Congrats, Arizona: It turns out that we’re cynical as all hell in this state now!
According to a release sent out today from Behavior Research Center’s Rocky Mountain Poll, just more than half of Arizonans surveyed believe that the United States is “On the Road to Ruin,” which I assume means a failure of our economy, of infrastructure, of government and probably an eventual takeover by corporate overlords or China, or something similarly frightening and depressing.
The negative sentiment is strong across all demographics (note: the following figures reflect the percentage of those who chose the negative response): While men and women both feel that our nation is crumbling, a slightly higher percentage of men (54%) are more certain about it than women (48%); rural Arizonans are more negative feeling about the country’s fate than those in Pima or Maricopa counties (59% to 51% and 48%, respectively); and Caucasians are overwhelmingly discouraged about the future of America, with 59% of those surveyed believing that the country is in a bad way.
The most hopeful demographic surveyed? Democrats, who actually have a positive view: 47% believe that the U.S. is looking toward a better future, while 33% think we’re all doomed to speak some blend of English and Mandarin in our future. Conversely, 62% of Republicans think we’re on the road to failure, along with 61% of Independents.
Granted, it’s a poll, so you should definitely take it with a grain or two of salt. Still, the fact that so many people are so overwhelmingly negative regarding the future of the country, on the heels of the government shutdown and the ongoing problems with registration for Obamacare, it’s no wonder we’re frustrated. I’m not sure we’re destined to be the next failed empire, but things aren’t looking too great.
If you’re interested in checking out the poll, this link will take you straight to the PDF; it also includes a second poll noting that incumbents are pretty damn screwed next election, and that Republicans in particular should watch their asses if they’re looking to stay in elected office.
This article appears in Oct 24-30, 2013.
Of course the democrats are more positive. They’re the brain-washed suckers who voted in the man who will destroy this country.
WOW!!! After being a minority (Mexican) all of my life, at last I am in the majority!! I too think, better said I know, that the US is on the “Road to Ruin” thank you Barrack Obama and the rest of the liberals — including a number of Republicans.
I look forward to 2014 so that I may, in my humble way, help vote them out – Republicans too. God, I wish Joe Arpaio was running for Congress, he would get my vote in a nanosecond.
Bisbee boy: Sure, what’s one more old, unqualified, right-wing fame-whore that’s proven to have problems with transparency and understanding of the Constitution, so long as he’s running on a ticket of “TOUGH ON CRIME” and “KICK OUT THE BROWN PEOPLE”?
bigd – i don’t think there was a lot of democratic support for bush.
Yes, the roll-out of Obamacare pretty much defines America’s future.
The road to ruin has not been paved for decades, and along the way one of the bridges is shut down. The chances are we will never make it to ruin. But we will find out what is to be found along the way.
The duopoly of Democrats and Republicans, two sides of the same coin, are equally to blame.
They are both convinced of the fact that they know better than us what is good for us, and do not hesitate to use the power of government to enforce their view.
Our only hope is that we get so disgusted by both sides that are third party arises, dedicated to individual liberty.
“what’s one more old, unqualified, right-wing fame-whore that’s proven to have problems with transparency and understanding of the Constitution”
Mr. Mendez, you aptly described the current occupant of the White House, except the “right wing and old” part. The main problem is that people like you feel that your party is infallible and make no mistakes, while spending the nation into oblivion with nothing to show for the funds expended. the liberals are more concerned with keeping themselves in power than doing what is right for the country, and unfortunately that is the same in both parties.
I don’t think it’s outlandish to worry about increasing corporate power and seeing that as a threat to the future of the country.
I see an upheaval or a revolution of some sort, initiated by the working people of this country against the 1%, who seem to think that they can continue to abuse their position of power or subjugate the 99% of the population that’s making them rich or richer.
lc69hunter: The rise of a third party would be great, but I’m not sure that “individual liberty” is the platform that would carry them to victory; the problem with the libertarian movement is that they’ve been framed by many folks as outlandish, anti-government nutjobs. The moderate, sensible libertarians have thus been washed over, which is something that drives me insane, personally.
markus_jim: I won’t say that you’re entirely wrong regarding Obama; he’s certainly not the President that those who voted for him in ’08 hoped he would be (though he’s just as certainly not the failure that his detractors crow that he has been).
At the same time, the nation hasn’t been spent into oblivion, and the deficit has actually decreased this year. But we’ll get into that another time. Tomorrow, maybe.
Machu Pichu – All of Congress are 1% ers. Even the ones you so slavishly think are on your side. And both parties are bought and owned by corporate interests, including Wall Street.
David Mendez – you still have not addressed the basis of my comment. That both sides are convinced of the fact that they know better than us what is good for us, and do not hesitate to use the power of government to enforce their view. What is your answer to that?
lc69hunter: I don’t have an “answer” so much as a “response,” but I suppose that’s the crux of the issue: That there are people convincing themselves that they have the answer to the nation’s problems, and that everything would be fixed if everyone just listened to them.
You’re not off base, in my opinion; we have a Congress filled with unbending ideologues. I think what’s needed is rational discourse, but that’s increasingly difficult to find when elections tend to come down to a contest of which person is more extreme with their beliefs.
This is a good place to stop myself before I start a rant I don’t have time for on how primary elections are more a political distillation process than anything else.
David, we are on the same page.
I continually have to bite my tongue also.
Arizona is on the road to ruin. Other states, like Massachusetts, California, Colorado and New York, are doing fine.