It has been seen very often that parents of students are largely negative about the state of education in their school system, their state, and the nation. But when they are asked about their children’s schools they are positive. Maybe the same thing is going on in economic surveys.
https://www.axios.com/2024/01/17/americans-are-actually-pretty-happy-with-their-finances
Americans overall have a surprising degree of satisfaction with their economic situation, according to findings from the Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll.
Why it matters: That’s in spite of dour views among certain subsets of the country — and in contrast to consumer sentiment polls that remain stubbornly weak, partly because of the lingering effects of 2022’s inflation.
The Axios Vibes poll has found that when asked about their own financial condition, or that of their local community, Americans are characteristically optimistic.
Be smart: It’s broadly understood that economic well-being influences electoral outcomes. By the same token, however, political affiliation influences the responses that [REDACTED], in particular, give when they’re asked about the economy.
So asking about personal finances rather than the broader economy can reveal optimism not seen in consumer-sentiment polls.