As the Biden Administration deals with several different important issues, a new survey shows that inflation concerns have moved to the top of the list of issues among U.S. likely voters. Coming in second was concerns about the U.S. political environment that show liberals and conservatives seem to be drifting further apart each month.
In a mid-October poll, Fox News asked likely voters about their feelings on a number of important issues. When questions came up about inflation worries, almost 90% of those being polled said they have real concerns about the direction of inflation. This comes at a time when prices are rising for most goods and services, if and when available, keeping in mind that supply chain woes are also plaguing the nation.
The problem with rising inflation is it affects everyone in America with a dollar to spend. About 50% of the people being polled suggested they now have enough savings to last about three months if unemployed, another sign that inflation is starting to take a toll on the U.S. economy.
All of these numbers have translated to significantly lower approval ratings for President Joe Biden in several areas. His October rating on the economy is down 11% to 39% from the last reported polling. The significance of that number is reflected in the fact that the mood of likely Democrat voters also indicated an 11% drop.
Not to be outdone, those surveyed also indicated their dissatisfaction with Congress as 6 out of 10 people felt that the nation’s Congressional leaders have the country moving in the wrong direction.
A Closer Look at Key Numbers From the Fox Survey
Based on the totality of the answers in this survey, it’s very clear that most Americans are bearish in the direction of the country. Since inflation and supply shortages are impacting everyone, those areas are obviously getting most of the attention.
Here are a few more numbers that seem to reflect the overall mood of the country.
• Nearly 39% of all Americans feel they are falling behind financially. That’s up by 27% from a similar survey reported in June 2021.
• 84% of American car owners are very concerned about the price of gasoline because it is directly impacting their families. What was most alarming about this topic was 94% of those surveyed believe this is a problem for the country with 50% stating it’s a “major” problem.
• Other major concerns expressed by the people surveyed (% extremely or very concerned): Political divisions between residents (76%), the rise in Healthcare costs (76%), Critical Race Theory and what schools are teaching their kids (73%), and the nation’s unemployment numbers (71%). Missing from this list is immigration and troubles at the southern border.
The Effects of These Issues on President Biden’s Performance Ratings
After trudging along with an approximate approval rating of 50% from May 2021 through September 2021, the impact of the above issues caused a big drop in Biden’s approval rating in mid-October. Currently, only 39% of likely voters approve of his performance in the economy. The biggest change came from independent voters who went from 42% approval in September to only 27% now. That’s the number that the Democrats will likely be focusing on in the next couple of months.
According to Fox News pollster Daron Shaw, a Republican, “Biden’s declining ratings on the economy must be a major concern for the White House. Historically, bad economic news spells trouble for the incumbent party in the midterms.”
It’s not just President Biden who is getting battered in the polls. According to this same Fox News Poll, other top leaders are seeing numbers heavily weighted to the disapproval side as follows: Vice President Kamala Harris (-9%), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (-16%), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (-18%), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (-23%), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (-32%).
