1

ANGRY AMERICANS
Douglas E. Schoen, LLC
May 10, 2011
 2

Overview
•  This survey was conducted with a representative sample
of 600 American adults across the country on April 29th –
May 1st, 2011.
•  The purpose of the survey was to assess the sentiments
and attitudes of Americans generally, and specifically
towards our political system, government, and the issues
facing our country.
•  The margin of error is +/-4%.
 3

Overview
•  Generally speaking, Americans are angry and nervous
about the economic and fiscal issues facing the country,
and feel that the federal government is not adequately
addressing these issues.
 4

Federal Government Solving Economic

Problems
80%  •  By almost four-to-one,
70% 
70%  Americans say
60%  government is not
Solving our 
50%  economic  solving our economic
40%  problems  problems.
30%  Not solving 
20%  18%  our 
economic 
10%  problems 

0% 
Federal 
government 
 5

Economy and Jobs

90%  •  Respondents say our
81% 
80%  economy is not
70%  delivering the jobs we
Delivering 
60% 
the jobs we  need by 81% to 12%.
50%  need 

40% 
Is not 
30%  delivering 
jobs we 
20% 
12%  need 
10% 
0% 
Our economy 
 6

Anger towards the Country’s Economic

Situation
•  Americans are angry about the economic situation facing
the country.
•  They say that they are angry that the economy is
stagnating while big corporations are posting record
profits by 65% to 31%.
 7

Anger towards Big Corporations

70%  65% 

60% 

50% 

40% 
31% 
30%  Angry 
Not angry 
20% 

10% 

0% 
The economy is stagnaIng while big corporaIons are posIng 
record profits 
 8

Anger towards Rising Gas Prices

•  They are upset about rising gas prices, 89% to 11%.

100% 
89% 
90% 
80% 
70% 
60% 
50%  Upset 
40%  Not upset 
30% 
20% 
11% 
10% 
0% 
The rising price of gas and other commodiIes 
 9

Impact of Country’s Economic Situation –

Cutting Social Services
60%  •  A plurality (48%) say
50%  48%  key social services or
37% 
programs have been
40% 
cut because of the
30% 
Yes 
economic downturn.
20%  No 

10% 

0% 
Have any key social services or 
programs been cut because of 
the economic downturn? 
 10

Economic Issues and President Obama

•  And while Americans are very concerned about the
economic and fiscal issues facing the country, they do not
feel that neither President Obama nor the Republicans
are addressing these issues.
•  They say Obama does not have a real plan to cut the
deficit, 55% to 33%, and that he does not have a real plan
to cut spending, 46% to 42%.
 11

Obama and the Deficit

60% 
55% 

50% 

40% 
33% 
30% 
Real plan 

20%  Does not have a real plan 

10% 

0% 
Do you think that Obama has a real plan to cut 
the deficit, or does he not have a real plan? 
 12

Obama and Cutting Spending

47% 
46% 
46% 

45% 

44% 

43%  Real plan 
42%  Does not have a real plan 
42% 

41% 

40% 
Do you think Obama has a real plan to cut 
spending, or does he not have a real plan? 
 13

Obama and Balancing the Budget

•  They also say Obama does not have a real plan to
balance the budget, 50% to 40%.
60% 
50% 
50% 
40% 
40% 

30%  Real plan 
20% 
Does not have a real 
10%  plan 
0% 
Do you think Obama has a real plan to 
balance the budget, or does he not have a 
real plan? 
 14

Republicans Addressing Major Issues

•  Respondents do not 70% 

feel more confident in 60%  58% 

the Republican Party. 50% 

Made 
posiIve 
•  They say the proposals 
40%  to change 
Republicans have just America 
29% 
criticized Obama rather 30%  Have just 
criIcized 
than made positive 20%  Obama 
proposals to change 10% 
America, 58% to 29%.
0% 
Republican Party 
 15

Impact of Personal Economic Situation

•  Given that Americans are concerned about the country’s
economic issues and feel that neither party is adequately
addressing these issues, it makes sense that they feel
frustrated and upset.
•  Over half (52%) say their personal economic situation
makes them nervous. 48% say it makes them anxious,
44% say it makes them upset, and 30% say it makes
them angry.
 16

Impact of Personal Economic Situation

Generally speaking, does your personal economic 
situa5on make you… 
80% 
70%  68% 

