It’s the New Year, and Americans predict a grim outcome for 2023 under current leadership. According to a new Gallup survey, Americans feel discouraged about the political environment.
Why It Matters: As the fight for leadership in Washington continues, Americans are not optimistic about the upcoming year in terms of the economy, politics. Americans have grown increasingly concerned about the future, with a majority echoing the idea that political and economic issues will not be solved in the year to come.
By The Numbers:
Waning Economic Prospects: While these serve as indicators of a greater problem with trust in government, crosstabs show Republicans are less optimistic about America’s future than Republicans. Across the board, Republicans feel less optimistic than Democrats about the future of the nation’s economy reaching full or increasing employment, prices and the stock market rising at a reasonable rate, and taxes and deficit falling, Republicans are less optimistic than Democrats and independents. Independents are slightly more optimistic than Republicans by roughly 9%, but their lack of enthusiasm about the future lags behind Democrats’ by 16-to30% on these issues.
Domestic Matters: GOP voters lag behind Democrats and independent voters significantly here. Only 6% of Republicans believe crime rates will fall in the coming year while 24% of independent voters agree. Less than half of Democrats (47%) believe crime rates will fall in the year to come. Across the board, Republicans (36%), independents (45%) and Democrats (45%) believe there will be fewer labor strikes as a problem in 2023, meaning a majority of Americans believe labor union strikes will continue to be an issue this year.
The Bottom Line: Republicans have a genuine opportunity in 2023. While its majority in the House of Representatives is now in disarray, the party is in a position to affect policy and produce change for Americans, proving Republican leadership can deliver positive answers for the nation. The GOP should take this survey as a warning if it hopes to see Republican House and Senate majorities and a Republican President after the 2024 election.
