Poll of the Day

The latest issue of National Journal contains this intriguing poll in its front of the book. It seems that 84 percent of American CEOs say the economy is either "good" or "excellent." Meanwhile, just 37 percent of the American public agrees.

I blame the liberal media.

Comments

Since you moved to Atlantic you have been linking to more and more stuff that isn't publicly accessible. It is annoying.

Posted by Anonymous | September 11, 2007 4:37 PM

84 percent of policy wonks say the Iraq War is either lost or flat out unwinnable. Meanwhile, 54 percent of the American public believes success is still possible.

I blame Fox News.

Posted by John Aristides | September 11, 2007 5:06 PM

The american public just doesn't appreciate the trickle-down effect that the gold-plated bathroom fixture industry has on the economy.

Posted by commie atheist | September 11, 2007 5:11 PM

Just more evidence that most people are too irrational to know what's good for them. Obviously, CEOs are the only people who should have the vote.

Posted by Tom Hilton | September 11, 2007 5:19 PM

Decent link, Tom, but I would have gone with this one.

Posted by jhupp | September 11, 2007 5:24 PM

If you pay wasn't tied to performance and they still showered you with millions, you'd think the economy is "excellent" too.

One of the smartest things corporations ever did was pay tv journalists and top pundits oodles of money. It buys a lot of class solidarity.

Posted by Northern Observer | September 11, 2007 5:30 PM

jhupp, you're right...and I should have thought of that one, because I wrote about it too.

Still, Caplan really does just piss me off.

Posted by Tom Hilton | September 11, 2007 5:37 PM

You seem to be forgetting that CEOs are basically salesmen who push stock. They're always going to say that the future looks bright, because they're trying to talk up their share prices.

Posted by Jay | September 11, 2007 6:12 PM

These CEO's don't think the economy is excellent. That's just the answer they gave to a poll question. The answer was a political one having nothing to do with what they think.

If perchance all these CEO's gave in depth interviews to the general media on issues such as the overall economy they would probably hedge a bit, describe some general macro 'worries' and come down with a grade of B-. That might reflect what a few of them think but most are probably in the C and hope to God it doesn't get a lot worse camp.

They won't of course. Expecting a CEO to tell what they personally think of anything is a fools errand. All their public and much of their private speach is calculated. If they have to lie and everyone knows they are lying they will still lie, under oath, every time. (the tobacco hearings) So will every upper management person and board member of every major public corporation in the entire world.

Then people wonder why democracy doesn't seem to work so good.

Posted by rapier | September 11, 2007 6:36 PM