February 19, 2009 - New Yorkers Like Obama And Stimulus Plan, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; But They Don't Think Plan Will Help Them Word format One month into his presidency, Barack Obama gets a 72 - 17 percent approval rating from New York State voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Voters also approve 66 - 22 percent of the way President Obama is handling the economy. Obama wins the approval of Democrats 96 - 1 percent and independent voters 69 - 14 percent, while Republicans disapprove 47 - 40 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh- pe-ack) University poll finds. New York State voters approve 64 - 27 percent of Obama's Economic Stimulus Package, which was approved by Congress as the survey was being conducted. A total of 57 percent of voters are "very confident" or "somewhat confident" the stimulus plan will help solve the nation's economic problems, while 40 percent are "not too confident" or "not confident at all." Voters say 50 - 42 percent that the stimulus plan will not help them personally. While Democrats say 55 - 35 percent the plan will help them, Republicans say 72 - 20 percent the plan won't help, and independent voters say 51 - 41 percent they don't expect help. Voters making less than $50,000 a year split 46 - 45 percent on whether the plan will help them, while voters in higher income groups expect no help. "New Yorkers are still sorting it out, but fewer than half expect the stimulus plan to help them personally," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Even those making less than $50,000 are divided." "But we support the stimulus plan and we're basically optimistic that it will help the nation's economy." "And we think President Obama is doing a good job overall and on the economy." Only 4 percent of New York State voters expect the stimulus plan to produce results in less than a year, while 73 percent say it will take more than a year and 19 percent say the stimulus plan never will work. But 69 percent of voters expect the economy to get better by the end of Obama's term. Even Republicans say 51 - 24 percent that the economy will get better in the next four years. Only 2 percent of New York State voters describe the national economy as "good," with 27 percent who say it's "not so good" and 71 percent who say it's "poor." New York State's economy is "excellent," 1 percent say, with 4 percent who say "good," 40 percent who say "not so good" and 55 percent who say "poor." Their personal finances are "excellent," 4 percent of New Yorkers say, while 44 percent say "good," 35 percent say "not so good" and 15 percent say "poor." And 56 percent of New York State voters say they are worse off than they were a year ago, with 19 percent who say they are better off and 23 percent who say they are the same. Things will get better personally in the next 12 months, 28 percent say, while 17 percent expect things to get worse and 51 percent say things will stay the same. "New Yorkers don't think prosperity is just around the corner, but they remain optimistic that things will get better over the next four years," Carroll said. From February 10 - 15, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,065 New York State registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research. 15. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 72% 40% 96% 69% 64% 79% Disapprove 17 47 1 14 24 13 DK/NA 10 13 2 16 12 9 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Approve 74% 68% 70% 79% 68% Disapprove 20 19 20 14 19 DK/NA 6 12 11 7 14 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Approve 79% 73% 69% 75% 74% 67% 72% 73% Disapprove 17 18 18 16 16 22 17 19 DK/NA 4 9 13 8 10 11 11 8 26. Do you approve or disapprove of the way David Paterson is handling the economy? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 34% 31% 38% 33% 38% 30% Disapprove 50 58 44 50 50 50 DK/NA 16 10 17 18 12 20 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Approve 35% 35% 35% 32% 33% Disapprove 59 49 51 47 53 DK/NA 6 15 13 21 15 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Approve 29% 34% 37% 35% 32% 34% 33% 35% Disapprove 52 53 47 51 53 47 52 47 DK/NA 19 13 16 14 15 19 15 18 27. