NEW YORK -- When Republicans and Democrats look at the American economy, they see different things.
Among Republican voters, 81% say U.S. President Donald Trump's policies have helped the economy despite a bitter trade war with China, with 58% identifying strongly with the position, according to a poll in late November by the Financial Times and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a fiscally oriented think tank in New York. In contrast, 78% of Democrats say the policies have done the opposite.
When asked whether the stock market has gained in value compared with this time last year, 45% of Democrats answered that the market was "about the same." Only 26% of Democratic voters acknowledged the stock market's rise, while 66% of Republican voters did so.
The survey results reflect a sharp dissonance between the two political parties' perception of Trump's impact on the U.S. economy, less than a year away from the 2020 presidential elections, in which Trump is seeking a second term.
Republican and Democratic voters also gave disparate responses to how their own financial situation has changed since Trump took office.
Sixty-nine percent of Republicans said they are better off financially under Trump. Only 9% of Democratic voters report such a positive impact, while a majority -- 56% -- said Trump's policies have hurt their personal finances.
