Team  Obama must be working over-time tonight trying to find a way to boost  the morale of Ameicans after a new poll came out from the Associated  Press-GfK. That poll showed that Americans are increasingly pessimistic  about the US economy.

That  pessimism could translate into why President Barack Obama is now in a  statistical tie with presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney in most  major polls. The economy continues to be the #1 issue with American  voters.

And  the gloomier outlook extends across party lines, including a steep  decline in the share of Democrats who call the economy "good," down from  48 percent in February to just 31 percent now.

Almost two-thirds  of Americans _ 65 percent _ disapprove of Obama's handling of gas  prices, up from 58 percent in February. Nearly half, 44 percent,  "strongly disapprove." And just 30 percent said they approve, down from  39 percent in February.

These findings come despite a steady  decline in gas prices in recent weeks after a surge earlier in the year.  The national average for a gallon of gasoline stood at $3.75, down from  a 2012 peak of $3.94 on April 1.

Of all the issues covered by the poll, Obama's ratings on gas prices were his worst.

The  public's views tilt negative on his handling of the overall economy, 52  percent disapprove while 46 percent approve. In February, Americans  were about evenly divided on his handling of the issue.

The  economy is the No. 1 issue in the presidential race, thanks to the  deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression and one of the  shallowest-ever recoveries.

The increasing skepticism toward the  recovery tracks a weakening overall economy as measured by the gross  domestic product, and matches economic growth downgrades by many  economic forecasters.

Against this background, the weak economy  looms as a huge liability for Obama, and any drop in public confidence  in his ability to deal with it can threaten his re-election prospects.  Although Obama held broad advantages over Romney on handling social  issues and protecting the country, when it came to the economy about the  same percentage said they trust Romney to handle it as trust Obama.

Mindful  of Obama's vulnerability, Romney focuses frequently on the economy,  suggesting that his business background makes him the candidate who can  create jobs. Like most Republicans, he blames Obama's policies for  making the economy worse.

Obama acknowledges that times remain  hard for many, but says conditions are slowly improving. He suggests the  best chance for full recovery is if voters stick with him.

The  poll shows that optimism on an economic recovery earlier this year has  all but stalled. The share of Americans describing the economy as "good"  dropped 10 points since February, to 20 percent. Two-thirds see the  economy as "poor" and about one in seven say it's somewhere in between.  And just 22 percent say the economy got better in the past month, down  from 28 percent saying so in February.

Democrats remain more  optimistic about the economy in the coming year than do independents and  Republicans, but still, the percentage that is hopeful for improvement  in the next year dipped 10 points since February.

Fewer than one  in three expect their household's economic fortunes to improve in the  coming year, down from 37 percent in February. Eighteen percent see  their finances as worsening, up from 11 percent in February.

And  35 percent expect the unemployment rate, which has been inching down for  months, to start going back up. Thirty percent thought that in  February. Independents are closer to Republicans than Democrats on that  issue, with only 18 percent of independents and Republicans optimistic  that the jobless rate will improve, while 40 percent of Democrats expect  it to.

For now, Obama remains popular. His approval rating stands at 53 percent. But a stalling recovery could cause it to slide.

http://azstarnet.com/news/national/poll-shows-americans-pessimism-on-economy-growing/article_f1e6eeb8-c5c7-584a-838e-7421096a2278.html

From  the Cornfield, it is past time to leave all the distractions and shiny  objects behind and focus on the economy, jobs and the unsustainable  national debt.