"Compare the way things are in the US to how they were 5 years ago" (April NYT poll)

[Bucky]

Date of Polls:
Mar 28 - Apr 2, 2008
Sep 2006
Bucky's observations

^#1
"I'd like you to compare the way things are going in the United States to the way they were going five years ago. Generally, would you say things are going better today, worse today, or about the same today as they were going five years ago?"

- Better 4% - Worse 78% - Same 17% - Unsure 1%
- Better 18% - Worse 60% - Same 19% - Unsure 3%
Almost four in five people understand Bush is flushing us down the tubes. I guess the "good news" half of this is that at least we Americans still know which way is up and which way is a big swirling flush


^#2
"And what is your best guess about the United States five years from now? Generally, if things go pretty much as you now expect, do you think things will be better, worse or about the same as they are today?"

- Better 39% - Worse 34% - Same 19% - Unsure 8%
- Better 31% - Worse 37% - Same 27% - Unsure 5%
Optimism is up. I wonder what event coming up in the few months might be making people a bit more optimistic, even while increasing numbers think things are going so badly?


^#3
"Do you feel things in this country are generally going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?"

- Right direction 14% - Wrong track 81% - Unsure 5%
- Right direction 29% - Wrong track 67% - Unsure 4%
This is an all-time low for the "right direction" number. The NYTimes has only been doing this question since 2006. However Gallup's current measure of "Satisfied with the way things are going" number of 19% is lower than anything from it's last 14 years and the AP-Ipsos "Right Track" measure of 22%, taken a full month ago, is lower than anything seen in its archives (except one 21% measure from 2007).