InfoAnda - AP-GfK Poll: Americans hope for best in 2010

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Grammys toot their horn at new LA home | 8 December 2008
UK coalition suffers crisis as partners squabble | | 6 August 2012
ARM president says acquisition would be misguided | | 2 February 2011

Iran official sees positive U.S. signal in Mideast | 7 February 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : AP-GfK Poll: Americans hope for best in 2010

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Africa Europe Latin America Middle East North America AP-GfK Poll: Americans hope for best in 2010 By CHARLES BABINGTON,Associated Press Writer - Friday, January 1 Send IM Story Print WASHINGTON – The bank account is thin, but the future looks pretty good. That, oddly enough, is the view of many Americans who predict 2010 will be a better year than this one, even if they fear that the U.S. economy and their own financial circumstances won't improve. A whopping 82 percent are optimistic about what the new year will bring for their families, according to the latest AP-GfK poll. That sunny outlook seems at odds with other findings. Nearly two-thirds think their family finances will worsen or stay about the same next year. And fewer than half think the nation's economy will improve in 2010, even though Americans rated 2009 as a huge downer. Mari Flanigan of South Milwaukee, Wis., is one of those who feel fairly optimistic that things will go better at a personal level in 2010 even though her financial situation might grow worse. Flanigan, 36, is unemployed after selling a family business that faced increasing competition. "Financially, I'm scared," she said in an interview. Rather than seek new work, however, she is thinking of returning to school to become a social worker. "I'd rather make less money and do something I love," Flanigan said, noting that happiness and optimism are not strictly tied to finances. The poll found that nearly three-fourths of Americans think 2009 was a bad year for the country, which was rocked by job losses, home foreclosures and economic sickness. Forty-two percent rated it "very bad." That's clearly worse than in 2006, the last time a similar poll was taken. The survey that year found that 58 percent of Americans felt the nation had suffered a bad year, and 39 percent considered it a good year. Fewer than half as many people, 16 percent, said their family had a "very good year" in 2009 as said that in 2006. Behind the gloominess, however, are more hopeful views that seem to reflect Americans' traditional optimism or, perhaps, wishful thinking. Three in five Americans said their own family had a good year in 2009. Some 72 percent of Americans said they're optimistic about what 2010 will bring for the country. Even more are hopeful about what the year will bring for their families. But in 2009, every corner of the country saw steep job losses, and the national unemployment rate stands at 10 percent. Millions of Americans saw their savings or retirement accounts shrink, and many are rethinking how long they will have to work, and where they might find income. Marcia Andrews of Blairsville, Pa., was a high school nurse until budget cuts eliminated her job. Andrews, 69, spent $250,000 to convert an old house into a bed-and-breakfast, but the drop in tourism forced her to put it up for sale. "It was the wrong place and the wrong time," she said, adding that she also lost money in the stock market. Andrews feels the nation suffered a very bad year, too, although things might not be quite as bad as she thinks. She said she sensed a hike in U.S. violence, especially robberies, but statistics don't support that. Preliminary FBI figures for the first half of 2009 showed crime falling across the nation, with robberies down by 6.5 percent. Despite her setbacks, Andrews said she thinks 2010 will be better for her personally and for the nation. "I have to be optimistic," she said. "I always feel that I can pull out of things. ... I don't know how it's going to happen, but I think it will." Americans are not optimistic, however, about the nation's two wars. Thirty-one