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 66% 35% 92% 59% 59% 71% Disapprove 22 50 4 20 28 17 DK/NA 13 15 4 21 14 12 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Approve 70% 62% 64% 73% 58% Disapprove 21 26 25 16 25 DK/NA 8 13 12 12 17 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Approve 73% 66% 61% 65% 69% 63% 64% 68% Disapprove 21 21 22 22 18 28 21 23 DK/NA 6 13 17 14 13 10 15 9 28. Would you describe the state of the nation's economy these days as - excellent, good, not so good, or poor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Excellent - - - - - 1% Good 2 2 3 - 2 2 Not so good 27 33 24 25 27 27 Poor 71 64 73 75 71 71 DK/NA - 1 - - 1 - UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Excellent 4% - 1% - - Good 3 2 3 1 3 Not so good 30 28 28 26 25 Poor 64 69 68 73 72 DK/NA - 1 1 - - AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Excellent - 1% - 1% - - 1% - Good 1 4 2 3 2 1 2 2 Not so good 34 25 24 32 22 20 28 23 Poor 66 71 73 64 77 78 68 75 DK/NA - - 1 1 - - - - TREND: Would you describe the state of the nation's economy these days as - excellent, good, not so good, or poor? Feb 19 Dec 24 Nov 15 Apr 26 2009 2008 2001 2001 Excellent - - 1 2 Good 2 3 29 46 Not so good 27 27 54 41 Poor 71 70 14 9 DK/NA - - 1 2 29. Would you describe the state of New York State's economy these days as - excellent, good, not so good, or poor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Excellent 1% - 1% 1% 1% 1% Good 4 7 3 2 5 3 Not so good 40 39 41 37 37 42 Poor 55 52 55 60 56 54 DK/NA 1 2 - - 1 - UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Excellent - - - 1% 2% Good 5 4 4 3 4 Not so good 44 34 36 42 43 Poor 50 61 59 53 50 DK/NA - 1 1 - 1 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Excellent - 2% - 1% - - 1% 1% Good 5 4 3 4 4 3 5 2 Not so good 52 37 38 48 34 36 40 40 Poor 43 57 58 47 62 61 54 57 DK/NA - 1 1 1 - - - 1 TREND: Would you describe the state of New York State's economy these days as - excellent, good, not so good, or poor? EXCLNT+GOOD... High Low Feb 19 Jan 15 Dec 24 Aug 6 Jun 12 Mar 29 Feb 19 2009 2009 2008 2008 2008 2006 2009 Excellent 1 - - - - 2 1 Good 4 7 6 12 21 35 4 Not so good 40 40 43 48 48 40 40 Poor 55 52 51 38 28 22 55 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 30. Would you describe the state of your own personal finances these days as - excellent, good, not so good, or poor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Excellent 4% 7% 4% 3% 5% 4% Good 44 56 37 42 50 39 Not so good 35 25 38 39 28 40 Poor 15 10 19 16 15 16 DK/NA 2 3 2 1 3 1 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Excellent 3% 5% 5% 4% 4% Good 44 40 41 45 47 Not so good 41 35 36 33 34 Poor 11 17 16 17 12 DK/NA - 3 2 1 2 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Excellent 4% 5% 4% 1% 4% 11% 2% 8% Good 50 43 43 30 50 62 39 53 Not so good 28 36 37 44 30 23 39 27 Poor 15 16 15 22 15 4 18 11 DK/NA 4 1 1 2 1 - 1 2 TREND: Would you describe the state of your own personal finances these days as - excellent, good, not so good, or poor? Feb 19 Dec 24 Jan 23 Nov 15 2009 2008 2002 2001 Excellent 4 5 9 8 Good 44 43 53 59 Not so good 35 35 28 25 Poor 15 16 8 6 DK/NA 2 1 1 2 31. Would you say that you are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Better off 19% 20% 18% 21% 22% 17% Worse off 56 45 62 57 52 60 SAME(VOL) 23 33 19 21 25 22 DK/NA 1 2 1 1 1 1 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Better off 26% 19% 20% 20% 15% Worse off 44 55 53 57 62 SAME(VOL) 26 25 25 21 22 DK/NA 4 1 1 1 2 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Better off 36% 19% 12% 19% 20% 25% 17% 24% Worse off 46 60 57 52 60 56 56 57 SAME(VOL) 17 19 29 27 19 19 26 18 DK/NA 1 1 2 2 - - 1 1 TREND: Would you say that you are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago? Feb 19 Dec 24 Mar 29 2009 2008 2006 Better off 19 18 39 Worse off 56 60 37 SAME(VOL) 23 21 22 DK/NA 1 1 1 32. During the next 12 months, do you think your own personal finances will get better, get worse, or stay about the same? