Inflation leaves a bad taste – survey

As the holiday season begins, more than three out of four Americans say inflation is affecting their lives, and more than half say President Biden deserves at least some blame, a poll has found.

A Yahoo News-YouGov survey of 1,696 adults taken between Nov. 17 and 19 and released Tuesday found that 77 percent of Americans say inflation has affected them to some extent, while 61 percent say the same about the supply crisis and the resulting shortage of goods.

The poll, with a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points, also found that 51 percent worry they “won’t be able to afford what they need during the holidays due to inflation,” while 45 percent fear they “won’t be able to get what they need” due to supply disruptions.

The troubles with inflation cross partisan lines, as 69 percent of Democrats acknowledge that high prices have affected them “some” or “a great deal.” Nine in 10 Republicans say the same, as do 79 percent of independents.

When asked who is at fault for the high prices, 80 percent of Americans pin at least some of the blame on COVID-19, while 57 percent say Biden bears “some” or “a great deal” of responsibility.

But when asked who deserves “the most” blame, 35 percent of respondents say Biden, while 30 percent say the pandemic.

Ninety percent of Republicans and 65 percent of independents place at least “some” of the blame on the president for inflation, as do 28 percent of Democrats.

Americans are expected to shell out 14 percent more for a turkey dinner this year than the did in 2020, economists estimate.

The poll also put Biden’s job approval rating at 43 percent, slightly higher than other recent surveys that have him as low as 36 percent.