percent think the situation in Afghanistan will get better, while 67 percent think it will stay the same or get worse. The results were about the same for Iraq. Given that President Barack Obama took office in 2009 and Democrats hold solid majorities in Congress, perhaps it's not surprising that Democrats have a brighter view of the current and coming years than do Republicans. Only 10 percent of Republicans said 2009 was a good year, compared with about one-third of Democrats and independents. A robust 87 percent of Democrats are optimistic about what 2010 will bring for the country, compared with 53 percent of Republicans and 73 percent of independents. People's views of their personal circumstances divide along partisan lines, too. Only one in five Republicans think their family's finances will improve in 2010. Nearly half of Democrats and 40 percent of independents hold that view. Steve Bishop, 59, of Middletown, Calif., said he's pleased the government is trying to overhaul the nation's health care system. "At least we're addressing the problem finally, and it could be fine-tuned as we go on in later years," said Bishop, a Democrat and retired U.S. Forest Service manager. H. June Clark, a Republican retiree in Fort Wayne, Ind., is not as cheery. And she has a warning for all politicians. A daughter and her husband, both teachers, were laid off for part of 2009, said Clark, 82, who once worked as a server at a country club. Some family members are still out of work, she said. Clark thinks the nation is headed toward socialism, and she wants a wholesale change in elected officials, no matter their party affiliation. "I think they have just destroyed our faith in government and I want them out," she said. "I don't care if we get independents, populists, whatever. I just want them out." The AP-GfK Poll was conducted Dec. 10-14 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Media and involved landline and cell phone interviews of 1,001 adults nationwide. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. ___ On the Net: AP-GfK poll: http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com ___ Associated Press writers Dennis Junius, Natasha Metzler, Ann Sanner and Trevor Tompson contributed to this report. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Obama to examine probes into foiled plane attack AFP - 1 hour 27 minutes ago Nigerian VP says hopes Yar'Adua will return soon Reuters - 1 hour 46 minutes ago Revelers' cheers mark new decade in Times Square AP - 2 hours 1 minute ago 2005 Air France accident victims get $11.4 mln damages AFP - 2 hours 9 minutes ago NH gays celebrate new law with Statehouse weddings AP - 2 hours 40 minutes ago News Search Top Stories Deadline looms in Fox, Time Warner Cable dispute Soviet-era Lithuanian nuclear plant shuts down under EU deal Wall Street ends recovery year on weak note London, Paris stocks finish 2009 with big gains Security jitters as world rings in New Year More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Japan Airlines 'may stop international flights' Van der Sar granted leave after wife collapses Oil prices rise on last day of 2009 Yeltsin's widow urged husband not to resign: report UK honours F1 king, Status Quo stars, but bankers out More Most Viewed » Tiger's wife Elin seeking divorce: reports British priest defends urging people to shoplift Century-old butter found in Scott's Antarctic hut Brazilian confesses to sticking needles into two-year-old Plastics component affects intestine: study More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Friday, 1 January 2010
Briton freed from Iraqi captivity to go home soon
Finnish mall rampage gunman kills five: police
US-TECH Summary
London, Paris stocks finish 2009 with big gains
Technology not as advanced by 2010 as some had hoped
Iranian authorities demand halt to protests
Iranian authorities vow no mercy to opponents |
UK honours F1 king, Status Quo stars, but bankers out
Police Chief Sentenced To Jail For The Home Break-In Of SJP And Matthew Broderick's Surrogate Mother
Poland seeks Swedish help in Auschwitz theft probe
Kabul demands foreign 'killers' handed over
