The vast majority of respondents in a YouGov/Economist poll believe that President Joe Biden’s America is “out of control.”
The poll, published on Wednesday, asked 1,755 Americans whether they felt “things in this country these days are” “under control” or “out of control.” An overwhelming majority of 68 percent believe things are “out of control,” while a mere 16 percent think things are “under control.”
It comes as widespread anti-Israel protests consume college campuses, as the economy is still reeling from 40-year-high inflation, and as an illegal immigration crisis persists at the U.S. southern border.
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The survey found that more Democrats believe “things” are out of control (48 percent) than under control (31 percent) in the United States. Just five percent did not have an opinion.
Seventy percent of independents believe the country is out of control, as do nearly 90 percent of Republicans. Just 11 percent of independents say the country is under control. Majorities across all sub-demographics of race, gender, age, and income think it is out of control.
Similarly, the poll finds that 66 percent of Americans say the country is “off on the wrong track,” while 21 percent say it is “generally headed in the right direction.” Twelve percent did not have opinions one way or another.
Those who believe the country is headed in the wrong direction include 72 percent of independents, 87 percent of Republicans, 42 percent of Democrats, and majorities in all age, gender, and income demographics.
Biden’s approval rating in this poll is 37 percent, while 58 percent give his presidential performance negative marks.
The top issue for voters in this poll was inflation and prices, with 23 percent of respondents selecting it as the most important issue. Though they may not have selected it as their top issue personally, nearly all respondents (96 percent) said inflation and prices were important issues to them. This included 77 percent of all respondents who said the issue is “very important.”
Biden has an abysmal approval rating of just 29 percent regarding his handling of inflation, while 61 percent are dissatisfied with how he has approached the problem.
The poll was conducted from April 28-30, 2024, and has a margin of error of ± 2.9 percentage points.