CBS News Poll For release: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 6:30 PM EDT DRAFT The Mood of the

Country: Economic Pessimism & Negative Views of the Political Parties August 22-26, 2012

By two to one, Americans think the country is off on the wrong track rather than headed in the right direction. Views have changed little in recent months, but are more positive than four years ago. While assessments of the economy are also better than they were four years ago, most Americans say it is in bad shape. Four in 10 think the country is headed into another recession, and just a quarter thinks the economy is getting better -- but that represents greater economic optimism than before the 2008 presidential election. More Americans say they are now worse off financially (39%) compared to four years ago than better off (20%). Heading into the conventions, neither political party is viewed favorably by most Americans, but the Democratic Party is viewed more positively (43%) than the Republican Party (35%).

The Countrys Direction Just a third of Americans now say the country is headed in the right direction and twice as many say it is off on the wrong track; that has changed little since the beginning of the year. While the number who say the country is headed in the right direction is far higher than it was at this point in the 2008 presidential campaign, assessments now are more negative than they were before the presidential elections of 1996, 2000 and 2004. Now 1/2012 Right direction 31% 29% Wrong track 62 65 Country is Headed in the 8/2010 7/2008 8/2004 5/2000 26% 14% 39% 48% 62 81 55 44 9/1996 44% 47

Republicans and independents are overwhelmingly negative, while Democrats are more positive. Country is Headed in the Reps Dems Inds Right direction 6% 56% 27% Wrong track 91 37 64 In addition, Americans continue to view Congress negatively. 74% disapprove of the job Congress is doing, while just 14% approve.

Economic Concerns Since 2007, the economy and jobs have been volunteered as the countrys most important problem; that is true in this poll as well. Most Important Problem Facing the Country Economy/jobs 50% Budget deficit 7 Health care 5 Seven in 10 Americans rate the economy as bad, but thats an improvement compared to August 2010 and August 2008. The last time 50% or more said the economy was good was in October 2007. Now 27% 71 Condition of the Economy 7/2012 8/2010 8/2008 8/2004 27% 17% 18% 52% 71 83 82 47 5/2000 87% 11 8/1996 62% 36 8/1992 21% 78

Good Bad

More Americans think the economy is getting worse than think its improving. Still, assessments now are more positive than in July 2008. Now 25% 30 43 Direction of the Economy 7/2012 8/2010 7/2008 8/2004 24% 20% 5% 25% 30 34 64 30 45 44 31 43 2/2000 30% 15 52 8/1996 17% 23 57 8/1992 10% 36 53

Better Worse Same

The public is divided as to whether the countrys economy is probably headed into another recession. U.S. Headed into Another Recession? Now 9/2011 Probably is 42% 48% Probably is not 42 39 Personal Finances While one in five Americans are better off financially now than they were fours years ago, twice as many say they are worse off. Family Finances Today Compared to Four Now 10/2008 8/1996 Better 20% 23% 34% Worse 39 36 19 Same 40 41 46 Years Ago 8/1992 23% 34 42

Six in 10 Americans are concerned someone in their household will lose a job in the next six months, including one in three who are very concerned.

Very Somewhat Not at all

Concerned Someone in Household Will Lose their Job Now 7/2012 1/2012 8/2010 8/2008 9/2004 9/1996 33% 39% 34% 40% 24% 30% 21% 29 27 28 30 25 26 26 37 33 38 29 50 44 51

Three in four Americans say that home foreclosures are a problem in their community, including a third who say that is a major problem. Foreclosures in Your Community Now 4/2012 Major problem 32% 38% Minor problem 44 38 Not a problem 19 20 Views of the Parties The Republican and Democratic parties get their quadrennial chance to put their best faces forward now, but neither political party gets a net favorable rating from Americans. Democrats (at 43% favorable) have a relatively better rating than Republicans (35%), and a majority (53%) views the Republican Party in a negative light. Views of the Political Parties Favorable Unfavorable Undecided/Not sure 43% 47 10 35% 53 12 6/2011 28% 47 19

Democratic Party Republican Party

About half of independents view both parties equally unfavorably 47% have an unfavorable opinion of the Democrats and 51% are unfavorable toward Republicans. Views of the Tea Party movement remain net negative among all voters, and are net favorable only among Republicans. And half of voters including half of Republicans are undecided or dont know enough to say. Views of the Tea Party (Among registered voters) All voters Reps Dems 21% 39% 5% 28 9 48 48 51 44

Favorable Unfavorable Undecided/Unsure

Inds 21% 25 50

Republican voters tend to think the Tea Party has the right amount of influence in their party Tea Party members themselves agree while Democrats see too much influence. Tea Party Influence on the Republican Party Is (Among registered voters) All voters Reps Dems Inds 30% 12% 48% 27% 20 24 14 22 27 47 14 23

Too much Too little About right

55% of Americans expect to watch some of the Republican convention, while 42% do not plan on tuning in. Six in ten say theyll watch coverage of the Democratic convention next week. ______________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted by telephone from August 22-26, 2012 among 1,218 adults nationwide, including 1,051 registered voters. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample and the sample of registered voters could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.