Most Americans say country worse off than a year ago, new poll shows

A new poll finds six in ten Americans say the country is worse off than a year ago, reflecting broad public pessimism ahead of the State of the Union. That pessimism is amplified by recent field reporting showing strong distrust of institutions among many Trump supporters and widespread acceptance of claims that opponents will cheat, which may deepen polarization and complicate efforts to reassure a skeptical public. Economic pain combined with eroded trust raises the bar for any message meant to restore confidence.