# When was the last time the US was headed in the "right direction"? \[Based on polls.\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973 "2015-08-04T15:02:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/1 "2015-08-04T15:02:39Z")
In general, that is. This question in polls annoys the hell out of me because I don’t remember when public sentiment was strongly positive. My (lack of) Google skills just found negative sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/2 "2015-08-04T15:12:59Z")
In general? To me? An American Indian? 1775. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/3 "2015-08-04T15:14:04Z")
November 2008 until now. (generally). ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/4 "2015-08-04T15:43:15Z")
1992 ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/5 "2015-08-04T15:55:14Z")
In June 2009, there were a couple of polls that indicated that the number of people who thought the country was on the right track outnumbered those who thought in was on the wrong track. [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/direction\_of\_country-902.html#polls](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/direction_of_country-902.html#polls) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/6 "2015-08-04T16:00:08Z")
> [@jimbuff314](#): > > In general? To me? An American Indian? 1775. > [@Procrustus](#): > > November 2008 until now. (generally). > [@control-z](#): > > 1992 **Moderating** If this thread is to remain in GQ, let’s restrict answers to actual poll results rather than personal opinions. I have edited the title to indicate this. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/7 "2015-08-04T16:00:28Z")
> [@Linden\_Arden](#): > > In general, that is. This question in polls annoys the hell out of me because I don’t remember when public sentiment was strongly positive. > > My (lack of) Google skills just found negative sentiment. Well, polls obviously vary. [This](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/us/04poll.html) article from the NY Times seems to indicate (based on a small chart near the top of the article) that from what looks like 1996ish to 1999ish we were on the right track, and from 2001ish to 2003ish we were as well (which I find hard to believe) then it seems all down hill from there. Of course, what being on the right track MEANS to people being polled is another question. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/8 "2015-08-04T16:01:07Z")
Dean Obeidallah has addressed this question at [The Daily Beast](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/07/we-ve-been-on-the-wrong-track-since-1972.html). The short version: Pollsters have been asking the question since 1971. Since that time, a majority has believed the country was on the right track only a few times: 1984-86, 1998-2000, and for a few months after the 9/11 attacks. In fact, the highest poll numbers ever were shortly after the attacks. The number has been consistently below 50% since early 2002. ---
**Author:** ![jdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@jdc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdc)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/9 "2015-08-05T12:53:21Z")
During the Warren/Brown senate election I got political pollster call and when they asked: “Do you think the country is moving in the right direction” I said “I don’t think any human has control of plate tectonics”. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/10 "2015-08-05T13:55:59Z")
I always like that one (“family values”)-exactly what are they? Are "family values’ for Bill and Hillary the same for Joe Sixpack? Who sets "family values’ anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-time-the-us-was-headed-in-the-right-direction-based-on-polls/726973/11 "2015-08-05T15:58:35Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I always like that one (“family values”)-exactly what are they? Are "family values’ for Bill and Hillary the same for Joe Sixpack? Who sets "family values’ anyway? **Moderating** **ralph** , let’s stick to the question in the OP. Colibri General Questions Moderator