Security jitters as world rings in New Year
Activists in Gaza and Israel protest Gaza blockade
Joe Francis To Sue Gawker For Calling Him A Rapist
Israel's Netanyahu proposes Egypt peace summit |
Oil prices rise on last day of 2009
British DJ Fired From Radio Show After Cutting The Queen's "Bor-ring" Speech
"Popular" Actress Carly Pope Injured In Vancouver Carjacking
Bennifer Named Worst Couple Of The Decade
Susan Boyle Spends Fifth Week At #1 On Billboard 200 Albums Chart
Roman Polanski Suing Paparazzi For Privacy Invasion
Yemen Shi'ite rebels ready for talks with Saudi |
"Poltergeist" Actress Zelda Rubinstein Taken Off Of Life Support
Paris Hilton's Footwear Line Sued By Shoe Company
Dissident, 82, detained at Moscow rally |
Daughter Accuses Blackstreet's Teddy Riley Of Physical Abuse
Guinea seen stagnant as leader health question drag |
Suspected US missile kills 3 in Pakistan
U.N. to pull some staff from Pakistan over security
Yemen: Visa of Nigerian would-be-bomber expired
Highway 1: prime Taliban target
Pakistan to seek terror charges against Americans
Analysis: 2009 transformed US racial dynamics
Rush Limbaugh felt pains similar to heart attack
Police to seek terror charges against Americans
Vegas hospital sued by another pregnant woman
AP NewsAlert
Obama awaits intelligence reports on foiled attack
AP sources: CIA base chief killed in attack
Sydney celebrates New Year with fireworks show
Pakistan seeks terrorism charges against Americans
CIA: 7 employees killed in Afghan attack
1 dead, many injured in Filipino New Year revelry
Stocks fall moderately as investors close out 2009
NH gay couples to start New Year with wedding vows
NY-to-Paris flight diverted to Maine
Rusal seeks to raise $2.6 billion in Hong Kong IPO
Pakistan security casts pall over stocks rise
Pakistan targets 430 bln rupees in T-bill auctions
Pilot, passenger killed in Indonesia plane crash
S.Korea assembly passes 2010 budget at last minute
AT&T Ends Sponsorship With Woods Over Scandal
Bali warns of New Year terror threat: embassies
U.S. To Help In Filipino Maritime Accident Prevention Drills
Irish radio says Van Morrison denies baby report |
U.S. Embassy In Indonesia Warns Of Bali Attack On New Year's Day
Time Warner Cable, Fox at impasse; blackout looms |
Teddy Bear Not A Bomb
U.S. Unemployment Claims Drop Twice In Two Weeks
Theater owners name Sandra Bullock 2009's top star |
Convicted Murderer Assaults Lawyer After Guilty Verdict
Off-Duty Officer Accuses NYPD Of Racial Profiling
Edgar Degas artwork stolen from French museum |
Producers say 'Finian's Rainbow' to close Jan. 17
Military F-15s Escort Stolen Plane To Airport In Florida Everglades
Rush Limbaugh felt pains similar to heart attack
Degas painting stolen from French museum
Celebrities are frequent targets of extortion
Movie director Jackson named a New Zealand knight
Iraq civilian death toll down to 4,500 in 09-study
Soviet-era Lithuanian nuclear plant shuts down under EU deal
Deadline looms in Fox, Time Warner Cable dispute
U.S. drone attack in Pakistan kills three militants |
Teenager arrested in West Bank mosque blaze
Economy, scandals, politics mar Sarkozy's year
Bus accident kills 18 in Bangladesh |
Sarkozy defends economic record at New Year
Wall Street ends recovery year on weak note
Pakistan's Karachi shuts to protest violence |
North Korea says wants end to hostile U.S. ties |
Nigerian VP says hopes Yar'Adua will return soon |
Britain, Iran downplay Tehran link to Iraq hostages
Obama summons intel chiefs for security talks |
UK reviews security, screening after Detroit attack |
Iraq civilian death toll down to 4,500 in '09: study |
US grapples with complexity of Afghan drug problem
Intel: Alleged US missile kills 3 in NW Pakistan
US missiles kills three militants in Pakistan: officials
Revelers' cheers mark new decade in Times Square
World rings in new decade with parties, security fears
NH gays celebrate new law with Statehouse weddings
White House defends TSA nominee
U.S. drone attack in Pakistan kills three militants
Taiwan leader vows not to seek independence
Judge dismisses charges against Blackwater defendants
China battery maker shut down over lead pollution
