Economic Confidence Index reaches Obama-era highs
By Steve Benen
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Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:30 AM EDT
Every afternoon, Gallup publishes a new data, and much of the political world quickly scans the presidential horserace and President Obama's approval numbers.
But I also like to scroll down just a little more to look at Gallup's "U.S. Economic Confidence Index," because it helps answer a fairly straightforward question: are Americans feeling better or worse about the economy. Yesterday's results were especially noteworthy.
 Gallup
Looking at the results from left to right, you'll notice that yesterday's figures weren't just an improvement, they represent the single best point of Obama's presidency. In other words, according to Gallup, Americans currently feel more confident about the economy than any point since the president's inauguration.
This is consistent with other recent reports showing consumer confidence at its best point in five years.
To reiterate a point from a couple of weeks ago, there's a school of thought that suggests Americans economic impressions were locked in months ago, and recent improvements probably won't have much of an effect on the presidential race.
But for voters who are still paying attention and who consider the economy an important election issue, the Romney/Ryan argument that the economy's getting worse is increasingly, and quite literally, unbelievable.
It would appear a growing number of Americans are feeling good about the economy at the precisely wrong time for Mitt Romney. |