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Get better 28% 25% 33% 26% 30% 27% Get worse 17 17 15 17 17 17 Stay the same 51 55 48 53 48 53 DK/NA 4 4 3 4 5 3 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Get better 24% 23% 23% 35% 27% Get worse 9 20 18 15 18 Stay the same 65 52 54 47 50 DK/NA 2 5 5 3 5 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Get better 46% 29% 19% 33% 23% 29% 29% 27% Get worse 12 15 21 16 19 16 18 16 Stay the same 38 53 54 49 53 51 49 54 DK/NA 4 2 5 3 5 3 4 3 TREND: During the next 12 months, do you think your own personal finances will get better, get worse, or stay about the same? Feb 19 Dec 24 Jan 23 Nov 15 2009 2008 2002 2001 Get better 28 24 41% 35 Get worse 17 22 6 7 Stay the same 51 50 51 55 DK/NA 4 4 2 3 33. By the end of Barack Obama's term in office, do you expect the economy to be better than it is today, worse than it is today, or about the same? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Better 69% 51% 85% 67% 64% 74% Worse 11 24 2 9 15 7 Same 15 19 10 19 15 15 DK/NA 5 6 2 6 6 5 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Better 68% 64% 65% 74% 69% Worse 10 16 14 7 9 Same 11 15 15 14 17 DK/NA 11 5 6 5 5 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Better 82% 70% 62% 67% 76% 70% 66% 76% Worse 8 12 11 12 8 10 11 10 Same 10 15 18 16 13 16 17 11 DK/NA - 3 8 5 3 4 5 3 TREND: By the end of Barack Obama's term in office, do you expect the economy to be better than it is today, worse than it is today, or about the same? Feb 19 Dec 24 2009 2008 Better 69 70 Worse 11 6 Same 15 17 DK/NA 5 6 34. Congress is debating President Obama's economic stimulus package which includes tax cuts and new federal spending of about 800 billion dollars. Do you support or oppose this economic stimulus package? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 64% 37% 87% 64% 60% 68% Oppose 27 54 7 25 33 21 DK/NA 9 9 6 11 7 11 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Support 61% 56% 57% 75% 62% Oppose 34 32 33 18 29 DK/NA 6 11 10 7 10 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Support 68% 64% 64% 66% 68% 60% 63% 67% Oppose 21 30 26 24 26 34 26 28 DK/NA 11 6 10 10 6 6 11 5 35. How confident are you that this economic stimulus package will help solve the nation's economic problems - Very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not confident at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very confident 8% 1% 17% 4% 7% 10% Smwht confident 49 29 62 52 41 56 Not too confident 22 32 15 24 25 20 Not confident at all 18 38 4 19 26 12 DK/NA 2 - 2 1 2 2 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Very confident 8% 6% 6% 11% 8% Smwht confident 49 47 47 53 48 Not too confident 21 23 23 20 24 Not confident at all 19 22 21 14 20 DK/NA 4 2 3 2 - AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Very confident 13% 10% 4% 12% 5% 6% 10% 5% Smwht confident 47 49 53 50 53 44 48 52 Not too confident 25 20 22 20 24 27 22 23 Not confident at all 14 19 19 17 17 22 18 19 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 - 2 1 36. How long do you think it will take for the program to work - less than a year, more than a year, or will it never work? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Less than a year 4% 4% 6% 2% 2% 6% More than a year 73 54 88 74 66 79 Never 19 40 3 19 28 12 DK/NA 4 3 3 5 4 4 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Less than a year 3% 4% 4% 5% 3% More than a year 80 70 72 77 70 Never 18 22 21 14 22 DK/NA - 3 3 5 5 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Less than a year 5% 4% 3% 6% 3% 2% 5% 3% More than a year 72 74 73 72 76 72 72 76 Never 16 21 18 17 18 25 18 19 DK/NA 6 - 6 5 3 1 5 2 37. Do you think the economic stimulus package will help your personal financial situation? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 42% 20% 55% 41% 38% 44% No 50 72 35 51 54 47 DK/NA 9 8 10 8 8 9 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Yes 43% 37% 38% 45% 41% No 50 54 53 45 51 DK/NA 6 9 8 10 7 AGE IN YRS....... INCOME............. NoColl College 18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Degree Degree Yes 40% 48% 37% 46% 42% 35% 44% 38% No 53 45 53 45 52 57 47 55 DK/NA 7 7 10 9 6 8 9 7
