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Americans brimming with optimism on the economy


Posted: Feb 19, 2017

A strong majority of Americans say the U.S. economy is running strong, and most believe the upward trend will continue under President Trump, according to a Harvard-Harris poll provided exclusively to The Hill. The survey found that 61 percent view the economy as strong, against 39 percent who say it is weak. A plurality, 42 percent, said they believe the economy is on the right track, versus 39 percent who said it is on the wrong track. Trump and congressional Republicans have claimed credit for the turnaround, noting numerous polls in 2016 that showed that many Americans wanted change in the nation's capital. Democrats counter that former President Obama handed a healthy economy to Trump and point out that the unemployment rate has dropped under 5 percent. At a press conference on Thursday, Trump said he inherited "a mess." Among Republicans surveyed in the Harvard-Harris poll, 60 percent are satisfied with the economic trajectory, versus 23 percent who are dissatisfied. Only 33 percent of Democrats said the economy is on the right track, while 48 percent said it is headed in the wrong direction. At 65 percent, Trump voters are the likeliest to say the economy is headed in the right direction. "It's really a surprising turnaround given how negative voters have been about the economy since 2009," said Mark Penn, co-director of the Harvard-Harris poll. "But jobs remains the number one issue and a lot of the change in sentiment anticipates tax cuts and infrastructure programs." The stock market is soaring and January marked the 76th consecutive month of job growth. The economy added 227,000 new jobs in January, far greater than the 175,000 economists had expected. The White House has taken credit for that report, saying that companies are increasing hiring amid optimism that Trump would foster a more friendly business environment than the previous administration. In an interview with The Hill last month, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) criticized Obama's record, saying under his watch the country "didn't have a single year of 3 percent growth, and the statute of limitations on blaming [former President George W. Bush] ran out a long time ago." He also said the stock market is rising because of the "expectation of regulatory relief and tax reform." Trump, whose success as a real estate developer was central to his campaign pitch, has made job growth a priority. He meets frequently with business leaders and has signed executive orders aimed at dismantling Obama-era regulations and scaling back Wall Street reforms implemented in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis. Still, only 27 percent of Americans said their personal financial situation is improving. Twenty-five percent said things are getting worse for them, and 38 percent said they’re doing just as well as before. The economy aside, Americans have a far more pessimistic view of the nation’s trajectory as a whole, with only 34 percent saying the country is on the right track, against 52 percent who say things are headed in the wrong direction. The online survey of 2,148 registered voters was conducted between Feb. 11 and Feb. 13. The partisan breakdown is 39 percent Democrat, 30 percent Republican, 27 percent independent and five percent other. The Harvard-Harris Poll is a collaboration of the Harvard Center for American Political Studies and The Harris Poll. ;

jobs were being created - under Obama

[ In Reply To ..]
Trump is taking credit for Ford, GM and others that were all ready in the works. As far as the outlook, of course businesses are happy. They will get huge tax breaks and more money in their pockets while the middle class picks up their slack, as has been the case under most republicans.

We were going in the right direction but now we'll see how that changes.

I see there are dislikes from people who don't like the fact - that - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
people are more optimistic, jobs are coming back, people have hope for better lives, their going to get better health care and costs.

Yeah, so much to dislike about good news. As someone said last night on TV, if President Trump invented the cure for cancer they'd find something wrong with it.

No that's not - why

[ In Reply To ..]
the dislikes. Jobs have been coming back and created. Trump is taking credit for jobs he had nothing to do with. We also have no clue what the republicans are going to do with healthcare so Trump supporters shouldn't brag on something that hasn't happened.

People are buying into Trump's baloney - Resist

[ In Reply To ..]
The plan Republicans have now for health care is not going to be better coverage for less money; it is going to leave the poorest without insurance once again - if they get it passed. Instead of believing all of Donald Trump's promises it might be better to wait and see.

I feel so bad for you - you will be so disappointed

[ In Reply To ..]
when your taxes go up, the environment is polluted, healthcare costs go up and coverage gets worse, jobs keep going away and because of new trade "deals" things here cost more. Think about a $10 avocado, for example. So sad!

Details - Jesus

[ In Reply To ..]
I thought conservatives scoffed at polls these days? I guess they only like polls that reflect what they already believe.

Anyhow, some phrases that stuck out to me:

- January marked the 76th consecutive month of job growth (Golly, who was president for 75 of those months?)

- only 27 percent of Americans said their personal financial situation is improving. Twenty-five percent said things are getting worse for them (You're bragging about this?)

- Americans have a far more pessimistic view of the nation’s trajectory as a whole (Because even blind people can hear a train when it is wrecking.)

- At a press conference on Thursday, Trump said he inherited "a mess." (And at a rally on Saturday, Trump said "look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this?" So, there's that.)

Remember kids, Obama is the one who stopped us from falling into a depression after GWB.

A warning about bubbles of enthusiasm - Stock market junkie

[ In Reply To ..]
There are so many people singing the praises of the stock market. Here are the factors as I see them:

1. The economy has been making steady gains for the last 8 years. As with many things, slow and steady is a good thing. In this case--not a bubble.

2. Fast growth equals bubble. What happens to bubbles eventually? Historically, remember Reagan's Savings and Loan mess. More recently remember Bush's housing market debacle.

What do those 2 things have in common? Stock market and business friendly deregulations. The hedge fund managers are on a high knowing they can manipulate the market with little to no oversight, and the deregulations will help them get even more filthy rich by ripping off your 401Ks, and HSA's and social security.

In the meantime, while your nest egg becomes worthless, the environmental regulations will be polluting your drinking water and giving you asthma and lung cancer and whatever else. Need to go and read up Love Canal if you are too young to remember.

Good luck to you all.

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