82% Say National Economy is Getting Worse
American Research GroupSeptember 22, 2008
George W. Bush's Overall Job Approval Matches ARG
Low
As 82% Say National Economy is Getting Worse
George W. Bush's overall job approval has matched its low in American Research Group monthly polling as 82% of Americans say the national economy is getting worse, according to the latest survey from the American Research Group.
Among all Americans, 19% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 76% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy, 17% approve and 78% disapprove.
Among Americans registered to vote, 19% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 77% disapprove. When it comes to the way Bush is handling the economy, 18% of registered voters approve of the way Bush is handling the economy and 78% disapprove.
A total of 82% of Americans say the national economy is getting worse and 68% say the national economy is in a recession.
The results presented here are based on 1,100 completed telephone interviews conducted among a nationwide random sample of adults 18 years and older. The interviews were completed September 16 through 19, 2008. The theoretical margin of error for the total sample is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, 95% of the time, on questions where opinion is evenly split.
Overall, 19% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, 76% disapprove, and 5% are undecided.
| Bush job approval | Approve | Disapprove | Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | 19% | 76% | 5% |
| Aug 2008 | 30% | 64% | 6% |
| Jul 2008 | 21% | 72% | 7% |
| Jun 2008 | 25% | 71% | 4% |
| May 2008 | 28% | 69% | 3% |
| Apr 2008 | 22% | 72% | 6% |
| Mar 2008 | 24% | 75% | 1% |
| Feb 2008 | 19% | 77% | 4% |
| Jan 2008 | 34% | 59% | 7% |
| Dec 2007 | 32% | 66% | 2% |
| Nov 2007 | 31% | 64% | 5% |
| Oct 2007 | 25% | 67% | 8% |
| Sep 2007 | 34% | 60% | 6% |
Among Republicans (33% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 48% approve of the way Bush is handling his job and 46% disapprove. Among Democrats (40% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 3% approve and 95% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job. Among independents (27% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 8% approve and 87% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as president.
Overall, 17% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling the economy, 78% disapprove, and 5% are undecided. Among registered voters, 18% approve and 78% disapprove of the way Bush is handling the economy.
| Bush handling the economy | Approve | Disapprove | Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | 17% | 78% | 5% |
| Aug 2008 | 25% | 69% | 6% |
| Jul 2008 | 17% | 77% | 6% |
| Jun 2008 | 23% | 73% | 4% |
| May 2008 | 23% | 71% | 6% |
| Apr 2008 | 22% | 73% | 5% |
| Mar 2008 | 18% | 80% | 2% |
| Feb 2008 | 14% | 79% | 7% |
| Jan 2008 | 29% | 63% | 8% |
| Dec 2007 | 28% | 71% | 1% |
| Nov 2007 | 32% | 62% | 6% |
| Oct 2007 | 23% | 67% | 10% |
| Sep 2007 | 33% | 58% | 9% |
Among Republicans, 46% approve of the way Bush is handling the economy and 48% disapprove. Among Democrats, 97% disapprove of the way Bush is handling the economy and 2% approve. Among independents, 8% approve and 87% disapprove of the way Bush is handling the economy.
No Americans say that the national economy is getting better, 13% say it is staying the same, and 82% say the national economy is getting worse.
|
National economy |
Getting better |
Staying the same |
Getting worse |
Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | - | 13% | 82% | 5% |
| Aug 2008 | 18% | 19% | 60% | 3% |
| Jul 2008 | 3% | 20% | 76% | 1% |
| Jun 2008 | 7% | 18% | 73% | 2% |
| May 2008 | 11% | 18% | 70% | 1% |
| Apr 2008 | 8% | 14% | 77% | 1% |
| Mar 2008 | 4% | 9% | 86% | 1% |
| Feb 2008 | 1% | 20% | 78% | 1% |
| Jan 2008 | 8% | 22% | 64% | 6% |
| Dec 2007 | 7% | 28% | 64% | 1% |
| Nov 2007 | 18% | 26% | 55% | 1% |
| Oct 2007 | 8% | 18% | 69% | 5% |
| Sep 2007 | 14% | 20% | 63% | 3% |
Among those saying they approve of the way Bush is handling his job, none say getting better, 38% say staying the same, and 49% say getting worse. Of those saying they disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job, none say getting better, 6% say staying the same, and 93% say getting worse.
