Between last week's Economist/YouGov Poll and this one, Americans heard the latest unemployment figures - an increase to 9.8% from 9.6%. In this week, public perception of the state of the economy has declined. This week, 42% say the economy is getting worse, up nine points from just a week ago. The percentage saying the economy is improving is down to 16% from 22% last week.
The President's approval rating on the economy is now 33%, down five points from last week. His overall approval rating is 40%. This is two points lower than last week, but his rating has been in the low 40's for months. In this week's poll, 54% disapprove.
Americans aren't sure about one of President Obama's recent decisions: NOT to lift the moratorium on drilling in the Atlantic and the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, a reversal of an earlier Obama decision. 34% favor it, 41% oppose it. However, the public's support for increased drilling for oil and natural gas has decreased substantially since the BP oil spill last April. Before the spill, more than six in ten Americans favored more drilling; after the spill that figure dropped as low as 44%. In this week's Economist/YouGov Poll, 51% favor more drilling, 36% don't.
But most Americans see an economic - though not an environmental - benefit from increased drilling. By 57% to 8%, they say drilling will help, not hurt, the economy. But when it comes to drilling's impact on the environment, perceptions are reversed.
