The jobs report: Being better off, feeling better off

Americans are lagging indicators when it comes to economic improvement, slow to see positive news and often worried that there will be backsliding. Today’s disappointing jobs report, with fewer jobs gained than expected, will underscore the pessimism in the polls. The public’s “wait and see” mindset has been especially strong since the 2008 financial crash. The crash and its aftermath had a devastating psychological effect on public opinion. Four in ten Americans said they were afraid. Fear is not an emotion we see often in polls….Read More