A total of 42% of Americans say they believe the national economy will be better a year from now, 27% say it will be the same, 13% say it will be worse, and 18% are undecided.
|
National economy a year from now |
Better than today |
The same as today |
Worse than today |
Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | 42% | 27% | 13% | 18% |
| Aug 2008 | 31% | 34% | 28% | 7% |
| Jul 2008 | 29% | 17% | 39% | 15% |
| Jun 2008 | 24% | 31% | 39% | 6% |
| May 2008 | 51% | 16% | 26% | 7% |
| Apr 2008 | 31% | 27% | 33% | 9% |
| Mar 2008 | 48% | 19% | 29% | 4% |
| Feb 2008 | 42% | 30% | 27% | 1% |
| Jan 2008 | 32% | 35% | 21% | 12% |
| Dec 2007 | 28% | 28% | 43% | 1% |
| Nov 2007 | 24% | 29% | 39% | 8% |
| Oct 2007 | 18% | 27% | 53% | 2% |
| Sep 2007 | 32% | 26% | 38% | 4% |
Among those saying they approve of the way Bush is handling his job, 87% say better and 13% say the same as today. Among those saying they disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as president, 35% say better, 29% say the same, and 16% say worse.
Overall, 68% of Americans say they believe that the national economy is in a recession, 28% say they do not believe the economy is in a recession, and 4% are undecided.
| National economy in a recession | Yes | No | Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | 68% | 28% | 4% |
| Aug 2008 | 58% | 30% | 12% |
| Jul 2008 | 68% | 15% | 17% |
| Jun 2008 | 52% | 22% | 26% |
| May 2008 | 57% | 25% | 18% |
| Apr 2008 | 68% | 18% | 14% |
| Mar 2008 | 66% | 12% | 22% |
| Feb 2008 | 47% | 29% | 24% |
| Jan 2008 | 35% | 24% | 41% |
| Dec 2007 | 7% | 28% | 65% |
| Nov 2007 | 34% | 41% | 25% |
| Oct 2007 | 40% | 38% | 22% |
| Sep 2007 | 25% | 52% | 23% |
Among those saying they approve of the way Bush is handling his job, all say the national economy is not in a recession. Of those saying they disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job, 84% say the national economy is in a recession, 11% say the national economy is not in a recession, and 5% are undecided.
A total of 18% of Americans rate the national economy as excellent, very good, or good and 81% rate it as bad, very bad, or terrible.
|
National economy |
Excellent |
Very good |
Good |
Bad |
Very bad |
Terrible |
Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | 2% | 4% | 12% | 10% | 7% | 64% | 1% |
| Aug 2008 | 8% | 12% | 22% | 24% | 11% | 22% | 1% |
| Jul 2008 | 3% | 3% | 18% | 34% | 29% | 12% | 1% |
| Jun 2008 | 2% | 4% | 18% | 28% | 23% | 24% | 1% |
| May 2008 | 1% | 8% | 21% | 24% | 12% | 33% | 1% |
| Apr 2008 | 1% | 3% | 16% | 20% | 13% | 46% | 1% |
| Mar 2008 | 1% | 4% | 16% | 10% | 26% | 42% | 1% |
| Feb 2008 | 1% | 7% | 17% | 44% | 10% | 20% | 1% |
| Jan 2008 | 2% | 14% | 27% | 21% | 17% | 18% | 1% |
| Dec 2007 | 7% | 16% | 12% | 31% | 16% | 17% | 1% |
| Nov 2007 | 16% | 11% | 21% | 25% | 12% | 14% | 1% |
| Oct 2007 | 8% | 10% | 20% | 29% | 14% | 18% | 1% |
| Sep 2007 | 13% | 14% | 21% | 27% | 7% | 17% | 1% |
Among those saying they approve of the way Bush is handling his job, 51% say excellent, very good, or good and 48% say bad, very bad, or terrible. Among those saying they disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job, 90% say bad, very bad, or terrible and 9% say excellent, very good, or good.
When it comes to rating their household financial situations, 57% of Americans give an excellent, very good, or good rating and 43% give a bad, very bad, or terrible rating.
