Americans lose faith in future
They no longer think their kids will do better
A recent Zogby poll revealed what’s become a trend in pessimism about the future: American parents today do not believe their children will have better lives than they have. The poll, which questioned Americans on the current state of the country’s economy, did show some promise: The number of people who ranked their personal financial situation as “poor” had decreased from the last time these questions were asked, in October 2009. But what’s upsetting to many, as evidenced by the scores of bloggers and commentators who have noticed a shift in the past year, is that more than half of Americans, who have long been optimistic about the future, do not foresee prosperity for their children. The recent Zogby poll breaks down respondents’ confidence levels in their kids doing better than they did:
| Confidence | October 2009 | February 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Very | 12% | 7% |
| Fairly | 23% | 21% |
| Not very | 30% | 35% |
| Not at all | 17% | 16% |
| Not sure/no kids | 18% | 21% |
More Local Stories » Sifter
Jerry Brown goes after ‘S.W.A.G.’
First it was cell phones and state cars. Now Gov. Brown is going after coffee mugs and key chains.
Published on 02.24.11
Americans: who we favor
Egypt slides in annual ranking of countries’ favorability.
Published on 02.17.11
Homicide rates for young people
Which California counties have the highest rates of youth homicide? Check out our chart.
Published on 02.10.11
