A CNN/ORC International poll released Monday shows that most Americans do not believe the government spending cuts in the debt limit deal passed last week went far enough. A bare majority (50%) also disapprove of the deal.
The poll, conducted over August 5th-7th and reaching 1,008 Americans, also found that 75 percent of respondents believed that things in the country are going “pretty badly” or “very badly” today. As recently as this January, only 56 percent of Americans felt that way.
Economic pessimism is also on the rise with 60 percent of Americans now agreeing with the statement that “the economy is still in a downturn and conditions are continuing to worsen.” That is up 24 points from April, when only 36 percent of respondents agreed with the same statement. At that time 24 percent of Americans believed the economy was “starting to recover.” Today only 9 percent of Americans beleive the economy is recovering.
According to the poll’s cross-tabs, the rise in economic pessimism stretches across all demographics: Men, women, whites, non-whites, under 50, over 50, college, no-college, under $50K, over $50K, north, south, east, west, urban and rural all believe the economy is getting worse.
On spending cuts, no demographic thought the debt deal cut too much spending. Pluaralities of both Democrats and liberals did say they thought the cuts were about right. But all other demographics, including 52 percent of independents, and 48 percents of moderates, said the spending cuts did not go far enough.
