Tracking Trump - Direction of the Country for December 1st:
Bottom Line: For years, despite generally favorable approval ratings for President Obama, we'd collectively been unhappy with the overall direction of our country. In the early months of the Trump Presidency we'd seen a bit of a shift with a less popular President but a bit more optimistic country generally. At one point earlier this year we were nearly 20% more optimistic than under the Obama administration but that waned a few months back. Here's the latest.
Where we stood on Inauguration Day:
Right Direction: 30%
Wrong Track: 59%
Net: -29%
Last update:
Right Direction: 30%
Wrong Track: 62%
Net: -32%
And Today:
Right Direction: 31%
Wrong Track: 57%
Net: -26%
Change: +3% since Inauguration Day & +6% from two weeks ago
We've become far less pessimistic over the past couple of weeks and are once again more optimistic than were during the Obama administration and with good reason. Here are just a few of the meaningful reasons why...
Economic growth over 3% (3.3% in the 3rd quarter) for the first time in 12 years
Base unemployment rate is the lowest in nearly 17 years
Real unemployment is the best in eleven years
Corporate profits are at all-time highs
The stock market is at all-time highs amid a record run since last November's election
Retirement account balances are at all-time highs
Wage growth is near ten-year highs
However, it's understandable that many are still frustrated. Our top two agenda items coming into 2017 where healthcare and tax reform. We're still waiting for them to occur and that's doubtless part of our frustration with our country's direction.