CNN/ORC Poll: More Americans Say Things Not Going Well

(CNN) — American views on the state of the nation are turning increasingly sour, according to a new national poll.

The CNN/ORC International survey released Friday also indicates that less than a quarter of the public says economic conditions are improving, while nearly four in 10 say the nation’s economy is getting worse.

Forty-one percent of those questioned in the poll say things are going well in the country today, down 9 percentage points from April, and the lowest that number has been in CNN polling since February 2012. Fifty-nine percent say things are going badly, up 9 points from April.

Besides an obvious partisan divide, which contributes to an urban-rural gap, the survey also indicates a difference of opinion between younger and older Americans.

“There’s a slight generational divide, with 46% of those under age 50 saying things are going well. That number drops to 36% for those 50 and older,” said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

Looking specifically at the economy, 39% feel that the economy is still in a downturn, up 6 points from April.

Only 24% believe an economic recovery is under way while 36% are in the middle — they don’t think we’re in a recovery but they believe conditions have stabilized.

Just under a quarter say that an economic recovery’s underway, with 36% in the middle, saying they don’t believe the economy’s recovering, but that conditions have stabilized.

Again, the survey indicates partisan and geographic divides, as well as a generational gap, with 45% of those age 50 and older, but only 34% of those under age 50 saying the economy’s still in a downturn.

The poll was conducted November 18-20 for CNN by ORC International, with 843 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey’s overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.