|
Household financial situation |
Excellent |
Very good |
Good |
Bad |
Very bad |
Terrible |
Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | 9% | 9% | 39% | 26% | 15% | 2% | - |
| Aug 2008 | 11% | 20% | 39% | 17% | 6% | 6% | 1% |
| Jul 2008 | 6% | 7% | 44% | 24% | 17% | 1% | 1% |
| Jun 2008 | 2% | 11% | 42% | 34% | 3% | 7% | 1% |
| May 2008 | 4% | 17% | 38% | 27% | 7% | 6% | 1% |
| Apr 2008 | 8% | 12% | 37% | 18% | 11% | 13% | 1% |
| Mar 2008 | 9% | 22% | 33% | 17% | 16% | 2% | 1% |
| Feb 2008 | 6% | 17% | 36% | 22% | 11% | 7% | 1% |
| Jan 2008 | 12% | 13% | 45% | 15% | 6% | 8% | 1% |
| Dec 2007 | 14% | 16% | 36% | 12% | 17% | 4% | 1% |
| Nov 2007 | 13% | 14% | 38% | 27% | 6% | 1% | 1% |
| Oct 2007 | 11% | 22% | 32% | 27% | 2% | 5% | 1% |
| Sep 2007 | 12% | 17% | 44% | 18% | 3% | 5% | 1% |
Among those saying they approve of the way Bush is handling his job, 51% say excellent, very good, or good and 49% say bad or very bad. Among those saying they disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job, 61% say very good, or good and 39% say bad, very bad, or terrible.
No Americans say they think the financial situations in their households are getting better, 56% say staying the same, and 42% say getting worse.
|
Household financial situation |
Getting better |
Staying the same |
Getting worse |
Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | - | 56% | 42% | 2% |
| Aug 2008 | 19% | 42% | 36% | 3% |
| Jul 2008 | 7% | 31% | 61% | 1% |
| Jun 2008 | 4% | 40% | 55% | 1% |
| May 2008 | 13% | 42% | 43% | 2% |
| Apr 2008 | 6% | 39% | 54% | 1% |
| Mar 2008 | 7% | 46% | 46% | 1% |
| Feb 2008 | 8% | 45% | 41% | 6% |
| Jan 2008 | 22% | 25% | 49% | 4% |
| Dec 2007 | 20% | 50% | 29% | 1% |
| Nov 2007 | 14% | 54% | 26% | 6% |
| Oct 2007 | 17% | 45% | 35% | 3% |
| Sep 2007 | 24% | 39% | 34% | 3% |
Among those saying they approve of the way Bush is handling his job, 75% say staying the same, and 25% say getting worse. Among those saying they disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job, 52% say staying the same, and 48% say getting worse.
Looking to a year from now, 39% of Americans say that they think their household financial situations will be better than today, 37% say the same as today, and 15% say worse than today.
|
Household financial situation a year from now |
Better than today |
The same as today |
Worse than today |
Undecided |
| Sep 2008 | 39% | 37% | 15% | 9% |
| Aug 2008 | 30% | 42% | 24% | 4% |
| Jul 2008 | 17% | 41% | 30% | 12% |
| Jun 2008 | 21% | 34% | 37% | 8% |
| May 2008 | 26% | 49% | 16% | 9% |
| Apr 2008 | 19% | 31% | 37% | 13% |
| Mar 2008 | 31% | 41% | 25% | 3% |
| Feb 2008 | 17% | 52% | 25% | 6% |
| Jan 2008 | 28% | 41% | 24% | 7% |
| Dec 2007 | 36% | 37% | 25% | 2% |
| Nov 2007 | 29% | 43% | 19% | 9% |
| Oct 2007 | 26% | 48% | 23% | 3% |
| Sep 2007 | 48% | 29% | 18% | 5% |
Among those saying they approve of the way Bush is handling his job, 13% say better than today, 51% say the same as today, and 36% say worse than today. Among those saying they disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job, 44% say better than today, 36% say the same as today, and 11% say worse than today.
About this Survey -
Survey Sponsor: American Research Group, Inc.
The American Research Group has been conducting national surveys of consumers since 1985.
Sample Size: 1,100 completed telephone interviews among a random sample of all adults age 18 and older living in telephone households in the continental United States.
Sample Dates: September 16-19, 2008
Margin of Error: ± 3 percentage points, 95% of the time, on questions where opinion is evenly split.
Question Wording:
How do you rate the condition of the national economy these days - would you say it is excellent, very good, good, bad, very bad, or terrible?
Do you think the national economy is getting better, staying the same, or getting worse?
Would you say that the national economy is in a recession, or not?
A year from now, do you expect the national economy to be better than it is today, the same as it is today, or worse than it is today?
How do you rate the condition of the financial situation in your household - would you say it is excellent, very good, good, bad, very bad, or terrible?
Do you think the financial situation in your household is getting better, staying the same, or getting worse?
A year from now, do you expect the financial situation in your household to be better than it is today, the same as it is today, or worse than it is today?
Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the economy?