According to a recent poll by The Paper, just 33% of American adults approve of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy, as he gears up for his re-election campaign. Only 24% of respondents believe that the economy is doing well at home. Concerns around inflation, the challenging housing market, and fears of a potential US debt default are contributing to the low public support for Mr. Biden’s economic response.
The poll also found that public opinion is pessimistic about Mr. Biden’s approach to gun policy and immigration, with only 31% supporting his stance on these critical issues. About half of Democrats approve of his handling of immigration and gun policies, and the poll suggests that the President’s overall approval rating of 40% remains consistent with the past year and a half.
Zoe Mosqueda, a 24-year-old from West Texas, expressed her family’s dissatisfaction with the economic situation. They are ready to buy their first home, but with average mortgage rates hovering around 6.9%, their goal seems unattainable. In addition, they are unhappy with Mr. Biden’s handling of gun policy, which she believes has failed to deliver on his campaign promise for a fairer immigration policy.
The poll revealed fears around a U.S. debt default, which would severely impact the global economy. Mr. Biden canceled planned visits to Papua New Guinea and Australia to focus on his debt relief talks. The former auto parts warehouse manager, Bob Vought, strongly opposes Mr. Biden’s economic response. Living on Social Security benefits, he feels that inflation is taking a toll on his personal finances despite two major Social Security cost-of-living adjustments approved under the Biden administration. He is also frustrated by the uncontrollable increase in illegal immigration.
Despite these concerns, some respondents still support Mr. Biden’s performance. Billman, who supports his performance, says he feels the political conversation has become more toxic since the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021. Karen D’Andrea, a 64-year-old Democrat from Port Lucie, Fla., appreciates Mr. Biden’s performance, but she believes that the country is headed in the wrong direction.
The poll reveals the increasing polarization and mixed opinions around Mr. Biden’s policies. The sample was drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak panel representing the US population and surveyed 1,680 adults, with a sampling error range of +/- 3.4 percentage points.