World Publics Approve Increased International Trade
But Concern for Problems of Global Economy
Economics and Personal Finances 
09.05.03
02.25.03
Tax Plan Fails to Connect, Bush’s Economic Ratings Sag
Introduction and Summary President Bush’s tax-cut plan is getting a tepid reception from the public and has failed to stem a steady erosion of his ratings on the economy. Barely four-in-ten Americans (43%) approve of his handling of the economy, while 48% disapprove. This marks the first time in Bush’s presidency a Pew survey has [...]
07.15.02
Growing Linkage Between Market Movements and Consumer Confidence
A Pew Research Center Note
03.27.02
Americans See Economic Recovery, But Wonder If Jobs Will Follow
Introduction and Summary Americans are beginning to believe the nation’s economy has turned the corner. This month’s ABC News/Money Magazine poll showed a sharp spike in economic confidence, while other recent surveys have found that a declining number of people view the economy as the nation’s top problem. But significant storm clouds remain from the [...]
06.21.01
Economic Inequality Seen As Rising, Boom Bypasses Poor
Introduction and Summary As the 90′s economic boom fades into history, one of its legacies is the increasing number of Americans who see society as divided between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots.’ More than four-in-ten (44%) now believe the nation is split along these lines, compared to just 26% who felt that way in 1988, [...]
03.02.00
Post-Seattle Support for WTO
Introduction and Summary Most Americans continue to support free trade, in spite of last fall’s destructive protests in Seattle against the World Trade Organization (WTO). But the public wants international trade agreements to protect jobs and economic growth at home, and improve the global environment. And while the nation backs free trade in principle, there [...]
11.11.99
Retro-Politics
Foreword and Overview Foreword In 1987, we embarked on an ambitious project to better understand the nature of American politics. We identified a broad range of beliefs and values that underlie common political labels and that ultimately drive political action. A voter typology emerged from this effort which classifies the electorate into distinct groupings, defined [...]
05.23.97
Americans Only a Little Better Off, But Much Less Anxious
Introduction and Summary Psychologically, Americans have turned an important corner recently. They have become much less concerned about meeting major financial commitments, even though they say their material conditions have not dramatically improved. Heightened worries about affording health care, saving for retirement, or saving for a child’s college education have fallen off significantly in recent [...]
01.17.97
The Optimism Gap Grows
Introduction and Summary As 1996 drew to a close Americans were evaluating their lives much the way they have over the past four decades during good economic times. Most feel they have made personal progress over the past five years, and most are optimistic about the future. Financial stability, good health and a strong family [...]
02.17.95
Strong Support for Minimum Wage Hike and Preserving Entitlements
Report Summary While the Contract for America is getting all the play in Washington these days, there is still a lot of New Deal thinking in the rest of the country. No fewer than 79% of respondents in the latest Times Mirror Center survey say they approve of Bill Clinton’s proposal to increase the minimum [...]
04.06.94
Economic Recovery Has Little Impact on American Mood
Report Summary Despite signs of an economic turn around, Americans remain highly dissatisfied with the state of the nation, financially burdened and fearful about their futures. From an economic point of view, continued discontent with earning power of American jobs is inhibiting celebration of the economic recovery. From a political one, preoccupation with Whitewater is [...]
02.26.93
Less Support For Clintonomics Over The Back Fence
REPORT SUMMARY A substantial majority of the American people continues to support Bill Clinton’s economic program, even as an uneasy and critical tone dominates the conversations and discussions of the plan among a remarkably high proportion of the public. At the same time, the poll also finds most Americans seemingly willing to wait for a [...]
07.08.92
Campaign ’92: Survey VIII
Report Summary On the eve of the national political conventions the American electorate is composed of three generations that are likely to play vastly different roles in the coming election. Americans over 50 may be the first generation of older people in modern history to spearhead a political revolution, and middle-aged people, clustered in the [...]
12.04.91
On the Eve of ’92: Fault Lines In the Electorate
Report Summary Dissatisfaction with the way things are going in the country has now reached pre-Reagan economic recovery levels with over six in ten expressing fundamental discontent with the country’s course. Yet the President’s rating at 55% approve, 33% disapprove is at least as good if not better than that of recent GOP predecessors who [...]
10.10.90
Gas Prices Rival Gulf For Public Attention
Report Summary The focus of the American public’s attention is shifting to the domestic consequences of the Gulf crisis. Although Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and U.S. troop deployment to the Gulf continues to dominate the consciousness of Americans, news about rising gasoline prices drew nearly as much public interest in September. At the same time, [...]
10.08.90
Bush Approval Rating Plummets, Times Mirror Survey Finds
Report Summary As the debate about the federal budget rages and the prospect of higher gasoline taxes looms, George Bush’s standing with the public has fallen dramatically. The latest nationwide poll by the Times Mirror Center for The People & The Press finds the President’s approval ratings down 13 percentage points in less than one [...]
03.01.89
Viewpoints of the General Public, U.S. Opinion Leaders, and Overseas Investors
Report Summary Public perceptions and priorities are changing as the new administration begins its effort to deal with the nation’s economic problems. This new Times Mirror survey identifies five important elements of public opinion that have significant implications for economic policy alternatives. These trends and dispositions emerge from an analysis of the findings of 2000 [...]
09.30.87
The People, the Press & Politics
Report Summary There are 11 distinct groups in the American electorate — 10 that vote in varying degrees, and one that does not vote at all. How Americans vote is a much more complex process than previously defined. There have been many attempts to analyze political attitudes in this country. Some analysts have focused on [...]
