financial ‘crisis’: a view through partisan lenses
By Peyton M. Craighill
About half of all Americans call the U.S. financial situation “a crisis.” But there’s a partisan divide.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  10:34 AM ET, 08/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy

Posted at 04:54 PM ET, 08/11/2011

Obama reelect numbers soften, poll says
By Scott Clement
Obama’s political standing is weaker in the aftermath of the fierce debt negotiations, especially among liberals. There’s also stronger opposition than support for a second term among swing voting groups who backed him in 2008, including independents and women.

By Scott Clement  |  04:54 PM ET, 08/11/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  2012 polls, Barack Obama, Economy

Posted at 03:21 PM ET, 08/10/2011

Economic confidence in Republicans and Obama drops sharply
By Scott Clement
Americans report markedly less confidence in President Obama and congressional Republicans to make the right decisions about the country’s economic future in a new poll.

By Scott Clement  |  03:21 PM ET, 08/10/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Congress, Economy

Posted at 12:45 PM ET, 08/08/2011

Economic pessimism skyrockets as Obama approval rating declines
By Scott Clement
Fully sixty percent of Americans say the economy is in a downturn and getting worse in a new CNN poll, up from 36 percent in April and the highest in polls since early 2010.

By Scott Clement  |  12:45 PM ET, 08/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 05:37 PM ET, 08/03/2011

Poll watchers: Debt deal fallout, swing-state polling, consumer spending
By Scott Clement and Peyton M. Craighill
A summary of daily polling: Debt deal fallout, swing-state polling, consumer spending

By Scott Clement and Peyton M. Craighill  |  05:37 PM ET, 08/03/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy, Federal Budget Deficit, 2012 polls, Barack Obama

Posted at 12:34 PM ET, 07/26/2011

Poll: Obama and Bush on economic recovery
By Peyton M. Craighill
Ownership of the bad economy continues to fall on former President Bush more so than the current administration or Republicans in Congress, according to a new poll.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  12:34 PM ET, 07/26/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy

Posted at 04:08 PM ET, 07/20/2011

Poll: Obama and GOP (low) approval on economy, deficit and taxes
By Peyton M. Craighill
The public has sharply critical assessments of how the president and congressional Republicans are handling the economy, the federal budget deficit and taxes.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  04:08 PM ET, 07/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Barack Obama, Economy, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 10:59 AM ET, 07/15/2011

Obama news conference: What the polls say
By Scott Clement
As Obama steps to the podium for his third press conference in two weeks, polls show public widely concerned and about the consequences of a default.

By Scott Clement  |  10:59 AM ET, 07/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Federal Budget Deficit, Economy

Posted at 12:40 PM ET, 07/07/2011

Poll Watchers: Entitlement reform, debt debate and gender differences on job recovery
By Peyton M. Craighill
A summary of daily polling.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  12:40 PM ET, 07/07/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Census 2010, Economy, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 12:01 PM ET, 06/24/2011

Poll Watchers 6/24/11: Friday blues for the economy, New York same-sex marriage, Libya operation and U.S. evangelicals
By Scott Clement and Peyton Craighill
Only 29 percent of Americans expect the economy to improve in the next year, the lowest point since 2008, according to a Pew survey.

By Scott Clement and Peyton Craighill  |  12:01 PM ET, 06/24/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 10:42 AM ET, 05/25/2011

Poll: Republicans fear more debt, Democrats fear default
By Peyton M. Craighill
A new Post-Pew poll released Tuesday finds concerns about raising the debt limit running two ways.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  10:42 AM ET, 05/25/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Congress, Economy, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 04:23 PM ET, 05/18/2011

New polls value a college degree
By Peyton M. Craighill
Despite worries about the country’s higher educational apparatus, most recent graduates see their degrees as valuable.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  04:23 PM ET, 05/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy

Posted at 01:24 PM ET, 05/16/2011

Poll Watchers: Public attitudes about the debt ceiling, the value of college, economy as the top problem and accepting homosexuality
By Peyton M. Craighill
Public attitudes about the debt ceiling, the economy as the nation’s top problem and accepting homosexuality.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  01:24 PM ET, 05/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy

Posted at 05:40 PM ET, 03/30/2011

Poll Watchers: the Trump card, Afghanistan, Obama and the birthers, the economy and nuclear energy
By Peyton M. Craighill
New polling on Donald Trump and the 2012 election, the war in Afghanistan, President Obama and the birthers, declining views of the economy and support for new nuclear power plants.

By Peyton M. Craighill  |  05:40 PM ET, 03/30/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  2012 polls, Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Economy, GOP nomination

Posted at 10:46 AM ET, 01/21/2011

Few see America as well-positioned economically
By Jon Cohen
Barely more than a third of all Americans rate the country's ability to compete economically in positive terms, according to a new Washington Post poll.

By Jon Cohen  |  10:46 AM ET, 01/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy, Economy, Economy

Posted at 10:51 AM ET, 01/19/2011

China's image tarnished by weak U.S. economy
By Peyton Craighill
Chinese President Hu Jintao is likely to get a warm reception Wednesday at the White House state dinner, but public views of China are less than gleaming, fueled by an undercurrent of economic anxiety.

By Peyton Craighill  |  10:51 AM ET, 01/19/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 06/08/2010

Poll: On economy, (still) more negatives than positives
By Jennifer Agiesta
Poll: For the first time since last fall, President Obama's handling of the economy merits a positive rating from half of adults, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Jennifer Agiesta  |  11:00 AM ET, 06/08/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy, Economy, Economy | Tags:  Obama approval rating, Obama economy poll, Washington Post economy poll, stimulus package response

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 02/25/2010

U.S. views on China reminiscent of 1990s take on Japan
By Jennifer Agiesta
In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, many Americans say they feel the United States will take on a diminished role in world affairs and the world economy in the coming century. And many think the coming century may well wind up a "Chinese Century," rather than an American one....

By Jennifer Agiesta  |  06:00 AM ET, 02/25/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Economy, Economy