DEAR EDITOR:
According to a July 26 Rasmussen poll, 65 percent of voters continue to think the country is heading down the wrong track.
Numerous other recent polling data from realclearpolitics.com such as CBS News / New York Times, Reuters / IPSOS, ABC News / Washington Post, Associated Press / GfK, NBC News / Wall Street Journal, NPR, and others all reflect a trend that the majority of Americans think that the country is headed down the wrong direction. This is also my opinion. Siding with the majority, there is also statistical information substantiating the majority opinion. The following represent a comparison from January 2009 to present:
According to the Department of Labor, the "Labor Force Participation Rate" survey went from 65.7 percent in January, 2009 to 63.5 percent in August, 2012 (This rate has been in continual decline during this time period which represents millions of unemployed Americans per 1 percent decline).
The unemployment rate continued to be above 8 percent through August; the monthly rate continues to be among the highest rate since 1983. This has been the longest period of sustained high unemployment since the Great Depression. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Statistics, Department of Labor reports.
Long-term unemployment is up 92 percent.
Middle-class income has dropped by $4,000 per year average per household. This is at 1995 levels.
Gasoline prices have increased by 108 percent ($1.85 to $3.85 per gallon).
Home values have dropped 12 percent.
Worker health insurance costs have increased 23 percent.
College tuition has increased 25 percent.
The number of Americans in poverty is up 6.4 million, which is the highest in 50 years.
Food stamp recipients are up 45 percent (up 14.5 million).
Federal debt has increased from $10.6 trillion to over $16 trillion which is an increase of 51 percent.
Additional individual debt is up by $17,713 per person.
U.S. global competitiveness has dropped from first to seventh place.
The above statistics do support the polling percent that the country is indeed headed down the wrong track. The election on Nov. 6 affords every voter the opportunity to change this "Forward" decline down the wrong track.
Karen Combs
Cortland