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Life Got Better Under Obama, According to Gallup Life Got Better Under Obama, According to Gallup
(2 days later)
In the years since President Obama first took office, more Americans are thriving, exercising and enjoying a high standard of living.In the years since President Obama first took office, more Americans are thriving, exercising and enjoying a high standard of living.
The rates of health insurance coverage are up, too, but the share of Americans who say they are in excellent health is declining.The rates of health insurance coverage are up, too, but the share of Americans who say they are in excellent health is declining.
That’s all according to a recent five-part analysis of hundreds of thousands of surveys collected since 2008 by Gallup, the polling organization, and Healthways, a health care company.That’s all according to a recent five-part analysis of hundreds of thousands of surveys collected since 2008 by Gallup, the polling organization, and Healthways, a health care company.
The analysis represents an attempt at understanding how American well-being has changed during the Obama presidency. Generally, people reported their lives had improved even though they gave poorer assessments of their health.The analysis represents an attempt at understanding how American well-being has changed during the Obama presidency. Generally, people reported their lives had improved even though they gave poorer assessments of their health.
“If you stick strictly to physical well-being, it’s a real mixed picture, and I think probably more negative than it is positive,” said Dan Witters, research director of the nearly decade-long effort, which has a mouthful of a name: the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.“If you stick strictly to physical well-being, it’s a real mixed picture, and I think probably more negative than it is positive,” said Dan Witters, research director of the nearly decade-long effort, which has a mouthful of a name: the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
“If you broaden it, though, and look at things like declining uninsured rates, declining food insecurity, improving life evaluation, improving perspective on standard of living, those things are all trending up,” he added.“If you broaden it, though, and look at things like declining uninsured rates, declining food insecurity, improving life evaluation, improving perspective on standard of living, those things are all trending up,” he added.
It is, of course, hard to credit or blame presidents with every change that occurrs during a presidency. Many large forces are simply out of their control. Nonetheless, it is hard to find one individual who has more power to shape American life than a president. It is, of course, hard to credit or blame presidents with every change that occurs during a presidency. Many large forces are simply out of their control. Nonetheless, it is hard to find one individual who has more power to shape American life than a president.
The analyses, published throughout last week, therefore offer some insight, fair or not, into how Mr. Obama may be judged.The analyses, published throughout last week, therefore offer some insight, fair or not, into how Mr. Obama may be judged.
Here’s a brief look at what Gallup found.Here’s a brief look at what Gallup found.
When Mr. Obama was elected in late 2008, the nation was in the middle of a historic recession, and Americans were divided on what the future would hold.When Mr. Obama was elected in late 2008, the nation was in the middle of a historic recession, and Americans were divided on what the future would hold.
That year, just 42 percent of those interviewed by Gallup felt that their standard of living was improving, compared to 40 percent who felt it was deteriorating.That year, just 42 percent of those interviewed by Gallup felt that their standard of living was improving, compared to 40 percent who felt it was deteriorating.
But as the economy improved, so, too, did attitudes. By the first seven months of this year, the share of Americans who felt their standard of living was improving rose to 62 percent. Only 22 percent said it was getting worse.But as the economy improved, so, too, did attitudes. By the first seven months of this year, the share of Americans who felt their standard of living was improving rose to 62 percent. Only 22 percent said it was getting worse.
It wasn’t just attitudes about the future that improved; appraisals of life in the moment brightened, too. The share of Americans who said they were satisfied with their current standard of living — all the things they can buy and do — rose from 73 percent to 80 percent over those years.It wasn’t just attitudes about the future that improved; appraisals of life in the moment brightened, too. The share of Americans who said they were satisfied with their current standard of living — all the things they can buy and do — rose from 73 percent to 80 percent over those years.
The ratings improved regardless of income level, with the improvement most dramatic for non-Hispanic black Americans, followed by Hispanics and then non-Hispanic whites.The ratings improved regardless of income level, with the improvement most dramatic for non-Hispanic black Americans, followed by Hispanics and then non-Hispanic whites.
Gallup largley credits the across-the-board improvement to the fact that the economy, and attitudes, had nowhere else to go.Gallup largley credits the across-the-board improvement to the fact that the economy, and attitudes, had nowhere else to go.
