focus groups | February 20, 2008
Democracy Corps recently completed focus groups in battleground congressional districts in Ohio and Florida that took a deep look at voters’ attitudes toward the economy. Discussions with these swing voters reveal the intense anger and concern that Americans have about an economy dominated by skyrocketing costs and stagnant incomes for most people despite record profits for oil companies and big business. In the latest Democracy Corps focus group report, Jim Gerstein outlines the core themes that have emerged in voters’ economic judgments. The report includes participants’ direct quotes, revealing the angry language they use to describe the struggles they are experiencing today.
As anger about the economy shapes public reactions to growing economic troubles and the government’s response to these problems, the latest wave of Democracy Corps focus groups took a deep look at voters’ attitudes toward the economy. Their anger is deepening, and some participants were already saying that the new stimulus package looks like politicians throwing money at the problem when there are structural and long-term problems to address. The economy is now the biggest driver of the negative national mood, and voters’ economic judgments center on several core themes:
Subscribe