- Majorities of Americans remain negative about the direction of the country and Biden’s performance, each driven largely by views on inflation and rising costs of living.
- Pluralities of Americans say both parties are focused on the wrong things, and a majority of independents say neither show common sense on their policies.
- Americans see Democrats broadly as stronger and bringing stability more than Biden, though more Americans also say the party is doing too much to try to change the country.
Three in Four Say the Country Is Headed Off on the Wrong Track; “Inflation” Is a Primary Driver Across Parties
Majorities of Democrats (56%), independents (73%), and Republicans (90%) say the country is “off on the wrong track,” and the main reason cited is “inflation.” Democrats also mention Roe v. Wade, independents “crime,” and Republicans the “president.”
Inflation Is a Driver of Biden’s High Disapproval Numbers, While Other Reasons Vary By Party
Inflation is a unifying driver of disapproval of the way Biden is handling the presidency. For Democrats, “campaign” and “government” also emerge; for independents, the economy broadly stands out; and for Republicans, immigration is also a major concern.
Inflation Is a Top Concern for Three in Five, While Americans Feel Biden and Congress Are Focused on Abortion and Guns
There is a 32-point gap in the share who want Biden and Congress to focus on inflation (60%) and who feel they are focused on it (28%).
Americans View Both Parties as Focused on the Wrong Things
The share of Americans who say each party is “focused on the right things” has stayed mostly constant since late June.
- Pluralities of independents think that both the Democratic Party (47%) and the Republican Party (49%) are focused on the wrong things.
Americans Are Split on Which Party Shows More Common Sense on Policies They Propose
A majority of independents say neither party shows common sense on the policies they propose (51%).
Majorities View Biden as Valuing Hard Work While Not Doing Enough to Change the Country
More Americans say Democrats are “doing too much to try to change the country” than Biden is (40% “well” on Biden, 47% on Democrats).
Views on Biden’s Pace of Change Varies By Age: Younger Americans More Apt to Say He Is Not Doing Enough
More Americans, including across age groups, say Democrats broadly are doing too much to change the country than Biden is.
- When it comes to “not doing enough,” younger Americans are more likely to say this about Biden than older generations are, and they are also more likely to say that it describes Biden than Democrats broadly
