Nearly half of Americans believe their financial security is getting worse, poll finds

"Twice as many Americans believe their financial security is getting worse than better, according to an exclusive new poll conducted for the Guardian, and they are increasingly blaming the White House. The poll, conducted by Harris, will be a further blow to Donald Trump's efforts to fight off criticism of his handling of the economy and contains some worrying findings for the president."

"Nearly half (45%) of Americans said their financial security is getting worse compared to 20% who said it's getting better. 57% of Americans said the US economy is undergoing a recession, up 11% from a similar poll that was conducted in February. The US is not experiencing a recession, which is typically defined as two quarters of negative growth. And last week, the US posted far stronger than expected economic growth figures for the summer months."

"Americans have reported feeling shaken by Trump's tariffs, mass government layoffs and a crackdown on immigration. The Conference Board's measure of consumer confidence has dropped for five consecutive months. The White House has insisted that it's bringing our economy back from the brink of ruin, as Trump said in a mid-December speech. Now, under our leadership, [prices] are all coming down and they're coming down fast, the president said."

Nearly half of Americans (45%) say their financial security is getting worse, while only 20% say it is getting better. Fifty-seven percent believe the US economy is undergoing a recession, an 11-point increase since February, despite national growth figures showing stronger-than-expected summer performance and the technical definition of recession requiring two quarters of negative growth. Consumer confidence has fallen for five consecutive months. Many Americans cite tariffs, mass government layoffs, and immigration enforcement as sources of economic unease. Partisan, gender, racial, and income divisions shape perceptions, with Democrats far more likely than Republicans to report worsening financial security.

Read at www.theguardian.com