U.S. Middle Class Worried About Money, Leadership

Poll: US Middle Class Worried About Money, Leadership

VOA News

April 25, 2013

A new nationwide poll shows members of the U.S. middle class are deeply worried about finances, frustrated by the high cost of college, and critical of political and business leaders.

Thursday's report from the Heartland Monitor Poll (https://www.magnetmail.net/actions/email_web_version.cfm?recipient_id=615770721&message_id=2600538&user_id=NJG_NJMED&group_id=521475&jobid=13855568) says nearly half of Americans consider themselves middle class, and less than one-third think the United States is headed in the right direction.

Majorities of those interviewed think major financial institutions and CEOs of major companies are making things worse for the middle class. Even more respondents – two-thirds – think Congress is hurting them.

Pollsters also found that most people define "middle class" as having financial security and holding a steady job.

Many Americans [one-quarter to one-third] now think that vacations, salary raises, quality health care, and job security are available only to the upper class.

The poll was conducted on behalf of the National Journal magazine and the Allstate insurance company. The data comes from a phone survey of 1,000 adults and has a margin of error slightly more than three percent.