Most question government's handling of crisis, want free market solutions to problems

A new national poll finds a crisis of confidence on economic issues among Americans – and younger Americans (those 18-29) – alike.

Among the key findings, Americans and Millennials:

• Are not confident in the government’s ability to handle the economic crisis. (59% of Americans; 55% of Millennials)

• Want a free market approach and oppose greater government regulation of business. (55% of Americans; 53% of Millennials)

• Believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. (67% of Americans; 60% of Millennials)

• Want the same set of moral standards in business life as in personal life. (75% of Americans; 66% of Millennials)

• See business decisions based on greed as morally wrong. (74% of Americans; 77% of Millennials)

• Think their careers will be negatively impacted for the long-term by the current economic situation (55% of Americans under 65 years old; 55% of Millennials).

“A year into the Obama administration, we find that Americans – and younger Americans – are having a crisis of confidence,” says Carl Anderson, CEO of the Knights of Columbus, the group that commissioned the poll. “People are increasingly pessimistic about the government's ability to handle the economic crisis and a majority believes that increased government regulation will hurt the economy.”

Fox poll: only 43 percent would vote to elect Obama

In what may be the ultimate job rating, 43 percent of voters say that they would vote to re-elect President Obama if the 2012 election were held today, down from 52 percent six months ago, from April 22-23, 2009.

Obama's job approval rating comes in at 49 percent this week. That's down just one percentage point from late September, but it marks a new low approval for the president -- and the first time the Fox News poll has measured his approval below 50 percent.

Moreover, the number of Americans saying they would vote to re-elect President Obama has dropped. If the election were held today the poll finds more voters say they would back someone else in the 2012 election than would back the president.

Despite winning the Nobel Peace Prize last Friday, the latest Fox News poll finds the president's ratings on foreign issues are lower than his overall job ratings. All in all, 49 percent of Americans say they approve of the job President Obama is doing and 45 percent disapprove. His average approval for the term so far is 58 percent.