Economy, Jobs Dominate Voters' Minds

CBS News/New York Times Poll Taken During Period Of Grim Financial News Shows Continuing Pessimism About Condition Of Economy

(CBS)  Nearly half of registered voters say "the economy and jobs" is the most important issue in their decision about whom to support for president, a new CBS News/New York Times poll finds.

Forty-eight percent of these voters cited "the economy and jobs," an increase of eight points from one month ago. That's more than 30 percentage points higher than the second most cited issue, "terrorism and national security," cited by 14 percent of registered voters. Another ten percent pointed to "gas prices and energy," while an equal number pointed to health care. Just 8 percent of registered voters cited the war in Iraq.

The poll was conducted between September 12th and 16th, a period of days that was witness to the collapse of Lehman Brothers - the largest bankruptcy in the history of the country - followed by the largest one-day stock market plunge in seven years.

Click Here To Read The Complete Poll

Americans have a slightly more optimistic view of the economy than they did a month ago, but they remain extremely pessimistic. Only 22 percent of Americans say the condition of the national economy is even somewhat good, and six in 10 think the economy is getting worse, not better. About a third of all Americans say they are worse off now than four years ago, and one in five say they are falling behind financially.

Barack Obama rates slightly higher than John McCain in voter confidence in handling the economy, though most voters are at least somewhat confident in both candidates. Sixty percent of voters are very or somewhat confident in Obama's ability to handle the economy, while 53 percent say the same of McCain. Forty-six percent say they are not too confident or not at all confident in McCain, while 39 percent have that opinion of Obama.

Thirty-nine percent of Americans describe the state of the economy as "very bad," down two points from August. Sixty-one percent say it is getting worse, up three points from two months ago.

One in three Americans says their family's financial situation is worse than it was four years ago. Twenty-nine percent say their family's financial situation has improved, while 36 percent say it hasn't changed.

Thirty-seven percent of Americans say they are making enough to save or buy extras. But 44 percent are making just enough to get by, and 17 percent say they are not making enough to pay their bills and meet their other financial obligations.

The unemployment rate has risen steadily over the past year and a half, and in August it rose above 6 percent for the first time in five years. Twenty-nine percent of Americans say that someone in their household has been out of work and looking for a job at some point within the last twelve months. This percentage has been generally consistent over the past twenty-five years during periods of recession and economic hard times.

One in five say they are very concerned that someone in their household will be out of work in the next twelve months, and another one in four are somewhat concerned. More than half are not concerned at all.

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1133 adults nationwide, including 1004 registered voters, interviewed by telephone September 12-16, 2008. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-lines and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample and registered voters could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

[kansas1946]

If you are happy with the economy, vote for McCain. You will get to continue this bright and cheery American upturn in fortune for another decade.

Vote for McSame ole'' same ole.

[noregion5]

Constitution Party 08! Country first and the only change is the Way Intended.

[kopana]

FOR Atheism wins you better watch out for your beliefs, you may want to change parties or else you change your login name to Atheism loses as Palin is a rightist fundalmentalist who wants to teach creationism in our schools!!
Get smarter.... vote Obama!

[kopana]

Oh please.....America do not act so suprised at the shape America is in......we have had 8 years with the worst President in the History of our country....

If a President is just for the old American wealthiest families with stocks in just Oil and Defense stocks why are you suprised that Wall street is in the tank??? Oh, Please and then you want to elected Mr. old Rich himself McSame and Ms. Palin -Extreme Rightist whose solution is to go to school, work, church and pray...that our economy gets better...
Get smarter vote Obama!!!!

[csp66]

Wow! The level of anger here against Bushco and McSame today is unreal! Even people I know that were full blown flag wavin'' Clinton bashin'' conservatives here in the Deep South are cursing Bush, Republicans and McCain. Some are even saying they will vote Obama just for spite. Guess it just took $5/gallon gas and watching Wall Street, their pensions, stocks and their future crumbling before their eyes before they finally realized that voting against your economic interests is akin to shooting yourself in the foot. Oh well, better late than never I guess.

[cathaleen]

The only economic plan the democrats ever came up with was raising taxes and handing out money to deadbeats that won''t work. Plain and simple

[ljb6599]

URSODUMB....OBAMA/BIDEN 48% McCAIN/PALIN 43%

[ursodumb]

how does a community organizer even come up with an economic plan. wait, i know, he didnt. stealing money from anyone who still has some is not what i''d call a plan. all you idiot obafreaks are just hoping some free money will come your way. thats why america sucks financially. too many dummies. too many lazy people. too many illegals. hey, go ahead, take the other half of my money. unlike all you obama blowers, i''ll make more.

[credibility2]

If Obama gets in and pushes all of his wacky economic plans, he''ll bankrupt the Treasury and the rest of the Nation. Sure, tax and spend Dems, go on, go after business and the wealthy making over $250k and the oil companies. Guess what will happen? Expansion and job creation will stop and the cost of consumer goods and services will dramatically increases in order for the businesses that were just gouged with higher taxes turn it back to the consumers in the form of higher priced goods and services. The Dem controlled Congress has been idle and has cared little about the Nation, including wanting to work with those across the aisle. The problems affect all of us and not just the sanctimonious Dems.

[atheismwins]

REPUBLICANS WONT CARRY 4 STATES UNLESS THEY RIG THE VOTING MACHINES!

ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE 8 YEARS AGO?

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!
Posted by bluestardad at 06:23 AM : Sep 18, 2008
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Have you heard of an institution called Congress?

Your Democratic Congress wants higher gas prices.

So the housing market crashed. Dumb people took out loans from dumb people.

Home prices are still a lot higher than they were in 2000. Personally I think they need to be lower.

Maybe then they would be affordable.