Rutgers survey finds people more pessimistic about economy than during recession

A New Rutgers University survey finds the majority of Americans are growing more worried about the economy.

Carl Van Horn, director of the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, says most people are more pessimistic now about the economy than they were during the depths of the recession that officially ended five years ago.

“They’ve lost their value of their homes in many cases,” he said. “They experienced unemployment themselves or people in their family and friends were unemployed, and even though the economy is getting better it’s not booming in a way that would make them feel confident.”

Seventy percent of the Americans surveyed believe the economy has undergone permanent changes for the worse and that’s making them worried and unhappy. Only one in six people believes job opportunities for the next generation will be better.

“There’s still over ten million people that are unemployed and another eight or so million who are working part-time that would rather have full-time jobs. Wages are not increasing,” he said.

The majority of those questioned say they have little or no confidence federal lawmakers can do anything to improve the economy.