Vice President Al Gore recycled a version of Reagan’s famous question as he kicked off his “Progress and Prosperity Tour” this week, asking voters, “Are you better off than you were eight years ago?” In this poll, 34 percent say they are indeed better off than when Clinton took office, while 14 percent say they’re worse off.
     By contrast, just 12 percent felt better off in early 1994, before the economic recovery took hold.
    

Are You Better Off Now…
	Better Off	Worse Off	Same
Clinton 6/00	34%	14%	50%
Clinton 2/94	12%	17%	71%
Bush 6/92	19%	32%	49%
Reagan 1/89	42%	18%	39%

More Americans felt better off after Reagan’s presidency, 42 percent; but a few more, 18 percent, also felt worse off (the positive margin was 24 points). George Bush’s rating on this measure was far worse — fatal, in fact, to his re-election effort.
     While Gore is hoping the economy will boost his candidacy for president, he has not been able to capitalize on it so far. An ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll this week found that Americans narrowly pick George W. Bush over Gore, 46-41 percent, as the candidate they better trust to handle the nation’s economy. Gore has not led in this measure since it was first asked last fall.

Groups
Younger Americans are more likely to say they’ve fared better under Clinton. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, four in 10 say they’re better off, just 8 percent worse. Among people over age 64, however, just two in 10 are better off, and another two in 10 say they’re worse off.
    

Younger Americans More Positive
	Better Off	Worse Off	Same
Ages 18-34	40%	8%	49%
Ages 65+	21%	21%	58%

Not surprisingly, higher-income Americans are also more apt to say they’re better off.

Confidence
Separately, this ABCNEWS/Money magazine poll finds consumer confidence this week slipping further below its January high, but still within the narrow band it’s occupied the last several months.
    

Confidence Ratings
	Today	Highest	Lowest	Average
National Economy	74%	80%	7%	40%
Personal Finances	65%	70%	42%	57%
Buying Climate	50%	57%	20%	38%

While off its peak, confidence is quite strong by historical standards. Seventy-four percent of Americans say the economy is in good shape, 65 percent rate their own finances positively and 50 percent say it’s a good time to buy things.