Few see America as well-positioned economically

Barely more than a third of all Americans rate the country's ability to compete economically in positive terms, according to a new Washington Post poll.

A narrow majority of those polled - 51 percent - say it is important for the United States to be No. 1 in the global economy, but fewer voters now say the country is prepared for foreign economic rivalry than said so 20 years ago.

Full story here, and data after the jump

Q: How would you rate America's ability to compete economically in the world and deal with foreign economic competition--excellent, good, just fair, not so good, or poor?

             --Positive-- Just ----Negative--- No
             NET Ex. Good fair NET Nt gd. Poor op. 
1/17/11 All  36   9   27   35  28    17    11   2
        Dem  41   8   33   32  26    18     8   1
        Rep  31  10   21   39  26    16    11   3
        Ind  35   9   26   34  29    17    12   2

1/17/11 RV   36   9   27   35  27    16    11   2
9/91*   RV   42   8   34   34  22    15     7   2
*Council on Competitiveness

Q: Do you feel that being number one in the world economically is an important goal for America, or that being number one is not that important a goal, as long as we're one of several leading economic powers?

             Imp. goal   Not imp.   No opin.
1/17/11 All     51         45          4
        Dem     52         45          3
        Rep     60         38          2
        Ind     48         49          4

1/17/11 RV      50         46          4
9/91*   RV      42         53          5
*Council on Competitiveness