Their Economic Outlook Is Muddled, But At Least It's Not Utterly Hopeless

Ask people about the nation’s economy and the answers will convince you we’re all on the way to the poorhouse. Responses are less gloomy when you ask them about their own financial condition. Still another picture emerges when you ask how they expect their finances to look in the future. A poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press gives a comprehensive look at the mishmash of opinions Americans hold.

Polls usually find people saying the economy is going from bad to worse, regardless of actual conditions, and this one is no exception.