It’s also a striking metaphor for America’s stagnant job market.  The number of Americans employed in the workforce has dropped by a tenth-of-a-point per month since February.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, in February,  58.6% of working-age Americans were working.

That number has dropped to 58.4% as of April  – only two-tenths of a percent away from the WORST figures yet measured during the Obama presidency,  and the WORST sustained figures since 1981!

The real question is: how far will it continue to drop?  Because we know this has a powerful impact on the re-election hopes of President Obama – or any incumbent president for that matter (President Obama: “America is Back!” Guess Again: More than 40% of Americans Aren’t Working).

Think about it: Ronald Reagan won a second term with 59.8% of Americans working (this is a lowball figure – the numbers jumped a full point over the previous year). Bush 41 won a third Reagan term with 62.7%,  Bill Clinton won with 63.5% and Bush 43 won with 62.3%.

On the other hand, Carter lost when only 59% of Americans were working and Bush 41 lost his re-election bid to Bill Clinton when the percentage of American workers actually working was 61.2%.

Let’s see if I’ve got this right: Obama’s economy is WORSE THAN JIMMY CARTER’S.  And, it’s been worse than Carter’s since September of 2009.

Wow.

USA Today quoted Neil Newhouse in an article about the challenges that lie ahead for both President Obama and the presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney in 2012 Presidential Election.

The Capital Journal quoted Neil Newhouse in an article about Gov. Sam Brownback’s popularity.

Neil Newhouse was quoted in the McClatchy Newspapers in an article about Mitt Romney’s path towards the presidency.

Our two firms have been closely following this important voter group since 2008 and we have consistently found that they are truly swing voters.  With six months to go before the election, we thought it was time to check in with Walmart Moms again.  What we heard is that these moms are still very much undecided in how they’ll vote and have yet to feel like candidates are really connecting with them on the issues that matter most.

While Washington and the media may be focused on the so-called War on Women, these moms are not.   They’re not focused on “women’s issues” right now.  Instead, they care about the economy, jobs, gas prices and education.  As they listen to the political dialogue these moms have become jaded by the political process and believe Washington is out-of-touch.

Click here to read more about what we heard from Walmart Moms in this online discussion panel.

And, check out our previous research among Walmart Moms:

October 2011 National Survey of Walmart Moms
October 2011 Focus Groups Among Walmart Moms
October 2010 Walmart Mom Multi-State Survey
June 2010 Walmart Moms: Feeling the Economic Stress & Carrying the “Mother Load.”
June 2010 Walmart Moms: Up for Grabs Again in 2010
June 2010 Walmart Moms: National Internet Survey of Women Voters

Glen Bolger wrote a Special to Roll Call on the ‘E-Fairness” Legislation and its favor among GOP Voters.

MSNBC quoted Bill McInturff in an article about rising gas prices and the affect it has had on Americans.

Bill McInturff was quoted in the Manila Bulletin in an article about President Obama and Young American Voters.

The Herald Tribune quoted Glen Bolger in an article about U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan.

Glen Bolger was quoted in Roll Call in an article about “Orphan Districts” in the Congressional races.

U.S. News quoted Glen Bolger in an article about the 2012 Presidential Election.

On the presidential match-up, Obama leads Romney 49-43 among all registered voters. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of registered voters are self-described “high interest” voters, that is they rate their interest in the 2012 election as a 9 or 10 on a scale of 1-10. Among these high interest voters Romney leads by three points, 49-46, at this early stage of the campaign.

Looking closer at these self-described high interest voters, we find that compared to April 2008 Republicans are more interested in the campaign (74% Now – 70% in 2008), casting serious doubt on the idea that the GOP primary lowered interest in the campaign. Democrat’s interest, meanwhile is lower than in 2008 by 18 points (64% now – 82% in 2008). Looking at interest by age, we find 75% of seniors, who today are more likely to vote Republican, are “high interest” voters compared to just 45% of 18-34 year olds, traditional Democratic voters.

The poll shows strong indications that Mitt Romney is solidifying his image among the Republican core. GOP Primary voters moved from 58% Positive to 70% Positive, Tea Party Supporters moved from 45% to 66% Positive, Conservatives from 44% to 56% Positive, and White Southern Voters from 36% to 48% Positive over the last month. And, Romney’s image is moving to a net positive or even from a net negative with important segments of a potential winning Republican coalition, including Suburbanites, Blue-collar workers, White-collar workers, White working class, Retirees, and $75K+ income households.

When asked who will be better on a list of attributes Romney outperforms Obama on “having good ideas for how to improve the economy” (40% Romney – 34% Obama) and “changing business as usual in Washington” (36 Romney – 29 Obama).

The percentage of Americans who feel “Barack Obama’s health care plan” is a “bad idea” (46%) is as high as it was the Summer of 2010, with nearly half of Americans (49%) now saying they want to eliminate and repeal it.

We’re seeing a slow decline in the positive image of the Occupy Wall Street Movement with fewer voters supporting it (16%) than in January (24%) and December (24%). A majority (51%) of Americans say the Occupy Movement has run its course and serves a less important purpose. Only 43% of Americans think the same about the Tea Party.

NBC News / Wall Street Journal — April 13-17, 2012 (PDF Format)

Bill McInturff was recently quoted in a MSNBC article about the the projection of a close 2012 Presidential General Election.

Bill McInturff was quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer in an article about the concerns of women voters in the 2012 Presidential Election.

The Inquirer quoted Bill McInturff in an article about the impact the Health- Reform law has on women voters.

Neil Newhouse was quoted in the Israpundit in a article about Jewish voters in the 2012 Presidential Election.