66% say U.S. on wrong track

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, August 22.

While up a point from last week, confidence in the nation’s current course has ranged from 27% to 35% since last July.

Following Congress' passage of the national health care bill in late March, the number of voters who said the country was heading in the right direction peaked at 35%, largely due to a surge of enthusiasm by Democrats. It was the highest level of optimism measured since early September 2009.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of Democrats now feel the country is heading in the right direction. Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans and 72% of voters not affiliated with either political party feel the country is heading down the wrong track.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of all voters say the country is heading down the wrong track, down one point from last week. Following passage of the health care bill, this number dropped to 60% but has since returned to levels found prior to the passage of the bill.