CSKA Moscow signs VVV Venlo's Honda
Obama wishes US a happy New Year
China explosives maker sentenced to die
Seattle delays naming park after Italian city
NKorea calls for end of hostile relations with US
Pulitzer-prize winner William Tuohy dies at 83
AP-GfK Poll: Americans hope for best in 2010
Shaolin temple will not go public: state media
World stocks rebound in 2009 but 2010 uncertain
Fox, Time Warner Cable ink temp deal to avoid blackout |
GM India chief says China partnership start of Asia thrust
Toyota's hybrid Prius faces US probe over brakes
S.Korea Dec exports per working day up from Nov
A Minute With: Bryce Dallas Howard in Teardrop |
South Korea Dec exports up far more than expected
S.Korea ruling party pushes budget through
Vietnam says growth 5.32 pct in 2009
Fox grants 'brief extension' in cable dispute
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
A Minute With: Bryce Dallas Howard in "Teardrop"
Van Morrison: Birth report 'utter fiction'
Cutoff deadline looms in Fox, Time Warner Cable dispute
Spider-Man joins Disney as Marvel acquisition approved
Singer Van Morrison denies baby report
Radio's Rush Limbaugh has tests after chest pains
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST-SELLERS
USA TODAY BEST-SELLERS
Up to 25 dead in Pakistan volleyball game blast |
Iran's Mousavi ready to die for opposition cause
Afghan authorities distance themselves from CIA investigation
Five dead, 13 injured in French apartment blaze: police
Opposition head Mousavi: Iran in serious crisis |
2005 Air France accident victims get $11.4 mln damages
Iran's opposition leader defiant after new threats
Thousands in new year Hong Kong march for democracy |
UK's Brown calls London meeting on Yemen |
Iran's Mousavi ready to die for opposition cause
Iraq regrets Blackwater case dismissal, may sue |
For CIA, Afghan attack a historic blow
Pope urges lifestyle changes to save environment |
Briton Moore spent part of captivity in Iran: U.S. |
Yemeni forces clash with Shi'ite rebels, kill 11 |
Iraq PM faces wiser competition in national vote |
Italian opts for jail over New Year with relatives |
Thousands march in Hong Kong for democracy
Japan prime minister vows to fix economy in 2010
Thousands in New Year Hong Kong march for democracy
Judge cites gov't missteps, tosses Blackwater case
Bitter news for Malaysians as sugar prices hiked
Fox grants 'brief extension' in cable dispute
Intel: Alleged US missile kills 3 in NW Pakistan
GPS-led travel goes amiss; 3 Ore. parties rescued
China nabs 5,400 people for online porn in 2009
The nation's weather
NYC mayor to give inauguration speech for 3rd term
NKorea calls for end of hostile relations with US
22 NKoreans abandon troubled ship in Philippines
Thousands line up for Pasadena's Rose Parade
Shanghai dairy shut over tainted milk products
Farmers hope 'grown in Wisconsin' sells in China
Farmers hope 'grown in Wisconsin' sells in China
S.Korea's Lee warns against unwinding stimulus too early
Pakistan aims to raise 30 bln rupees in bond auctions
Survey shows China manufacturing expanding
China's manufacturing activity expands in December
Russia imposes minimum vodka price
Thousands line up for Pasadena's Rose Parade
Pakistani stock market shut on security worries
Dubai to open world's tallest building
Bloomberg Set To Take Third Oath As New York Mayor
Medvedev, Putin dance new year cartoon duet
After Deadly Attack On CIA Base, Obama Lauds "Shadow" Patriots
Tight Airport Security In Canada For U.S.-Bound Flights May Last Until Jan. 4
Annual Report From Chief Justice In Line With Economic Downturn
Judge Dismisses Charges Against Blackwater Guards
Obama Taking Stock Of Homeland Security Situation
U.S. Officials To Meet International Airport Leaders For Security Reviews
U.S. Plans New Anti-Drug Operation in Mexico
Brooklyn Apartment Fire Kills Octogenarian Woman
South Dakota Police Searching For Woman Who Attacked Parents
Lake Superior State University Annual Banished Words List Includes 'Tweet' And 'Teachable Moment'
Teddy Bear Not A Bomb
Convicted Murderer Assaults Lawyer After Guilty Verdict
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01