More Colorado voters pessimistic about state's direction

By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Friday, July 4, 2008

A new poll shows that Coloradans are feeling less optimistic about the future of the state than last year.

Less than half - 47 percent - of Colorado voters say that things in the state are going in the right direction, down from 63 percent last September. Furthermore, 39 percent believe things have gotten off track, up from 27 percent in September 2007.

"The drop, no doubt, reflects a rise in concern for the economy and the price of gas, which affects people directly," said pollster Floyd Ciruli. "Recent national polls show the economy and energy prices have become voters' No. 1 concern."

Younger voters generally appear more optimistic than older ones. Among those between the ages of 18 and 34, 65 percent feel things are going in the right direction, compared with 25 percent who feel the state is on the wrong track.

Pessimism increased among older voters. Just 39 percent of those nearing retirement believe things are on the right track.

The poll was conducted by Ciruli Associates between June 3-9, with a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.

• July 4, 2008

  5:39 a.m.

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  roger44 writes:

  I'm surprised the number of seniors unhappy is so low. They have lost 51% of their buying power. The Cola is too low each year, losing even more buying power. They take your money for 45 or 50 years then send back little, no interest is made on the money, If I had the money in bank account drawing interest for the 45 Yrs I've paid, I'd be rich. But the Democrats decided to use it, and now going broke. And older folks pay more attention to how things are going, and it looks to me like this country and state are in for some hard times, only because the politicians have sat on their duffs for the last 40 years.

• July 4, 2008

  8:46 a.m.

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  Scott writes:

  Hmmmm, democrat legislature and democrat/lawyer governor. Yet our resident comrade lib, Froward69, comes out swing against Republicans. Too may drugs during its college days I guess.

  Scott
  Member of the democrat party since 1974!

• July 4, 2008

  10:45 a.m.

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  fastnloose writes:

  I thought this article was just about Colorado and it's direction.I agree with Scott the Dems keep running on the fact they are the party with answers.Ritter and our democratic legislaters are just as clueless as any other politicians.The only difference is they will use much more of your money.

• July 4, 2008

  4:23 p.m.

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  gary writes:

  Thanks to Tax Ritter and his Dem buddies.
  Our State is in terrible shape and getting worse.
  No drilling.
  No mining.
  No support for coal.
  No support for oil shale.

  Hey...let us all worry about our "carbon footprint".

  That will save us all!!

  Much more anti-everything that makes our economy go and we will be making footprints all right....walking to the unemployment line!

  NObama...'08' along with the rest...Ritter and the bunch.

  Nuff Said!

• July 4, 2008

  5:20 p.m.

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  Who_Me writes:

  At least the Dems solved the great public restroom problem that plagued this state for so many years.