Americans' optimism on economy near two-decade high
Art Laffer, a former economic adviser to President Ronald Reagan, reacts to the GDP growth of 4.2 percent in the second quarter, and whether discusses whether Federal Reserve interest rate hikes could derail potential growth.
About half of Americans (51 percent) now rate the national economy as excellent or good, according to Pew Research Center, among the most positive measures in nearly two decades.
While most Americans are positive about the state of the U.S. economy, they are split on whether the U.S. economy is more secure today than it was before the 2008 crisis.
Of those surveyed, 48 percent said the system is more secure today than it was before the 2008 crisis, while 46 percent said it is no more secure. But this is an improvement since 2015 and 2013 when 63 percent said the economic system was no more secure than it was prior to the economic crisis.
Since Donald Trump took office, Republicans are more positive than Democrats about economic conditions, with 73 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents saying economic conditions are excellent or good, while only 35 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaners believe the current economy is excellent or good.