Optimistic About ’07

Americans remain fairly gloomy about the way things are going in the United States–just 28% are satisfied with current national conditions, while 65% are dissatisfied–but nearly six-in-ten people (57%), including half of those currently dissatisfied with national conditions, say 2007 will be better. Optimism about the coming year is in line with end-of-year measures from December 1994 and December 1998 (59% in each year), but lower than in December 1999, amid the nation’s economic boom, when 66% foresaw a better new year. Two-thirds of Republicans (67%) feel that next year will be better compared with 54% of Democrats and the same percentage of independents. Although their party won majorities in Congress last month, Democrats are significantly less positive about the upcoming year than they were in December 1994, shortly after the party lost control of Congress; at that time, nearly two-thirds of Democrats (65%) felt that 1995 would be a better year. Read More