The latest
NBC/Wall Street Journal poll reveals that Americans are undergoing a heartening shift in perceptions regarding the current state of the economy.
While only 45 percent of respondents said they were "satisfied" with the economy (vs. 54 percent being dissatisfied), that 45 percent represented the highest level of satisfaction in response to the poll question since January of 2004.
Additionally, more people say their finances are getting better rather than worse (by 28 to 25 percent), with 47 percent saying things are about the same.
But here's the kicker, less than half of respondents—49 percent—think the country is "in a state of decline." That may sound high, but it's the lowest number of people to say that since 1991. By comparison, in the fall of 2008, just before Obama took office, overall pessimism peaked at 74 percent, and in August of 2010 it still registered relatively high at 65 percent.
The responses led Republican pollster Bill McInturff to a revelation that seems rather good for the president and bad for the GOP.
"For the first time, we have numbers that kind of bust out of the Great Recession Era," says McInturff, the GOP pollster.
If this trend continues, McInturff adds, Obama's standing could improve even more, potentially reordering the American political landscape as the 2016 presidential election begins.
Translation: Advantage Democrats.