“The increase in perceived standard of living over the past seven-plus years reflects in large part the low starting point when Obama took office during the aftermath of a crippling recession,” Gallup notes.“The increase in perceived standard of living over the past seven-plus years reflects in large part the low starting point when Obama took office during the aftermath of a crippling recession,” Gallup notes.
Using the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, the two organizations asked Americans an even more existential pair of questions: On a 10-point scale, how close are your current and future lives to your “best possible” life?Using the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, the two organizations asked Americans an even more existential pair of questions: On a 10-point scale, how close are your current and future lives to your “best possible” life?
Those who rated themselves closest to that ideal were deemed to be “thriving,” with the share that qualified as such rising from 48.9 percent in 2008, the year before Mr. Obama took office, to 55.4 percent today.Those who rated themselves closest to that ideal were deemed to be “thriving,” with the share that qualified as such rising from 48.9 percent in 2008, the year before Mr. Obama took office, to 55.4 percent today.
In the short-term, ratings appear to have been affected by ideology and race. Life evaluations during Mr. Obama’s first term rose for blacks, especially Democrats, and declined for white Republicans.In the short-term, ratings appear to have been affected by ideology and race. Life evaluations during Mr. Obama’s first term rose for blacks, especially Democrats, and declined for white Republicans.
“There’s pretty good evidence that both race and political identity had kind of a short-term impact on how people were thinking about and evaluating their lives,” Mr. Witters said.“There’s pretty good evidence that both race and political identity had kind of a short-term impact on how people were thinking about and evaluating their lives,” Mr. Witters said.
During the president’s second term, however, the inverse was true: life ratings declined some for blacks and improved for whites, driven, Mr. Witters said, by the economic rebound.During the president’s second term, however, the inverse was true: life ratings declined some for blacks and improved for whites, driven, Mr. Witters said, by the economic rebound.
The success of one of Mr. Obama’s landmark achievements, the passage of the Affordable Care Act, rests largely on whether it improves the accessibility, affordability and quality of health care.The success of one of Mr. Obama’s landmark achievements, the passage of the Affordable Care Act, rests largely on whether it improves the accessibility, affordability and quality of health care.
On those measures, the results so far are mixed, Gallup found.On those measures, the results so far are mixed, Gallup found.
Accessibility has improved dramatically since the law, which included a penalty for lacking coverage, was passed. After reaching a peak of 17.3 percent in 2013, the uninsured rate fell to 10.8 percent this year.Accessibility has improved dramatically since the law, which included a penalty for lacking coverage, was passed. After reaching a peak of 17.3 percent in 2013, the uninsured rate fell to 10.8 percent this year.
At the same time, a smaller share of Americans than at any point in Mr. Obama’s presidency report having had trouble paying for their family’s health care or medicines.At the same time, a smaller share of Americans than at any point in Mr. Obama’s presidency report having had trouble paying for their family’s health care or medicines.
Nonetheless, Americans are still about as unsatisfied with health care costs today as they were in 2008.Nonetheless, Americans are still about as unsatisfied with health care costs today as they were in 2008.
The share who describe their health as “excellent” fell from 22.6 percent in 2008 to 19 percent in 2016, according to the surveys conducted for the well-being index.The share who describe their health as “excellent” fell from 22.6 percent in 2008 to 19 percent in 2016, according to the surveys conducted for the well-being index.
Ratings dropped among whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians and all age groups, except those aged 65 and older, whose ratings of “excellent” health increased slightly.Ratings dropped among whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians and all age groups, except those aged 65 and older, whose ratings of “excellent” health increased slightly.
That decline is supported by some other measures.That decline is supported by some other measures.
Obesity and diabetes rates continued their long-term climb, while the share of Americans who report having been diagnosed with high blood pressure and cancer remained unchanged.Obesity and diabetes rates continued their long-term climb, while the share of Americans who report having been diagnosed with high blood pressure and cancer remained unchanged.
To the nation’s credit, smoking rates and cases of high cholesterol have declined, and Americans are slightly more likely to exercise.To the nation’s credit, smoking rates and cases of high cholesterol have declined, and Americans are slightly more likely to exercise.
The Gallup analyses drew from multiple polls based on anywhere from hundreds of thousands to more than 2 million telephone interviews.The Gallup analyses drew from multiple polls based on anywhere from hundreds of thousands to more than 2 million telephone interviews.