Americans are more pessimistic about the state of the country and less confident in President Barack Obama’s leadership than at any point since Mr. Obama entered the White House, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
The survey also shows grave and growing concerns about the Gulf oil spill, with overwhelming majorities of adults favoring stronger regulation of the oil industry and believing that the spill will affect the nation’s economy and environment.
Sixty-two percent of adults in the survey feel the country is on the wrong track, the highest level since before the 2008 election. Just one-third think the economy will get better over the next year, a 7-point drop from a month ago and the low point of Mr. Obama’s tenure.
Amid anxiety over the nation’s course, support for Mr. Obama and other incumbents is eroding. For the first time, more people disapprove of Mr. Obama’s job performance than approve. And 57% of voters would prefer to elect a new person to Congress than re-elect their local representatives, the highest share in 18 years.
The results show “a really ugly mood and an unhappy electorate,” said Democratic pollster Peter Hart….
I was chatting via im with a friend today and he said “this is one depressing world we live in” (I just looked it up). Lots of people out there are feeling like that.
It is one of many reasons why it is so good that the U.S. soccer team won their final match and will go on to the knock out round.
Yes, Kendall. There are lots of depressing and grim realities in the world today. But hey, at least we don’t live in North Korea, or Sudan, or Zimbabwe, or Greece…
And that’s why I think that one of the best and most attractive things we Christians have to offer others in such a depressing world is a real basis for a hope that can’t be shaken. An invincible hope that’s grounded in the reality of the resurrection, ala 1 Peter 1:3-4. When I do the Daily Office, I regularly conclude with Rom. 15:13 as my preferred ending. If more of us Christians abounded with overflowing hope, we’d find the world beating a path to our door.
But in the meantime, sure, sports can be a nice diversion.
David Handy+
Amen, David Handy.
Though I have crossed the Tiber, I often find myself going back to the suffrages from Rite I Morning Prayer:
[blockquote] V. Lord, keep this nation under thy care;
R. and guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V. Let thy way be known upon earth;
R. Thy saving health among all nations. [/blockquote]
Relating to the WSJ article, I enjoyed a bumper sticker the other day that said something like, “You elected him. Now you fix it.”
[blockquote]You elected him. Now you fix it.”[/blockquote]
As I recall that bumper sticker came out around here near the end of 2nd Bush term. There is a lot of blame to go around.