Contact: Jeremy Rosen
jrosen@pgpf.org
The January 2023 Fiscal Confidence Index, Modeled after the Consumer Confidence Index, is 40 (100 is Neutral)
NEW YORK (February 3, 2023) — U.S. Fiscal Confidence fell three points to 40 (100 is neutral) in January, as divided government gets underway and America’s leaders face the debt ceiling, inflation and the $31 trillion and rising national debt. The latest monthly survey, modeled after the Consumer Confidence Index, indicates that voters across party lines increasingly believe the debt should be a top priority for lawmakers, and they continue to urge leaders to work together to make our future more sustainable.
The poll revealed that more than 8-in-10 voters say that:
“With interest on the debt rising to more than $1 billion a day, voters know our fiscal condition is simply not sustainable,” said Michael A. Peterson, CEO of the Peterson Foundation. “Instead of investing in the future, we’re stuck paying for the past and leaving an enormous burden on the next generation. Americans are calling on lawmakers to come together, bridge political divides and find bipartisan solutions that put us on a stronger and more stable path for the next generation.”
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 this poll by the Global Strategy Group and North Star Opinion Research to survey public opinion on the national debt. The online poll included 1,000 registered voters nationwide, surveyed between January 23, 2023 and January 25, 2023. 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.
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.
CONCERN (33) | |||
---|---|---|---|
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? |
Jan 2023 | Dec 2022 | Nov 2022 |
Increased a lot | 51% | 51% | 50% |
Increased a little | 31% | 29% | 28% |
Decreased a little | 4% | 6% | 7% |
Decreased a lot | 3% | 3% | 2% |
(No change) | 8% | 10% | 10% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 3% | 2% | 3% |
INCREASED (NET) | 82% | 79% | 78% |
DECREASED (NET) | 7% | 8% | 10% |
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? |
Jan 2023 | Dec 2022 | Nov 2022 |
Right direction — Strongly | 9% | 10% | 12% |
Right direction — Somewhat | 20% | 21% | 20% |
Wrong track — Somewhat | 27% | 27% | 24% |
Wrong track — Strongly | 40% | 39% | 41% |
(Neither/Mixed) | 1% | 1% | 1% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 3% | 2% | 2% |
RIGHT DIRECTION (NET) | 29% | 31% | 32% |
WRONG TRACK (NET) | 67% | 66% | 65% |
PRIORITY (20) | |||
---|---|---|---|
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? |
Jan 2023 | Dec 2022 | Nov 2022 |
Strongly agree | 57% | 52% | 51% |
Somewhat agree | 25% | 24% | 26% |
Somewhat disagree | 11% | 16% | 16% |
Strongly disagree | 3% | 5% | 5% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 4% | 4% | 3% |
AGREE (NET) | 82% | 76% | 77% |
DISAGREE (NET) | 14% | 20% | 20% |
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? |
Jan 2023 | Dec 2022 | Nov 2022 |
A lot more time | 54% | 49% | 50% |
A little more time | 30% | 33% | 30% |
A little less time | 6% | 6% | 6% |
A lot less time | 4% | 4% | 4% |
(The same amount of time) | 3% | 3% | 5% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 4% | 4% | 4% |
MORE TIME (NET) | 84% | 83% | 80% |
LESS TIME (NET) | 10% | 10% | 11% |
EXPECTATIONS (66) | |||
---|---|---|---|
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)? |
Jan 2023 | Dec 2022 | Nov 2022 |
Much better | 7% | 8% | 8% |
Somewhat better | 22% | 19% | 21% |
Somewhat worse | 33% | 30% | 28% |
Much worse | 33% | 37% | 36% |
(No change) | 2% | 3% | 3% |
(Don't know/Refused) | 3% | 2% | 3% |
BETTER (NET) | 29% | 28% | 30% |
WORSE (NET) | 66% | 67% | 64% |
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? |
Jan 2023 | Dec 2022 | Nov 2022 |
Very optimistic | 5% | 7% | 9% |
Somewhat optimistic | 37% | 35% | 33% |
Somewhat pessimistic | 35% | 32% | 32% |
Very pessimistic | 19% | 21% | 20% |
(Neither/Mixed) | 2% | 2% | 3% |
(Don't Know/Refused) | 2% | 3% | 3% |
OPTIMISTIC (NET) | 42% | 43% | 42% |
PESSIMISTIC (NET) | 54% | 53% | 53% |