Photo: FEMA

The most recent Gallup poll of the US satisfaction rate, published Friday, found sixty-eight percent of independent voters dissatisfied with "the way things are going" in the United States today. The question Gallup asked in its survey of US satisfaction was:

"In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time?"

While over two thirds of independent voters reported they are dissatisfied with the status quo, nearly one third-- twenty-nine percent-- of independent voters reported they are satisfied with the way things are going in the US at this time.

Interestingly, independent voter satisfaction with the status quo matched up most perfectly with the overall results, which found two thirds of American adults dissatisfied and thirty percent satisfied.

Republicans were the most dissatisfied of any party affiliation in the survey at ninety-three percent, and Democrats were the least dissatisfied at forty-four percent, with a majority of Democrats-- at fifty-three percent-- reporting they are satisfied with the state of things in the United States today.

The difference in sentiment wasn't nearly so dramatic across other demographic differentiators such as gender, income, race, and age group. This suggests the major satisfaction disconnect between Republicans and Democrats is mostly a reflection of partisanship. This close to the election, poll respondents may have also considered the question a referendum on the current White House administration.

That independent voters clock in at the average result of the whole sample is certainly very interesting for independent voters and their advocates. That a strong majority of them are dissatisfied with the way things are going bodes ill for both party establishments in the mid to long run. In the short run, it's a discouraging sign for Democratic candidates and incumbents heading into the general election.

Why do you think independent voters are dissatisfied? Why do you think one third of them are satisfied? Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the US today? Why?