US Glum on Economy —and GOP, Too

Americans are bummed about the economy, but that hasn’t given Republicans the usual opposition party boost in Washington. “The mood in America may be blue, but attitudes toward Washington are just jet black,” a pollster tells the Wall Street Journal. Some 58% of respondents think the economy will continue to fester, up from 52% last month. But folks would still rather have the Dems in control after midterms, 46% to 38%; those numbers were 43% to 40% in September.

“There was a bounce-back surge for Republicans,” another pollster says, “and that's stalled.” Rahm Emanuel chalks up the support, if tepid, for Democrats to movement on legislation. “The public sees them getting something done of real importance,” he says. General gloom and party affiliation aside, most Americans think President Obama is on the right track vis a vis the economy: 63% say the government has done enough, or should do more, to combat the recession.