Zogby's latest book follows past trends to discover where we're headed
By Dave Dellecese
WKTV.com
December 6, 2008
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. (WKTV) - The latest book from International pollster John Zogby "The Way We'll Be" looks to dispel the myth of the United States as an isolated, politically fragmented society - although the book didn't start out that way.
"It was a story of how tens of millions of Americans, I believed, were giving up on the American Dream," Zogby said. "And what I discovered through doing the specific targeted surveys for this book and all the other work that I do, is that nothing could be further from the truth."
It's by looking to the trends of the past that Zogby can form ideas of where things are headed. And with a new administration set to take office amid the greatest financial crisis in 70 years, the future can look pretty tough for those stepping into power.
Zogby says that his polls have yet to test the reaction of Americans to the individual appointments to President elect-Barack Obama's cabinet, but he says that overall, Obama is, so far, receiving very high marks, despite some criticism for those he's surrounding himself with.
"Those who pay very close attention - the critics, pundits - sure, there are those who will say hey, this is heavily Bill Clinton. I thought Obama was going to be his man," he said. "But the reality of the situation is that when you elect a democrat or a republican, you also elect a good amount of that establishment."
And as everyone - democrat or republican - wait to see what Obama's economic team will put forth in an effort to diminish this crisis, Zogby says research shows we all will have a long way to go before the end.
"There are economists who talk about V-shaped recessions," Zogby said. "You plummet, then it bottoms out and then you're on your way back up. And there's others that talk about a U. It's a little more slowly. This unfortunately according to a consensus of economists is an L shaped recession we've not hit bottom yet. And then the recovery is very very slow."
And while experiences such as The Great Depression left its mark on those who lived through and struggled to survive it. Zogby says his research shows the current Recession will have a long lasting impact on the world's current population, making many of us:
"Better citizens of the planet," Zogby said. "In other words, we'll be less wasteful, we'll be more respectful, we'll get along better with other nations, simply because we're so interrelated and we'll feel that interrelation. For those who say this is only temporary, I point to the 18 to 29 year olds. And I say, no, this is the mindset - this global planetary sensibility. They're going to take this with them into their 30s and 40s. I haven't even started polling the current teens, but I feel it already. Kids traveling. I'm an optimist."
WKTV.com
December 6, 2008
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. (WKTV) - The latest book from International pollster John Zogby "The Way We'll Be" looks to dispel the myth of the United States as an isolated, politically fragmented society - although the book didn't start out that way.
"It was a story of how tens of millions of Americans, I believed, were giving up on the American Dream," Zogby said. "And what I discovered through doing the specific targeted surveys for this book and all the other work that I do, is that nothing could be further from the truth."
It's by looking to the trends of the past that Zogby can form ideas of where things are headed. And with a new administration set to take office amid the greatest financial crisis in 70 years, the future can look pretty tough for those stepping into power.
Zogby says that his polls have yet to test the reaction of Americans to the individual appointments to President elect-Barack Obama's cabinet, but he says that overall, Obama is, so far, receiving very high marks, despite some criticism for those he's surrounding himself with.
"Those who pay very close attention - the critics, pundits - sure, there are those who will say hey, this is heavily Bill Clinton. I thought Obama was going to be his man," he said. "But the reality of the situation is that when you elect a democrat or a republican, you also elect a good amount of that establishment."
And as everyone - democrat or republican - wait to see what Obama's economic team will put forth in an effort to diminish this crisis, Zogby says research shows we all will have a long way to go before the end.
"There are economists who talk about V-shaped recessions," Zogby said. "You plummet, then it bottoms out and then you're on your way back up. And there's others that talk about a U. It's a little more slowly. This unfortunately according to a consensus of economists is an L shaped recession we've not hit bottom yet. And then the recovery is very very slow."
And while experiences such as The Great Depression left its mark on those who lived through and struggled to survive it. Zogby says his research shows the current Recession will have a long lasting impact on the world's current population, making many of us:
"Better citizens of the planet," Zogby said. "In other words, we'll be less wasteful, we'll be more respectful, we'll get along better with other nations, simply because we're so interrelated and we'll feel that interrelation. For those who say this is only temporary, I point to the 18 to 29 year olds. And I say, no, this is the mindset - this global planetary sensibility. They're going to take this with them into their 30s and 40s. I haven't even started polling the current teens, but I feel it already. Kids traveling. I'm an optimist."
