A new poll released to coincide with tonight’s Presidential debate at the University of Denver shows deep pessimism among Americans about the direction of the country and trust in government. KUNC’s Kirk Siegler has more on the National Journal’s “Heartland Survey” which was the subject of a pre-debate panel today.
The quarterly poll samples 1,000 middle class registered voters and the latest was conducted shortly after the political conventions last month. Its findings mirror other recent polls showing confidence in federal elected officials at historic lows - with only about a third of those sampled saying they feel they’re better off than they were in 2008. During a panel at the poll’s release in downtown Denver, Governor John Hickenlooper agreed the economic recovery in this swing state has been sluggish.
"A lot of those jobs that people lost in this recession and even back in 2002 and 2003 are jobs that aren't going to come back, and we have not sufficiently found the methodology to retrain people for the new jobs."
But Hickenlooper said corporate profits in Colorado have rebounded and he says the task now is to boost resources to community colleges and other technical schools that can better suit employers in the new economy.
