Today we released the latest in our continuing series of public opinion surveys about the future of the American Dream. This one focuses on the attitudes of swing voters -- the uncommitted voters who will likely cast the deciding votes in next year's elections.
You can download the complete topline (PDF) if you want to dig into the data, or an executive summary (PDF) if you just want the highlights. Some of the notable findings:
- A majority say that the American Dream is harder to achieve today than it was in the past
- Only 16% of respondents say the next generation will be better off -- a near majority (48%) say the next generation will be worse off
- Respondents identify corporate behavior and government inaction as root causes of the loss of the American Dream
- Overwhelming support for government action to guarantee affordable health care, create a more progressive tax system, require corporations to keep their promises on health care and pensions, and reform mortgage practices
- Broad majorities (80%+) identify unions as part of the solution to the crisis
We've also got a comparison of the mood of the electorate today to the way people felt in 1980 (PDF), which was the last time pessimism about the future was this widespread. The key difference: while today's voters and voters in 1980 share the opinion that the country is on the wrong track, 1980's voters were pessimistic about the power of collective action to effect change, while today's see government and unions as key elements to restoring the American Dream. This has interesting implications for 2008, since the malaise of 1980 produced one of the few truly "transformational" elections of the 20th century.
UPDATE (Dec. 12): news coverage of the new survey from MSNBC and Marketwatch.