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CONFIDENCE IN BUSH'S ADMINISTRATION APPOINTEES?
A lot 22%
Some 30%
A little/none 47%
Half of Republicans express a lot of confidence in President Bush's choices, while most Democrats and Independents have little or no confidence.

THE ECONOMY AND PERSONAL FINANCES
The public continues to hold negative views of the nation's economy; and the percentage saying the condition of the economy is good is the lowest since September 2003, more than two years ago.


Now, 43 percent say the economy is in good shape, and 55 percent say it is fairly or very bad.

VIEWS OF THE ECONOMY
Good 43%
Bad 55%

In addition, the outlook for the economy is even more pessimistic than it was last month. More than half---54 percent---think the economy is getting worse---the highest figure since September 2001, just after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Only one in ten says the economy is getting better.

ECONOMY IS GETTING:
Better 10%
Worse 54%
Same 34%

Even Americans' evaluations of their own financial situation are not very positive. Few say they are better off than they were a year ago. One in three says their family's financial situation is worse today, and half say it is about the same. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say their financial situation is worse today than it was a year ago.

Looking ahead, the public is a little more hopeful as to what the future holds. 30 percent think their family's financial situation will be better a year from now, and 42 percent think it will not change much.

23 percent think their financial situation may be worse a year from now.

FAMILY'S FINANCIAL SITUATION
Compared to a year ago
Better 18%
Worse 32%
Same 50%

A year from now
Better 30%
Worse 23%
Same 42%

The economy remains one of the most important issues Americans want the government to address, outranked only by the war with Iraq. These two issues are followed by gas and oil prices, specific critical mentions of George W. Bush, and terrorism.

U.S. MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM
War in Iraq 18%
Economy and jobs 16%
Gas/oil crisis 5%
President Bush 5%
Terrorism 4%

GAS AND OIL PRICES
Recently, President Bush asked Americans to conserve gasoline by driving less and car-pooling. Despite his announcement, the public is skeptical. 50 percent say President Bush thinks the government's priority is not encouraging conservation but increasing the production of petroleum, coal and natural gas. 36 percent think his view of the government's priority is encouraging conservation.

GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES FOR ENERGY
Increase production
Bush's view 50%
Your view 37%

Encourage conservation
Bush's view 36%
Your view 49%

Americans' own views on this issue are slightly different. 49 percent think the priority for the government should be to encourage people to conserve energy, while 37 percent think the priority should be to increase the production of petroleum, coal and natural gas.

In fact, 64 percent of Americans say they have cut down on the amount of driving they do because of the price of gasoline. Most Americans don't see any relief in sight when it comes to high gas prices. 61 percent expect the price of gas will go up over the next few months.

IN NEXT FEW MONTHS, EXPECT PRICE OF GAS TO:
Go up 61%
Stay the same 21%
Go down 15%

American oil companies get the most blame for rising gas and oil prices, with 44 percent placing a lot of blame on them. Another 35 percent say oil companies share some of the blame.

But many also blame the Iraq war and the hurricanes that recently hit the Gulf Coast region. A quarter places a lot of blame on the war in Iraq, and an additional four in 10 blame the war some. 27 percent place a lot of blame on the recent hurricanes, and another 50% say the hurricanes share some of the blame.

BLAME FOR RISING GAS AND OIL PRICES?
American oil companies
A lot 44%
Some 35%
Not much/none 19%

War in Iraq
A lot 24%
Some 41%
Not much/none 33%

Hurricanes
A lot 27%
Some 50%
Not much/none 20%