January 1, Americans REJECT Biden’s Economic Legacy in Staggering New Numbers

Wyatt’s Take

• New polling reveals devastating rejection of Biden-era economic policies, with barely 1 in 4 Americans approving of current inflation handling
• Working families continue to suffer under crushing price increases while Washington elites remain disconnected from kitchen-table realities
• The numbers expose a crisis of confidence that Democrats can’t spin away — Americans know their wallets don’t lie

A fresh poll from CBS News has delivered brutal news for the political establishment: Americans have lost faith in the economy, and they’re not buying the rosy spin coming from Washington.

The survey shows that handling of inflation received just 27% approval from respondents. That’s a failing grade by any measure, and it reflects what working families already know from their grocery bills, gas pumps, and rent payments.

Big numbers of Americans are concerned & stressed about finances.
Feelings of being secure & content about them are down from last year.
Ratings of the economy, which have long been low, have slid lower to levels not seen since 2023.
77% say incomes not keeping up w/ inflation.… pic.twitter.com/SdTs1nfbEW

— CBS News Poll (@CBSNewsPoll) May 17, 2026

For months, everyday Americans have watched prices climb while being told the economy is strong. The disconnect between what politicians claim and what people experience at the checkout line has never been wider.

This polling captures the frustration of Middle America — the folks who don’t have Washington salaries or stock portfolios to cushion the blow. They’re the ones choosing between filling up the tank or buying extra groceries, the ones watching their paychecks buy less and less each month.

The 27% approval rating tells a story that transcends party talking points. It’s a referendum on policies that have squeezed family budgets and made the American Dream feel further out of reach for working people.

Inflation hasn’t hit everyone equally. While coastal elites debate economic theory, heartland families are dealing with the real-world consequences of failed policies that prioritized ideology over practical results.

The poll numbers reveal what politicians in both parties need to hear: Americans want leaders who understand that economic policy isn’t about charts and statistics. It’s about whether a single mom can afford daycare, whether a factory worker can retire with dignity, whether young couples can buy their first home.

When only 27% approve of inflation handling, that’s not a political problem — it’s a kitchen-table crisis. And no amount of spin from Washington insiders can change what Americans see in their bank accounts.

Why This Matters

These numbers prove what common sense already told us: you can’t convince people the economy is working when their wallets say otherwise. Working Americans deserve leaders who fight for policies that lower costs and restore prosperity, not ones who lecture them about how good they should feel while struggling to make ends meet.