Americans are increasingly blaming the federal government — not corporations — for rising prices and economic stress, according to a new poll that shows dramatic shifts in how voters assign responsibility for their financial struggles.
The change is striking. Among Democrats, 76% now point to government management of the economy as the primary driver of rising prices — up 17 percentage points from February. Independents have shifted sharply as well, with 72% blaming the government, a 14-point jump. Even Republicans, who traditionally favor corporations over government regulation, now point primarily to Washington (55%) rather than corporate practices (45%).
The poll, conducted by Harris for The Guardian in mid-December, also found that nearly half of American adults believe their financial security is deteriorating — more than double the share who say things are improving. What’s more, a majority believe the U.S. is currently in a recession, even though GDP continues to grow and the economy doesn't meet the technical definition.
An economic gap that defined the year
That disconnect between official data and lived experience has defined 2025. Strong growth, a bull market in stocks, and record AI investment have coexisted with stubbornly high prices, steep borrowing costs, and growing anxiety about job security among both blue- and white-collar workers. Consumer confidence has fallen for some five months in a row. Optimism among top-tier earners and wealthy asset owners hasn't translated into broader comfort.
Looking to key demographics, women report significantly darker economic sentiment than men, with 62% believing the country is in recession compared to 52% of men. Black and Hispanic respondents are far more likely than white respondents to say the economy is contracting.
Income gaps also figure starkly. Nearly 60% of households earning under $50,000 say their financial security is getting worse. Only 37% of those earning over $100,000 say the same.
The lexicon still lacks a good term
The poll confirms that inequality creates divergent experiences, a phenomenon that economists have been tracking all year, and arguably tracking for much longer than that. It’s no wonder higher-income Americans report greater confidence while lower-income households describe stretching budgets and trading down. The divide isn't perceptual; it's material.
Still, economic slang hasn't caught up. "K-shaped economy" is accurate but bloodless. "Vibecession" captured the feelings-versus-data mismatch, but elides the class divide. Whatever we call it, the reality is the same, with half the country experiencing expansion while the other half lives through contraction. And the blame for that divide is increasingly landing on Washington.