Attitude Check

In 1980, President Ronald Reagan famously asked Americans if they thought they were better off than they were four years ago. Gallup asked that same question this year and editor-in-chief Frank Newport discusses the results.

Gallup's latest polls reveal only 1 in 10 Americans say that they are dissatisfied with their jobs. It's a major jump from the results from two decades ago.

Do the Republican and Democratic conventions have an impact on Election Day?

So far, the Republican National Convention keynote speeches have focused on jobs and the deficit. Something a little more surprising, maybe, has been the emphasis on teachers and schools.

New data from Gallup shows that 25 percent of Mississippi residents have struggled to feed their families at some point over the last 12 months. On average, 18 percent of respondents in the U.S. say they've lacked money for food at least once recently.

Which industries do well in public opinion polls? Computers get mostly positive marks, as do retail and anything having to do with food. The federal government and oil and gas, not so much.

The latest data on unemployment claims put them near their lowest levels since the start of the financial crisis. Hiring is slowly ticking up. So why aren't Americans feeling better about the economy?

Has the attitude about debt and the deficit changed over time?

Our latest reporting on U.S. consumer confidence says it jumped up last month. But what does that mean where you live?

Paul Ryan is the GOP's momentum changer -- or so they hope. But is he in tune with what Americans are concerned about in this election?