73 percent of Americans say we're headed in the wrong direction

NBC/WSJ poll just shown on the "Today" show.

Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever be optimistic as a nation again. It feels like it's been soooooooo long.

 

Imagine how bad it was during the Great Depression when you had breadlines and Hoovervilles. I don't know if they had that question in the polls back then.

People will feel optimistic if there are jobs. Problem is, right now, there's one political party who just shrugs their shoulders and gives lip service to it. And there's another party that gleefully talks about freedom as the jobs go overseas.

 

Is there ever an outcome for this bogus question of less than 50% miserable? Rarely.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/us/04poll.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61985-2004Oct25.html

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Presidential_04/direction_of_country.html

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/poll_71_say_michigan_headed_in.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1459919

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2010/10/14/poll-most-think-illinois-heading-in-wrong-direction/

 

A poll asking "what direction should we head in" would be more informative, particularly the 90 percent total racked up by "I dunno."

 

Bingo.

You mean the suv driving, overweight, braindead, Big Brother-watching, up to their eyes in debt dunces who inhabit America think we're headed in the wrong direction? Well, gollee!

 

Very convenient that bad polls don't matter anymore.

The press used polls to drive the story in the past. Polls created the narrative and became a self fulfilling prophesy.

Now they're explained. They're nuanced. The lead is buried or they're ignored.

Must be nice.

 

Whatever, YF.

It seems folks are arguing the merits and language of the poll, as this is a journalists site.

I don't see anyone saying that things are all lollipops and rainbows.

 

How do we get from front page of the WSJ and the lead item on the most watched news show in history to "don't matter any more;" much less "buried" or "ignored?"

 

Whatever fits the narrative.

 

Here's the thing, Az, the WSJ is a big outlet for sure. But, they were one of the parties that commissioned the poll, and they speak to a pretty specific audience.

What matters is what kind of legs the poll/story has. Does it get the full 24-hour news cycle treatment? Do other news outlets make a big deal of it? Do they incorporate it into the narrative?

Let's see. Folks here are already lining up to downplay it.

 

How 'specific' is the Today Show audience?

 

"How do they know where we're going?"