Midterm Election Exit Poll: 7 Reasons Why Americans Are More Pessimistic Than Ever

— -- Across the country preliminary exit poll data points to one unifying theme: American’s have a negative outlook on the direction the country is headed. Here are seven points that show just how pessimistic American’s have become:

1. Half of voters expect life for the next generation of Americans to be worse. This is by far the most to say so in exit polls asking the question back to 1996.

2. 65 percent of voters say the country is headed seriously off on the wrong track rather than in the right direction. “Wrong track” numbers are 12 points more negative than two years ago, and are their second highest in available exit poll data back to 1990, trailing only the discontent of the 2008 election.

3. Just two in 10 voters trust the government in Washington to do what’s right all or most of the time.

4. 53 percent have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party and 56 percent have an unfavorable view of the Republican party.

5. 53 percent say the government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals.

6. 54 percent of voters disapprove of Barack Obama’s job performance as president and 61 percent are dissatisfied or even angry with the Republican leaders in Congress.

7. Seven in 10 voters say the nation’s economy is in bad shape, fewer than in 2012, 2010 and 2008 -- but still seven in 10.