New Yorkers: yeah, we've been better
From a Siena poll out this week about New Yorkers and the economy:
+ 42 percent of respondents said they were worse off financially now than they were last year. 16 percent said they were better off.
+ 50 percent said this statement matched their thinking about the economy: "Unfortunately, I think our country's best economic days are behind us. I'm afraid the next generation will have to accept a lower standard of living."
+ But 59 percent of people said they think the economy will be better in 10 years. (19 percent said it would be worse.)
More on jobs, expenses, and the "problem" with government...
Jobs
+ 30 percent said they or someone in their household had lost a job during the last 4 years.
+ 18 percent said they or someone in their household has lost a job during the last 6 months. Among people making less than $50k, it was 28 percent. Among people making $100k+, it was 8 percent.
+ 68 percent said they hadn't gotten a raise in the last four years.
+ 51 percent said they not taken a vacation of at least a week in duration.
Expenses
+ 56 percent said they have taken money out of savings or a retirement fund to meet expenses.
+ 74 percent said they have been monitoring home energy use more closely -- including temperature -- to save money.
+ 71 percent said they have cut back on the amount or quality on stuff like eating out and vacations.
+ 47 percent said they had given up a pastime, hobby or activity because it was too costly.
+ 71 percent said they have started using coupons or special offers to buy necessities such as food, clothing or household products.
Government
+ 64 percent said government is "more of the problem" when it comes to economic issues. Yet large majorities said they support an aggressive federal infrastructure development program, expanding federal support for education, and careful government monitoring of the financial industry -- and oppose decreasing funding to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. (40 percent did say they support lessening federal regulations on businesses).
+ "Which political party do you think has a better understanding of what needs to be done to address the economic problems we now face?" Democrats - 39 percent; Republicans - 25 percent; neither - 26 percent. (Dem/Rep/Ind split among the respondent pool: 48/23/24.)
Poll was conducted August 22-31. SRI says the margin of error for this poll is +/- 3.5.
photo: Flickr user califrayray
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Comments
["Which political party do you think has a better understanding of what needs to be done to address the economic problems we now face?" Democrats - 39 percent; Republicans - 25 percent; neither - 26 percent.]
So Republicans are in last place, right behind "neither."
... said Bob on Sep 9, 2011 at 1:23 PM | link
"+ 50 percent said this statement matched their thinking about the economy: 'Unfortunately, I think our country's best economic days are behind us. I'm afraid the next generation will have to accept a lower standard of living.'"
The great lie is that Americans have a high standard of living. We have the worst health care in the first world, the highest rate of incarceration on the planet, no guaranteed vacation time or maternity leave, and, despite ever-increasing productivity, real wages haven't gone up for anyone in twenty years. What kind of Mad Max disaster world will we have to be in for the standard of living to go down?
... said mr slow loris on Sep 11, 2011 at 1:29 PM | link