A new poll by NBC News found that nearly three-quarters of Americans believe the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction.
The poll, conducted between August 12-16 with 1,000 registered voters, shows that 74 percent of Americans say the country is going in the wrong direction, while 58 percent believe America's best years are behind it.
Conversely, 21 percent of Americans believe that the nation is headed in the right direction, while 35 percent say the country's best years are yet to come, The Hill reports.
The NBC poll also found that 34 percent of respondents say that the nation will continue to get worse in the next five years, 36 percent say that things will improve in that same time period, and 21 percent say things will remain unchanged.
When asked how they felt about President Joe Biden, close to half of respondents (48 percent) reported having "somewhat negative" or "very negative" feelings towards the Commander-in-Chief. Conversely, 40 percent of respondents said they viewed Biden favorably.
The poll's release comes after Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law last week. The law addresses climate change, lower healthcare costs and inflation. A total of 31 percent of Americans said the legislation was a bad idea, while 42 percent said it was a good idea.
Additionally, 36 percent of respondents said they do not believe the new law will make a difference in their lives. Thirty-five percent of respondents, however, say it would make their lives worse, and 26 percent say it would impact their lives for the better.
While most Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, Democratic leaders are optimistic about their chances in the 2022 midterm elections this November.
In a recent interview on NBC, Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, contended that the party is on the verge of making a comeback in the midterms.
"We've had a summer of strength, and we are going to buck history by making history. We have been counted out for a while, but we are having a comeback and have great candidates," Maloney said.
According to CBN News, Democrats attributed the momentum to Biden's signing of the Inflation Reduction Act and the slight decrease in gas prices. They also contend that Republicans have been damaged due to the Supreme Court overturning Roe V. Wade and the FBI's raid on Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago estate.
Republican leaders, however, contend that Democrats are in big trouble come November because Americans are fed up with record-high inflation and unprecedented crime waves in some cities.
"We're in a recession," said Republican Congressman Andy Barr on NBC's Meet the Press. "We are experiencing the highest inflation in 40 years... gas prices have doubled. There is an energy crisis in this country because this president has waged a war in energy."
Over the course of Biden's time in office, a record 2 million migrants have crossed America's southern border, which has also been met with backlash from some Americans.
Winsome Sears, the Republican Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, said she "would advise the President: 'Go down to the border, Mr. President, and see what's happening yourself because that's what leaders do.'"
Related:
Most Americans Believe the Nation's Moral Compass 'Is Pointed in the Wrong Direction,' Survey Finds
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Bulat Silvia
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
