WASHINGTON (AP) — An overwhelming and growing majority of Americans say the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction, including nearly 8 in 10 Democrats, according to a new poll that finds deep pessimism about the economy plaguing President Joe Biden.
Eighty-five percent of U.S. adults say the country is on the wrong track, and 79% describe the economy as poor, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The findings suggest Biden faces fundamental challenges as he tries to motivate voters to cast ballots for Democrats in November’s midterm elections.
Inflation has consistently eclipsed the healthy 3.6% unemployment rate as a focal point for Americans, who are dealing with high gasoline and food prices. Even among Democrats, 67% call economic conditions poor.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
President Joe Biden speaks at the White House on June 17, 2022.
“He’s doing the best he can — I can’t say he’s doing a good job,” said Chuck McClain, 74. “But his opposition is so bad. I just don’t feel the Democratic Congress is doing enough.”
The Las Vegas resident is a loyal Democrat who said he doesn’t miss an election, but he said the price of gas and groceries, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the country’s deep political divides have led more Americans to feel as though Washington is unresponsive to their needs.
“My wife and I are very frustrated with where the country is headed, and we don’t have a lot of hope for the political end of it to get any better,” he said.
The poll shows only 39% of Americans approve of Biden’s leadership overall, while 60% disapprove. His approval rating fell to its lowest point of his presidency last month and remains at that level. The Democratic president gets hit even harder on the economy, with 69% saying they disapprove of him on the issue. Among Democrats, 43% disapprove of Biden’s handling of the economy.
Just 14% say things are going in the right direction, down slightly from 21% in May and 29% in April. Through the first half of 2021, about half of Americans said the country was headed in the right direction, a number that has steadily eroded in the past year.
Dorothy Vaudo, 66, said she voted for Biden in 2020 but plans to switch allegiance this year.
“I’m a Democrat so I had to vote Democrat, but that’s going to change,” said the Martin County, North Carolina, resident.
In recent weeks, Americans have endured even more bad economic news, with inflation continuing to rise, interest rates increasing dramatically and the S&P 500 entering a bear market as many serious economists predict a recession. Yet consumer spending has largely kept pace and hiring remains brisk in a sign that families and businesses have been able to withstand some of the economic pain.
Douglass Gavilan, a 26-year-old in Miami, is concerned about the “skyrocketing” prices and rent that he sees in his community. Shelter costs are roughly a third of the U.S. consumer price index, so the run-up in rents and home values has started to strain the budgets even of many people living where there are strong job opportunities.
“I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to live here in a few years,” Gavilan said. “I definitely don’t feel confident in the economy.”
Though he doesn’t identify with a political party, Gavilan voted for Biden in 2020. He doesn’t think Biden has proposed anything to make a meaningful difference in his life, but he does think the president’s in a tough spot.
“There’s very little he can do without everyone blaming him for everything,” Gavilan said.
The poll was conducted from Thursday to Monday, with many interviews conducted after the Supreme Court on Friday struck down Roe v. Wade and allowed states to ban abortion — a decision opposed by a majority of the American people in earlier polls, which could also have contributed to the continued slump in the national mood.
The national dissatisfaction is bipartisan, the poll shows. Ninety-two percent of Republicans and 78% of Democrats say the country is headed in the wrong direction. Since last month, the percentage of Democrats saying the country is headed in the wrong direction rose from 66%.
Biden’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic remains a relative bright spot, with 53% of Americans saying they approve of his handling of that issue. On the other hand, only 36% say they approve of Biden’s handling of gun policy; 62% disapprove.
But the economy is what weighs on many Americans as their top priority.
Curtis Musser, 57, a chemistry teacher from Clermont, Florida, said he expects a recession is coming, though he believes it will be mild.
Musser said many Americans simply feel as though they’re at the mercy of events beyond their control, whether that’s the pandemic, rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, war in Europe or political hostilities within the U.S.
“I feel as an individual somewhat helpless,” he said. “I don’t have control of the markets, and you can’t really guess what markets are going do because you don’t know what the Fed is going to do. You don’t know what Congress is going to do. You don’t know what Vladimir Putin is going to do.”
In an interview this month with the AP, Biden traced the decline in his popularity to increases in gas prices that began a year ago. He said that prices shot up further with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. But he rejected claims by Republican lawmakers and some major economists that his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package from last year contributed to inflation, noting that price increases were a global phenomenon.
“We’re in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation,” Biden said. “If it’s my fault, why is it the case in every other major industrial country in the world that inflation is higher?”
Here are takeaways from that interview:
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AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Biden on Thursday blamed gas prices for the nation's economic pessimism, saying before prices started rising, “Things were much more, they were much more optimistic.”
The Democratic president acknowledged that Americans are paying vastly more to put food on their table and fuel in their cars and that it was putting a dent in his approval rating.
“If you want a direct barometer of what people are going to talk about at the kitchen table and the dining room table and whether things are going well, it’s the cost of food and what’s the cost of gasoline at the pump," he said.
But while Biden said his message to oil companies was “Don’t just reward yourselves," he has few tools at his disposal to meaningfully bring down prices in the near term.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Biden on Thursday blamed gas prices for the nation's economic pessimism, saying before prices started rising, “Things were much more, they were much more optimistic.”
The Democratic president acknowledged that Americans are paying vastly more to put food on their table and fuel in their cars and that it was putting a dent in his approval rating.
“If you want a direct barometer of what people are going to talk about at the kitchen table and the dining room table and whether things are going well, it’s the cost of food and what’s the cost of gasoline at the pump," he said.
