According to the most recent CBS News/New York Times poll, nearly four in ten Americans (39 percent) now believe the U.S. economy is in permanent decline, an increase from 28 percent in October 2010. In addition, only 20 percent now say the economy is getting better, the lowest number since last August, while 31 percent say it is getting worse. (Roughly half say it is staying the same.)
The growing perception among the public is the president is presiding over, and in important respects is the architect of, an American Decline. It’s little wonder, then, according to Josh Kraushaar of National Journal, “The president’s reelection team, once hoping to run on a ‘Morning in America’ theme, now doesn’t have that luxury.”
