Poll: Fewer say They Have it Better Than Parents

(CBS)

More than half of Americans are optimistic about the future of the United States over the next few years, a new CBS News poll finds. But they are less optimistic about their own opportunities than they were ten years ago.

Fifty-six percent of those surveyed said they are generally optimistic about the country's future, while 38 percent were pessimistic about the nation's prospects. That's slightly less optimism than CBS News found in 1996, when 59 percent were optimistic about the country's future and 31 percent were pessimistic.

Younger Americans are more optimistic than their older counterparts, and Democrats are more optimistic than Republicans: Nearly three in four Democrats are optimistic about America's future, while a majority of Republicans are pessimistic.

Americans are generally less optimistic about their own prospects than they were in 2007 or 2000. Fewer than half (47 percent) say they have better opportunities than their parents' generation, a decline of 15 percentage points from June 2007 and 25 percentage points from early 2000.

The poll was taken as part of CBS News' "Where America Stands" series, an in-depth look at where the country stands today on key topics and an outlook for the future decade.

Read More About the Series
Hopes and Fears for the Next Decade
Read the Complete Poll

(CBS)

More than one in four says they have worse opportunities than their parents' generation. In 2000, just five percent said as much.

Women are generally more optimistic than men: Fifty-three percent say they have better opportunities for success than their parents' generation, while just 40 percent of men say so.

One in two Americans say they are somewhat satisfied with how things are going in their life. Twenty-two percent are completely satisfied, while 28 percent are either somewhat or completely dissatisfied.

Income levels appear to make a difference. While 30 percent of those who make more than $50,000 are completely satisfied, just 15 percent of those who make less than that amount say they are completely satisfied. And while nearly 40 percent of those who make less than $50,000 are dissatisfied, just 17 percent of those who make more than $50,000 say the same.

Americans polled for the survey were asked to volunteer an ambition or dream they want to accomplish over the next decade. The most volunteered response, offered by 16 percent of those surveyed, was to start a business of their own or make a career change.

Thirteen percent said they simply want to live a long and healthy life, or simply go on living. Another twelve percent said they wanted to further their education, while seven percent wanted to work less or retire.

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1048 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone December 17-22, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

[GreatDepression]

The Ideas of our Founding Fathers was not the reason for our Empire!

Before WWII, America was nobody. America was just getting out of a Legal Slavery-based economy and a long deep Great Depression. Also, there was no IRS before WWI.

After WWII, America had a World ECONOMIC MONOPOLY. The economies of all foreign nations were Ruined and Destroyed. Consequently, all foreign developing nations were Forced to purchase at the only store 'Made in USA' at our High Monopoly Price which raised our Standard of living thru the Roof. The Brain Drain from these nations also significantly helped America. The inventors of the Atomic bomb and Jet Technology were all immigrants.

Today, America got No World ECONOMIC MONOPOLY. Americans must lower their Standard of Living in order to have a chance to Compete with Foreign Developed Nations.

I do not give Blame and Credit to Capitalism, Democracy, Freedom, Liberty, Innovation, Organized Labor, Small Businesses, Hard Work, Limited Government, Fiscal responsibility, Strength, Founding Fathers, Leadership and IQ Level. I credit our once Monopoly status for our prosperity of the last 60 years.

This World Economic Monopoly is gone now, so WE THE PEOPLE must learn to live without it.

[GreatDepression]

Who cares about Freedom and Liberty when I am getting Super Cash Rich in China and Vietnam?

What good is Freedom and Liberty when I have no Prosperity (job)?

[GreatDepression]

Money will never make you happy!

[ddaryl1]

BS money benefits and retirement would make me extremly happy and fullfilled

that was a foolishly dumb thing to post.. Money will make you happy if you can live better and provide for your family.. however extreme riches will not fulfill you

[quapawsix]

ministry of truth if America is so hot to jump on the band wagon to help explain to all what happened in New Orleans? Why is it we can help these third world dung holes but yet we just can't seem to help our own citizens.

[TheStolenGiraffe]

because fighting two wars overseas leaves us under-staffed and under-funded at home.

[ddaryl1]

We the corporations

It is no longer we the people

[troutfishyman]

by chevyhotrod January 5, 2010 11:23 AM EST
trout,
The point I was attempting to make is the "quality of life" is defined by the individual and should not be compared to the last generation. Life is what YOU make of it, not what others decide for you.

You might say life is in decline because our government gets to decide more and more what personal property we are aloud to keep and what we are not, that I would agree.



Comparison to the last generation is extremely important, whether you agree or not. Everything needs a reference point. And I really doubt that this has ANYTHING to do with the govt, but nice try.

[finkfurst]

troutfishyman
"Life is what YOU make of it, not what others decide for you."

Does your argument also apply to an American soldier killed in Iraq, or an Afghan child maimed by an American bomb? Both happened because of YOUR attitude and ignorance, and how YOU voted...............

[troutfishyman]

by chevyhotrod January 5, 2010 9:31 AM EST
Life is what you make of it. Some parents were better off, some were not. Each individual will have to make their own decisions on what they wish to offer society.



You clearly have missed the main point. IE, an overall declining quality of life as compared to the last generation. Which in turn is symptomatic of an empire in decline.

[displeased]

Financially, I'm probably about equal to what my parents were during this time of their lives. However, I'm smarter, healthier, and more publicly active than they've ever been.

[pubsrtoast]

Income levels appear to make a difference. While 30 percent of those who make more than $50,000 are completely satisfied, just 15 percent of those who make less than that amount say they are completely satisfied. And while nearly 40 percent of those who make less than $50,000 are dissatisfied, just 17 percent of those who make more than $50,000 say the same.
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50k in NY or CA amounts to chickenfeed. Conversely, 50k in Mississippi is living high on the hog. Without factoring in the cost of living, this question is meaningless.

[culturechang]

I dont know how anyone could be more optimistic about America now. We have lost everything the country stood for. We have massive mounting debt that is going to destoy our currency.

I guess the one stat that says it all is 25% (the largest group) dont know what the heck they want. Low expectations are key.

[sunday42]

So what is the point of this? You have now what you have. What does it matter what your grand parents had or for that matter their grand parents had. Yet, if you do want to look at what they had it's this, a government they trusted. They had security in knowing there was leadership in both the Oval office and congress. We do not have that now and will not considering the dunder heads we have put in office. This country had concrete goals not "Hope and Change", things got done, things that the American people thought were needed, things they wanted not things done for political ideology. There were jobs and people really worked, produced goods and services. They manufactured things and sold them to the rest of the world. There was substance in their lives. All this stuff is gone now,we have given it away, and it's time to focus on doing with what we have now,albeit, very little.
It seems that half of the country is focused on being critical of BHO and his administration, and for good reason, while the other half is still in the blame Bush mode and will be for ever.