Fox News poll: America weaker now than before Obama?

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There are some brand new fox -- -- show Americans believe our country is weaker now.

And it was the fourth President Obama took office 48% of respondents think we are weaker than we -- five years ago 24% say America is stronger.

And more powerful so let's debate these findings Mary Katharine Ham is the editor at large.

At hot air dot com also Julie -- -- is a former political advisor to New Jersey.

Senator Frank Lautenberg both are Fox News contributors ladies thanks so much for being here in the united their problems are you 40% of respondents think that we are weaker now than we were five years -- that's twice as many as think we're stronger we are stronger and what -- things going on here.

I think lowered its expectations are sort of a theme for the first Obama for years and that it.

He -- get reelected but that does not mean he has some supreme confidence of the American people I think you see that coming through.

-- a lot of these numbers and you know frankly people look around them and even though the unemployment rate for instance -- the same as when he took office.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics as we've lost eight point five million people from the work -- workforce people see that in their lives.

Julie how do you explain that people think we're getting weaker well first and foremost this poll is done -- five years ago Bear Stearns -- didn't -- to collapse that was march of 2008.

Lehman Brothers which tanked economy at long last -- in September -- the economy five years ago was actually hopping on fairly well.

The collapse is yet to come I feel much better you know I felt much better five years ago certainly that I do today because everything was yet to come.

2008 -- really -- -- knowledge are yet that makes cents.

But I think it's very captain's point people are just exhausted and I think it's just this Malays that people have Washington in general -- You know you are tired yet you make great points on -- -- we've lived through a lot.

In these past five years.

But this next part of the poll shows that optimism is also really down about the future not just what we've weathered but about the future 40%.

Think -- the worst is over now whereas 52%.

Think -- worst is yet to come your thoughts carried out there.

Well and this is an interesting point she's right that yes the collapse the big collapse had not come at a point you could argue maybe were stronger than we were right after that point.

But if you look at these numbers the fifty to forty for the worst is yet to come.

This is worse than 2011.

Although it is slightly better than 2000 -- of people are on the down slope here not on -- they're not feeling the recovery that Obama is telling us were happening.

-- are we just that now a nation -- -- think you are you surprised that mean we're lurching from crisis to crisis and.

Washington you know the fiscal -- now we have the sequester prices there's no vision we've got a government that's completely paralyzed.

And and I have no wonder I mean I'm bummed everybody seems to be -- because the reality is that we've got leadership in Washington that seems to be nonexistent we've got a non cooperative congress.

We've got a government that can get out of its own way and and no wonder people look at what's going on the news and they understand that it's just depressing to see what our leaders are up to while the rest of us are struggling.

And a lot of the last question that we're gonna focus on them some features that which is.

What is the problem and how to get out of our -- -- asked whether or not the US if you think the respondents if they think that the US has a spending problem.

And basically it said president report -- a -- a reportedly.

Told John Boehner that no it does not how we do not have a spending problem at least that's according to Jon banner.

So 83% other -- saying yes we do have a spending problem only 14% say no we don't Mary Katharine surprise.

I'm not surprised.

The president is fond of saying that the American people are with him on any given issue -- he happens to be working on.

In this case they're not with an 83% believe there's a spending -- I -- I think that's the case we would not be lurching from crisis to crisis that the Democrats in the senate as they are lawfully required to do it would bother to write a budget for the last three years -- look at it this year we'll see.

And frankly when you look at leadership in Washington who's at the top.

He's the guy who says Washington fix your problems get on it -- what do you thing.

Well I think I you know if you were king like you guys like to pretend you know America out there and an -- -- would -- drone -- -- library I feel like -- anyone I have a while to get into -- -- I don't disagree that you -- thanks but if you know if if you think he's -- president that he demand wave -- magic.

-- but the problem is -- have to deal with the senate.

That is costly being filibustered by the Republicans -- young at a house that is completely intransigent but to get off a spending problem I mean do you get the impression that President Obama really thinks that this country has a spending problem and that he's doing something about I think the president understands that while we have a long term spending problem we need to address that in this economy and it's very fragile recovery.

That we absolutely cannot cut and cutting cut because -- from the examples of Europe we look at Ireland look at and when you look at other places that have very strong austerity measures.

But they -- their own recovery so I think the president is the keynesian I think it is a completely.

Different philosophy than those in the house who disagree with him on the keynesian principles.

But the reality is that the American people get elected president needs an elected democratic senate and so that's that's where -- have to go all right warriors -- -- and this is where we are now we haven't got cleared of -- my friend we had -- enjoyed -- whether Republicans but.

There I did you did you continue into the commercial -- -- -- against it Eric I can't thank you debates.

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Fox News poll: America weaker now than before Obama?

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