A new Politico Poll found that two-thirds of Americans in battleground states believe that the United States is “out of control” and expressed “mounting alarm” about the threat of terrorism and Ebola as well as increased doubts about the ability of both political parties to govern. In a midterm that is largely being cast as a referendum on President Obama, the poll's findings are devastating.
Politico reports:
An overwhelming majority of voters in the most competitive 2014 elections say it feels as if events in the United States are “out of control” and expressed mounting alarm about terrorism, anxiety about Ebola and harsh skepticism of both political parties only three weeks before the Nov. 4 midterms.
In a POLITICO poll testing the hardest-fought states and congressional districts of the year, two-thirds of likely voters said they feel that the United States has lost control of its major challenges. Only 36 percent said the country is “in a good position to meet its economic and national security” hurdles.
Though Politico says the poll found that no single issue as the defining issue of the election, “the accumulation of disparate fears has created a sense of pessimism and frustration across the midterm landscape.” A few of the key factors:
-The increased threat of terrorism: 84% say ISIS poses a “serious” threat to the U.S. homeland.
-The rising cost of healthcare: Despite the promises surrounding Obamacare, 57% expect their personal costs to increase.
-The president’s inability to govern: More now believe Bush was a more competent president than Obama (38 to 35).
-The risk of the spread of Ebola: A third say they have little or no confidence that the government is doing everything it can to contain it.
