Poll: For first time, majority is pessimistic about America's economic future

According to a CNN/ORC poll released Monday, 84 percent of Americans feel the economy is in poor shape. While some expect economic conditions to improve, a majority-59 percent-believes the economy will still be in poor shape one year from now. It’s the first time in the 14 years that CNN has asked the question that a majority has been pessimistic about the country’s economic future.

“That’s a very significant, and very discouraging change in public attitudes toward the economy,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. “It’s unclear what caused this newfound pessimism. The length of the current economic downturn and concerns over the chances that the debt ceiling will go unresolved are probably contributing factors.”