60%  54% 
52% 
50%  48%  49% 
45%  44% 
40%  Yes 
30% 
30%  No 
20% 
10% 
0% 
Nervous  Anxious  Upset  Angry 
 17

Taxing the Wealthy

•  Americans feel that the wealthiest Americans are not
paying their fair share of taxes. They say we should
increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans, 62% to 26%.
•  Further, they support increasing taxes on the wealthiest
as a means of balancing the budget, 68% to 27%.
 18

Taxes of the Wealthy

70% 
62% 
60% 

50% 
Pay their fare share of 
40%  taxes 

30%  26%  We should increase taxes 

on the wealthiest 
20%  Americans 

10% 

0% 
The wealthiest Americans… 
 19

Taxing the Wealthy to Balance the Budget

80% 

70%  68% 

60% 

50% 

40% 
Support 
30%  27%  Oppose 
20% 

10% 

0% 
Increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans as a means of 
balancing the budget 
 20

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Nervousness
•  70% of Americans are nervous about their retirement
because of their personal economic situation.
•  45% are nervous about being able to put their children
through college, 31% are nervous about starting a family,
and 29% are nervous about being able to afford to buy a
home.
 21

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Nervousness
Because of your personal economic situa5on, are you 
nervous… 
80%  70% 
70%  63% 
60%  56% 
50%  45% 48% 
40%  30%  31%  29% 
30% 
Nervous 
20% 
10%  Not nervous 
0% 
About  About being  About starIng  About being 
reIrement  able to put  a family  able to afford 
your children  to buy a home 
through college  
 22

Income
60%  •  Respondents say they
53% 
50%  feel stagnant in terms
42% 
of their income, 53% to
40% 
42%.
30% 
Yes 
20%  No 

10% 

0% 
Would you say that you feel 
stagnated in terms of your 
income? 
 23

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Lifestyle
60%  54%  •  44% of Americans feel
50%  44%  like they don’t make
40%  enough money to live
30% 
their life the way they
Yes 
want to.
20% 
No  •  54% disagree.
10% 

0% 
Do you feel like you don't 
make enough money to 
live your life the way you 
want to? 
 24

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Second Job
30%  28%  •  14% have taken on a
25%  second job because of
20% 
I have  their family’s economic
taken on a 
second job  situation, and 28%
15%  14% 
have thought about
10%  I have  taking on a second job
5% 
thought  because of their
about 
taking on a  family’s economic
0% 
Because of my 
second job  situation.
family's economic 
situaIon… 
 25

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Health and Marriage
•  27% say their family’s economic situation has impacted their health,
and 26% of those married say it has impacted their marriage.
Has your family’s economic situa5on impacted your… 
80% 
70%  70% 
70% 
60% 
50% 
40%  Yes 
30%  27%  26%  No 
20% 
10% 
0% 
Health  Marriage 
 26

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Marriage
60%  57% 
•  Of those who say their
family’s economic 50% 
situation has impacted 40% 
34%  Stronger 
their marriage, 57% relaIonship 
30% 
say their relationship with spouse 

with their spouse has 20%  RelaIonship 

become worse, while 10% 
with spouse 
has 
34% say it has become worsened 
0% 
stronger. How has your marriage 
been affected by your 
family's economic 
situaIon? 
 27

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Sex Life
•  Of those who say they 90% 
78% 
80% 
are angry about their 70% 
personal economic 60% 
situation, 13% say their 50% 
anger has impacted 40% 
30%  Yes 
their sex life. 78% say 20%  No 
13% 
it has not. 10% 
0% 
Has anger about your 
personal economic 
situaIon impacted your 
sex life? 
 28

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Sex Life
•  Of those who say their 70% 
63% 
anger has impacted 60% 

their sex life, 63% say 50% 

they experienced a 40% 
33% 
lower sex drive all or 30% 
All/some of 
the Ime 
some of the time. 20%  Rarely/never 

•  One-third say rarely or 10% 

never. 0% 
Have you 
experienced a 
lower sex drive? 
 29

Impact of Personal Economic Situation –

Loss of Sleep
•  Of those who say they 60%  56% 

are angry about their 50% 

41% 
personal economic 40% 
situation, 56% say they
30% 
have lost sleep All/some of 
the Ime 
because of their anger 20% 
Rarely/never 
all or some of the time. 10% 

•  41% say they have 0% 

rarely or never. Have you lost sleep 
because of anger 
about your 
economic situaIon?