Contact: Sarah Stipicevic, Press Secretary
(212) 542-9265 sstipicevic@pgpf.org
The October 2015 Fiscal Confidence Index, Modeled after the Consumer Confidence Index, is 51 (100 is Neutral)
NEW YORK — With important fiscal deadlines looming in coming weeks, the nation’s fiscal outlook remains a top concern for American voters. The Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s October Fiscal Confidence Index, a monthly measure of public attitudes about the nation’s long-term debt and the efforts elected leaders are making to address America’s fiscal challenges, is 51 (100 is neutral). As lawmakers face important decisions on the debt ceiling and the annual budget, voters are calling for their leaders to put the nation on a sustainable long-term fiscal path.
In October’s survey, voters continue to have deep concerns about the long-term national debt, with nearly two thirds (65% increased/17% decreased) saying that their level of concern has increased over the last few years. More than eight in ten (82%) voters want Congress and the President to spend more time addressing these challenges, with 80% calling for the debt to be among their top three priorities. However, while overall sentiment about the debt remains deeply negative, voters are more optimistic than pessimistic about the country’s ability to make progress on the issue (51% optimistic/38% pessimistic).
"Lawmakers have several critical fiscal issues to address in coming weeks," said Michael A. Peterson, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. "Voters are urging their leaders to work together to move away from government-by-crisis and instead focus on comprehensive solutions to America’s unsustainable long-term debt."
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 a poll by the Global Strategy Group and North Star Opinion Research to survey public opinion on the national debt. The nationwide poll included 1,000 U.S. registered voters, surveyed by telephone between October 19 and October 22, 2015. 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/FiscalConfidenceIndex
About the Peter G. Peterson Foundation
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the nature and urgency of key 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 (43) | |||
---|---|---|---|
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? |
Oct 2015 | Sept 2015 | Aug 2015 |
Increased a lot | 46% | 50% | 46% |
Increased a little | 19% | 16% | 22% |
Decreased a little | 10% | 11% | 7% |
Decreased a lot | 8% | 6% | 5% |
(No change) | 16% | 15% | 19% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 2% | 2% | 1% |
INCREASED (NET) | 65% | 66% | 68% |
DECREASED (NET) | 17% | 17% | 13% |
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? |
Oct 2015 | Sept 2015 | Aug 2015 |
Right direction-Strongly | 10% | 10% | 7% |
Right direction-Somewhat | 15% | 15% | 17% |
Wrong track-Somewhat | 16% | 16% | 19% |
Wrong track-Strongly | 44% | 47% | 45% |
(Neither/Mixed) | 8% | 7% | 7% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 6% | 5% | 5% |
RIGHT DIRECTION (NET) | 25% | 25% | 24% |
WRONG TRACK (NET) | 60% | 63% | 64% |
PRIORITY (22) | |||
---|---|---|---|
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? |
Oct 2015 | Sept 2015 | Aug 2015 |
Strongly agree | 58% | 61% | 57% |
Somewhat agree | 22% | 20% | 23% |
Somewhat disagree | 10% | 8% | 10% |
Strongly disagree | 6% | 6% | 7% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 5% | 4% | 4% |
AGREE (NET) | 80% | 81% | 80% |
DISAGREE (NET) | 16% | 14% | 16% |
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? |
Oct 2015 | Sept 2015 | Aug 2015 |
A lot more time | 60% | 62% | 61% |
A little more time | 22% | 22% | 23% |
A little less time | 5% | 5% | 4% |
A lot less time | 4% | 3% | 3% |
(The same amount of time) | 6% | 4% | 5% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 3% | 4% | 3% |
MORE TIME (NET) | 82% | 84% | 85% |
LESS TIME (NET) | 9% | 9% | 7% |
EXPECTATIONS (88) | |||
---|---|---|---|
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)? |
Oct 2015 | Sept 2015 | Aug 2015 |
Much better | 9% | 8% | 7% |
Somewhat better | 19% | 20% | 18% |
Somewhat worse | 26% | 25% | 27% |
Much worse | 25% | 28% | 30% |
(No change) | 7% | 5% | 9% |
(Don't know/Refused) | 14% | 13% | 9% |
BETTER (NET) | 28% | 28% | 25% |
WORSE (NET) | 51% | 53% | 57% |
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? |
Oct 2015 | Sept 2015 | Aug 2015 |
Very optimistic | 21% | 20% | 18% |
Somewhat optimistic | 30% | 32% | 30% |
Somewhat pessimistic | 17% | 18% | 18% |
Very pessimistic | 21% | 21% | 24% |
(Neither/Mixed) | 4% | 5% | 6% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 7% | 4% | 5% |
OPTIMISTIC (NET) | 51% | 51% | 47% |
PESSIMISTIC (NET) | 38% | 39% | 42% |