Contact: Sarah Stipicevic, Press Secretary
(212) 542-9265 sstipicevic@pgpf.org
The February 2014 Fiscal Confidence Index, Modeled after the Consumer Confidence Index, is 46 (100 is Neutral)
Voters Overwhelming Agree the President and Congress should Spend More Time Addressing the Nation’s Debt (82% more time, 12% less)
NEW YORK — The Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s February Fiscal Confidence Index shows that the nation’s unaddressed long-term fiscal challenges remain a serious concern for Americans. Despite the recent improvements in short-term deficits, the Fiscal Confidence Index, modeled after the Consumer Confidence Index, is 46 (100 is neutral), indicating voters’ continued negative fiscal outlook.
Overall, voters remain deeply troubled by the country’s fiscal health, with a strong majority believing the national debt problem is getting worse (61%) rather than getting better (31%). When it comes to addressing our long-term debt, voters are more than twice as likely to say the country is on the wrong track (63%) than to say it is headed in the right direction (29%). Americans overwhelmingly agree the President and Congress should spend more time addressing the nation’s debt (82% more time, 12% less).
"Putting the nation's long-term debt on a sustainable path would build confidence today, and ensure economic opportunity and prosperity for future generations," said Michael A. Peterson, President and COO of the Peter. G. Peterson Foundation. "Americans are concerned about the country's fiscal health, and urge their leaders to remain focused on addressing these serious long-term challenges."
The Fiscal Confidence Index measures public opinion about the national debt by asking six questions in three key areas:
The survey results from these three areas are weighted equally and averaged to produce the Fiscal Confidence Index value. The Fiscal Confidence Index, like the Consumer Confidence Index, is indexed on a scale of 0 to 200, with a neutral midpoint of 100. A reading above 100 indicates positive sentiment. A reading below 100 indicates negative sentiment.
Fiscal Confidence Index Key Data Points:
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation commissioned the poll by the Global Strategy Group and North Star Opinion Research to survey public opinion on the national debt. The nationwide poll included 1,010 U.S. registered voters, surveyed by telephone between February 17 and February 20, 2014. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%. The poll examined voters’ opinions on the national debt, political leadership, and America’s fiscal and economic health.
Detailed poll results can be found online at: www.pgpf.org/what-we-are-doing/education-and-awareness/fiscal-confidence-index
About the Peter G. Peterson Foundation
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established by Pete Peterson — businessman, philanthropist, and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The Foundation is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the nature and urgency of key long-term fiscal challenges threatening America's future and to accelerating action on them. To address these challenges successfully, we work to bring Americans together to find and implement sensible, long-term solutions that transcend age, party lines and ideological divides in order to achieve real results. To learn more, please visit www.pgpf.org.
APPENDIX: Fiscal Confidence Index Methodology and Questions
CONCERN (40) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Thinking about our national debt over the last few years, would you say your level of concern has increased or decreased? ◊ Is that a lot or just a little? |
Feb 2014 | Jan 2014 | Dec 2013 | |
Increased a lot | 53% | 52% | 54% | |
Increased a little | 19% | 21% | 20% | |
Decreased a little | 9% | 8% | 8% | |
Decreased a lot | 5% | 5% | 3% | |
(No change) | 12% | 13% | 13% | |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 1% | 1% | 1% | |
INCREASED (NET) | 72% | 73% | 75% | |
DECREASED (NET) | 15% | 13% | 11% | |
When it comes to addressing our national debt, would you say things in the United States are heading in the right direction or do you think things are off on the wrong track? ◊ Do you feel that way strongly or just somewhat? |
Feb 2014 | Jan 2014 | Dec 2013 | |
Right direction-Strongly | 11% | 8% | 9% | |
Right direction-Somewhat | 18% | 19% | 16% | |
Wrong track-Somewhat | 15% | 17% | 18% | |
Wrong track-Strongly | 48% | 48% | 48% | |
(Neither/Mixed) | 5% | 6% | 5% | |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 3% | 3% | 5% | |
RIGHT DIRECTION (NET) | 29% | 27% | 25% | |
WRONG TRACK (NET) | 63% | 65% | 66% |
PRIORITY (25) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Some people say that addressing the national debt should be among the President and Congress' top 3 priorities. Do you agree or disagree? ◊ Do you feel that way strongly or just somewhat? |
Feb 2014 | Jan 2014 | Dec 2013 | |
Strongly agree | 60% | 59% | 62% | |
Somewhat agree | 21% | 22% | 20% | |
Somewhat disagree | 8% | 8% | 8% | |
Strongly disagree | 8% | 7% | 7% | |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 4% | 4% | 3% | |
AGREE (NET) | 80% | 81% | 83% | |
DISAGREE (NET) | 16% | 15% | 15% | |
And when it comes to our national debt, do you think it is an issue that the President and Congress should spend more time addressing or less time addressing? ◊ Would you say a lot (more or less) time or just a little? |
Feb 2014 | Jan 2014 | Dec 2013 | |
A lot more time | 61% | 63% | 58% | |
A little more time | 20% | 21% | 21% | |
A little less time | 6% | 5% | 7% | |
A lot less time | 6% | 4% | 5% | |
(The same amount of time) | 3% | 3% | 5% | |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
MORE TIME (NET) | 82% | 85% | 80% | |
LESS TIME (NET) | 12% | 9% | 12% |
EXPECTATIONS (74) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
And thinking about our national debt over the next few years, do you expect the problem to get better or worse? ◊ Is that much (better or worse) or just somewhat (better or worse)? |
Feb 2014 | Jan 2014 | Dec 2013 | |
Much better | 10% | 8% | 9% | |
Somewhat better | 21% | 20% | 22% | |
Somewhat worse | 22% | 28% | 22% | |
Much worse | 39% | 38% | 39% | |
(No change) | 4% | 3% | 4% | |
(Don't know/Refused) | 5% | 3% | 5% | |
BETTER (NET) | 31% | 28% | 31% | |
WORSE (NET) | 61% | 66% | 61% | |
And when it comes to our national debt, are you optimistic or pessimistic that the United States will be able to make progress on our national debt over the next few years? ◊ Would you say you are very (optimistic or pessimistic) or just somewhat? |
Feb 2014 | Jan 2014 | Dec 2013 | |
Very optimistic | 18% | 15% | 18% | |
Somewhat optimistic | 28% | 30% | 37% | |
Somewhat pessimistic | 17% | 19% | 17% | |
Very pessimistic | 31% | 32% | 32% | |
(Neither/Mixed) | 3% | 2% | 3% | |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
OPTIMISTIC (NET) | 46% | 44% | 45% | |
PESSIMISTIC (NET) | 48% | 51% | 48% |