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A Presidential Economic Scorecard: Performance and Perception

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 September 2009

Chris J. Dolan ,
John Frendreis  and
Raymond Tatalovich
Chris J. Dolan
Affiliation:
Lebanon Valley College
John Frendreis
Affiliation:
Loyola University Chicago
Raymond Tatalovich
Affiliation:
Loyola University Chicago
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Abstract

It is assumed that voters blame incumbents for poor economic performance but give credit when the economy is strong. A huge literature shows the impact of economic indicators and economic perceptions on vote choice and presidential popularity, but there is precious little research on whether public perceptions match economic reality. We propose a novel comparison of perceptions with performance by utilizing the Gallup Poll “most important” problem question. The average percentage that mentions unemployment, inflation, and the general economy over each presidential term from 1949 to 2008 is compared against the Presidential Economic Scorecard. The public correctly perceived unemployment and the general economy as salient national problems, but not inflation, and we speculate on why public perceptions do not correspond to actual inflation rates.

Type
Features
Information
PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 42 , Issue 4 , October 2009 , pp. 689 - 694
Copyright
Copyright © The American Political Science Association 2009

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