Can someone explain the contradictory evidence? On the one hand we have this:
The ranks of America's poor are on track to climb to levels unseen in nearly half a century, erasing gains from the war on poverty in the 1960s amid a weak economy and fraying government safety net.
And this:
Two-thirds of likely voters say the weak economy is Washington’s fault, and more blame President Obama than anybody else, according to a new poll for The Hill.
But on the other hand, we have this:
Barack Obama averaged 46.8% job approval during his 14th quarter in office, marking a slight improvement from quarter 13.
And this:
Is the race for president already over?
[. . .]
Most Americans have locked in their presidential decisions, polls released Thursday suggested, and the already small number of persuadable voters shrinks by the hour.
[. . .]
Recent polls show those who have decided are split almost evenly between Obama and Romney.
I think any suggestion that the race is already over should be greeted with the utmost skepticism. The story doesn't actually say how many people haven't made up their minds yet, but it notes that 92 percent had their choices locked in by June in 2008. If the same thing is true this year, 8 percent is a whole lot of voters if this really is a dead heat. And a lot of people will say they have made their minds up already but will change them later on.
