Three major polls this week show Americans remain deeply pessimistic about affordability, opportunity, and their economic future. Your weekly political data roundup for February 8, 2026.
Can you tease out the income levels or religious attachments of the polls you feature this week? Who are happy about Trump's economy? The rich? Evangelicals who are MAGA supporters? I think we need more granular data.
I'm curious about the poll of economic anxiety that Mr. Morris cites. That Gallup poll shows Americans of all ages are the *least* anxious about the economy of any advanced English-speaking country. While I agree that Trump has harmed the economy (and many other things), these data show that economic anxiety is a global phenomenon and not something unique to the US.
32% of Americans between ages 15 - 34 are anxious about the economy. But that is lower than young citizens of the UK (38%), Canada (47%), Australia (56%) or New Zealand (49%). Americans between 35 - 54 and 55+ are also less anxious than that cohort in those other countries. Also, in all those countries young people are much more anxious than their older cohort (except the 35 - 54 group in Australia and the UK).
Very interested in seeing polling data this week about the Black and Brown vote possibilities in light of the Obama posting by Trump and specifically how it could affect the Texas Senate race as well as Ohio?
I have a question that is perhaps tangentially related to a topic in this column — feelings about the economy. I’m not sure how much the jobs report influences those feelings, but as you’re likely aware, the jobs report for January was terrible; something like 108,000 jobs lost, which is the worst for a single month since like 2009. Anyway, I’m wondering if the numbers are even worse because Trump fired the previous head of BLS because he didn’t like the numbers they were delivering. So, long story long, I’m wondering how much confidence we should have in BLS data and do we have any way of checking numbers against, for lack of a better phrase, the typical or traditional way they were calculated? Thank you!
Now let's poll on who thinks economic opportunities have been getting better for people who are named in the Epstein files. Alternatively replace "wealthy" with "billionaire".
I get "it's the economy stupid" is still right and I know that the plural of anecdote is not data but I believe this line is ignoring some reality - "the swing among young voters from 2020 to 2024 should be viewed not as a political/ideological statement from those groups, but an economic one." In deep blue Massachusetts in the fall of 2024 if you attended a high school sporting event you would see teenaged boys wearing Trump bracelets or maybe other subtle merch. When he won there were many celebratory posts on IG among sons of my peers that shocked me. When Charlie Kirk was shot I was surprised to see how many of my teenaged son's friends posted something about it. This was wholesale different than 2016 or 2020 where in deep blue places any Trump support was hidden. (from memory Trump earned 32% here in 2016 and 2020 but bumped to 36% in 2024 which is on par with other non-swing states).
Thank you for the article. Polling is correct. This is not about just affordability it’s not just about health care. It’s about DHS killing innocent people. Renee Nichole Good , and Mr. Alex Pertii.
What I find interesting is that Americans, for all their pessimism, are LESS pessimistic than every other country shown for every age group. Comments? Thoughts about the global ramifications?
Agree. Housing costs in Canada are also very high as are cell/internet costs. But I am fascinated by how pessimistic Americans - or American media - consider themselves. Is it that the rest just don't talk about it so much? Or that the rest of the world feel like things are bad economically on a domestic basis and the US is just making it worse?
I'd be curious to see data on IF economic circumstances are better or worse for Democrats vs Republicans, not just what they report. how much of the difference in perception is survey response as identity performance and how much is successfully targeted partisan harm and help for different parts of the US.
I find it amazing that 52% still say the economy is worse considering the recent stock market gains. My personal situation is better, and I am in the strongly disapprove of the regime's policies.
Can you tease out the income levels or religious attachments of the polls you feature this week? Who are happy about Trump's economy? The rich? Evangelicals who are MAGA supporters? I think we need more granular data.
I'm curious about the poll of economic anxiety that Mr. Morris cites. That Gallup poll shows Americans of all ages are the *least* anxious about the economy of any advanced English-speaking country. While I agree that Trump has harmed the economy (and many other things), these data show that economic anxiety is a global phenomenon and not something unique to the US.
32% of Americans between ages 15 - 34 are anxious about the economy. But that is lower than young citizens of the UK (38%), Canada (47%), Australia (56%) or New Zealand (49%). Americans between 35 - 54 and 55+ are also less anxious than that cohort in those other countries. Also, in all those countries young people are much more anxious than their older cohort (except the 35 - 54 group in Australia and the UK).
Very interested in seeing polling data this week about the Black and Brown vote possibilities in light of the Obama posting by Trump and specifically how it could affect the Texas Senate race as well as Ohio?
I have a question that is perhaps tangentially related to a topic in this column — feelings about the economy. I’m not sure how much the jobs report influences those feelings, but as you’re likely aware, the jobs report for January was terrible; something like 108,000 jobs lost, which is the worst for a single month since like 2009. Anyway, I’m wondering if the numbers are even worse because Trump fired the previous head of BLS because he didn’t like the numbers they were delivering. So, long story long, I’m wondering how much confidence we should have in BLS data and do we have any way of checking numbers against, for lack of a better phrase, the typical or traditional way they were calculated? Thank you!
Now let's poll on who thinks economic opportunities have been getting better for people who are named in the Epstein files. Alternatively replace "wealthy" with "billionaire".
Can someone please break down the economic factors of the so-called middle class?
“52% of adults say Trump’s poocies has made the economy worse.” Please be a grownup and just call it “incontinence.”
I get "it's the economy stupid" is still right and I know that the plural of anecdote is not data but I believe this line is ignoring some reality - "the swing among young voters from 2020 to 2024 should be viewed not as a political/ideological statement from those groups, but an economic one." In deep blue Massachusetts in the fall of 2024 if you attended a high school sporting event you would see teenaged boys wearing Trump bracelets or maybe other subtle merch. When he won there were many celebratory posts on IG among sons of my peers that shocked me. When Charlie Kirk was shot I was surprised to see how many of my teenaged son's friends posted something about it. This was wholesale different than 2016 or 2020 where in deep blue places any Trump support was hidden. (from memory Trump earned 32% here in 2016 and 2020 but bumped to 36% in 2024 which is on par with other non-swing states).
Thank you for the article. Polling is correct. This is not about just affordability it’s not just about health care. It’s about DHS killing innocent people. Renee Nichole Good , and Mr. Alex Pertii.
What I find interesting is that Americans, for all their pessimism, are LESS pessimistic than every other country shown for every age group. Comments? Thoughts about the global ramifications?
I would point out that most have very high housing costs some even higher than the US. Having lived in Australia I know that from personal experience.
Agree. Housing costs in Canada are also very high as are cell/internet costs. But I am fascinated by how pessimistic Americans - or American media - consider themselves. Is it that the rest just don't talk about it so much? Or that the rest of the world feel like things are bad economically on a domestic basis and the US is just making it worse?
What are "poocies"?
I'd be curious to see data on IF economic circumstances are better or worse for Democrats vs Republicans, not just what they report. how much of the difference in perception is survey response as identity performance and how much is successfully targeted partisan harm and help for different parts of the US.
I find it amazing that 52% still say the economy is worse considering the recent stock market gains. My personal situation is better, and I am in the strongly disapprove of the regime's policies.
Independent of perceptions, different people will have different takes on what constitutes the economy doing well or not.