But while Biden said his message to oil companies was “Don’t just reward yourselves," he has few tools at his disposal to meaningfully bring down prices in the near term.
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AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Biden said he didn't consider the domestic political impact from U.S. efforts to sanction Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, particularly how it would roil the economy.
Without such action, he said, “I fear what would happen next is you’d see chaos in Europe.” He added: “It’s not about my political survival. It’s about what’s best for the country.”
Biden suggested that he's willing to pay a political price as a result, saying his advice to young people interested in public service is, “Unless you know what’s worth losing over, don’t get engaged.”
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Biden said he didn't consider the domestic political impact from U.S. efforts to sanction Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, particularly how it would roil the economy.
Without such action, he said, “I fear what would happen next is you’d see chaos in Europe.” He added: “It’s not about my political survival. It’s about what’s best for the country.”
Biden suggested that he's willing to pay a political price as a result, saying his advice to young people interested in public service is, “Unless you know what’s worth losing over, don’t get engaged.”
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AP Photo/Evan Vucci
After more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden said the American people are “really, really down." He emphasized that the need for mental health in America “has skyrocketed because people have seen everything upset."
Biden maintained that he's optimistic about the country's future, and that Americans should feel it too — even as the majority of voters say the country is on the wrong track.
“Be confident, because I am confident we’re better positioned than any country in the world to own the second quarter of the 21st century,” Biden said. “That’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact.”
Still, it wasn't clear whether Biden's rhetoric would have a tangible impact on the nation's glum outlook.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
After more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden said the American people are “really, really down." He emphasized that the need for mental health in America “has skyrocketed because people have seen everything upset."
Biden maintained that he's optimistic about the country's future, and that Americans should feel it too — even as the majority of voters say the country is on the wrong track.
“Be confident, because I am confident we’re better positioned than any country in the world to own the second quarter of the 21st century,” Biden said. “That’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact.”
Still, it wasn't clear whether Biden's rhetoric would have a tangible impact on the nation's glum outlook.
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AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Still smarting over the December collapse of a massive Democratic package to expand the social safety net and address climate change, Biden suggested he was hopeful that a slimmed-down bill could pass before the midterms.
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin's objections torpedoed the earlier efforts over inflation concerns. Biden needs all 50 Democrats to support a package in order to get around GOP opposition under the Senate's budget rules.
“There’s more than one way to bring down the cost for working folks,” Biden said. “Gasoline may be up to $5 a gallon, but somebody who has a child with stage two diabetes is paying up to 1,000 bucks a month for their insulin. We can reduce it to 35 bucks a month and get it done.”
He added: “We have the votes to do it. We’re gonna get that done. I can’t get it all done.”
Biden also suggested there was consensus on providing tax credits for winterizing homes, which would help lower utility bills, and to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing to address supply chain issues that have driven up prices.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Still smarting over the December collapse of a massive Democratic package to expand the social safety net and address climate change, Biden suggested he was hopeful that a slimmed-down bill could pass before the midterms.
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin's objections torpedoed the earlier efforts over inflation concerns. Biden needs all 50 Democrats to support a package in order to get around GOP opposition under the Senate's budget rules.
“There’s more than one way to bring down the cost for working folks,” Biden said. “Gasoline may be up to $5 a gallon, but somebody who has a child with stage two diabetes is paying up to 1,000 bucks a month for their insulin. We can reduce it to 35 bucks a month and get it done.”
He added: “We have the votes to do it. We’re gonna get that done. I can’t get it all done.”
Biden also suggested there was consensus on providing tax credits for winterizing homes, which would help lower utility bills, and to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing to address supply chain issues that have driven up prices.
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AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Biden was optimistic about a bipartisan framework to address gun violence by tightening some background check requirements for young firearm purchasers and incentivizing states to establish “red flag" laws to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.
As lawmakers draft the legislative text, momentum appears to be building in the Senate after decades of inaction and mass tragedies. Biden acknowledged the progress, albeit limited.
“We’re going to get gun safety," he said, adding, "We’re not going to get what I wanted.”
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Biden was optimistic about a bipartisan framework to address gun violence by tightening some background check requirements for young firearm purchasers and incentivizing states to establish “red flag" laws to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.
As lawmakers draft the legislative text, momentum appears to be building in the Senate after decades of inaction and mass tragedies. Biden acknowledged the progress, albeit limited.
“We’re going to get gun safety," he said, adding, "We’re not going to get what I wanted.”
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AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Despite years of political differences, Biden said he still views Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as a Republican he can work with — something he said he considered an endangered species in today's GOP.
The president said that when he took office, he knew that there “were probably, probably 15 sort of traditional, mainstream, conservative Republicans left. And I include in that — and I’m going to get myself in trouble, gonna get him in trouble, probably — the minority leader from Kentucky.”
Biden added of McConnell, “He’s a solid, mainstream guy.”
The president, who has taken to branding other Republicans as “ultra-MAGA," said examples included Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Florida Sen. Rick Scott.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Despite years of political differences, Biden said he still views Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as a Republican he can work with — something he said he considered an endangered species in today's GOP.
The president said that when he took office, he knew that there “were probably, probably 15 sort of traditional, mainstream, conservative Republicans left. And I include in that — and I’m going to get myself in trouble, gonna get him in trouble, probably — the minority leader from Kentucky.”
Biden added of McConnell, “He’s a solid, mainstream guy.”
The president, who has taken to branding other Republicans as “ultra-MAGA," said examples included Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Florida Sen. Rick Scott.
The AP-NORC poll of 1,053 adults was conducted June 23-27 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
