What Americans Wish They Could Tell Washington About the Economy and Representation

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • Nearly 4 in 10 Americans feel that neither the president nor Democratic leaders are listening to people like them.
  • The economy and cost of living dominate voters’ concerns, especially among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.
  • Many want leaders to change their behavior as much as their policies: from resigning, to being more respectful, to fighting harder.
  • Democratic-leaning voters are more likely to demand their party “take a stand” than to compromise with the opposing side.
  • Across parties, there is a shared plea: listen more, help real people, and focus less on partisan games.

Table of Contents

The Listening Gap: Why Americans Feel Ignored

The CNN poll conducted by SSRS reveals a powerful sentiment: many Americans don’t believe national leaders care what they have to say. Only 34% of adults feel that President Donald Trump cares even somewhat about their views, and just 36% say the same about Democratic Party leadership. Nearly 4 in 10 say neither side is listening.

One respondent, Betty Glazebrook, a 78-year-old Trump voter from Massachusetts, captures this disillusionment. She feels that Trump cares more about himself than people like her, yet she is also unsure Democrats are truly on her side: “I’m starting to feel like nobody does, honestly.”

For readers who feel similarly, this shows you are far from alone: dissatisfaction with political responsiveness crosses party lines.

Why the Economy Dominates Voter Concerns

When Americans were asked what they would tell Trump to make life in the U.S. better, the answer was overwhelmingly clear: the economy.

  • Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 40% mentioned economic or cost-of-living issues.
  • The economy was mentioned far more than other topics like immigration or foreign policy (only about 5% cited immigration, and even fewer mentioned foreign affairs).

Glazebrook’s personal story illustrates this anxiety: she worries about being out of work at her age and openly questions how she will survive financially. Her fears mirror the concerns of many Americans grappling with rising costs and uncertain incomes.

Personal takeaway for readers: if budget stress or job insecurity is your top issue, you’re squarely in the mainstream of what voters say they want Washington to address first.

What Voters Want to Tell Trump

Not all messages for Trump are about policy. Many focus on leadership style and personal conduct. Based on the poll:

  • 16% say they would tell him to resign or leave office.
  • 8% say they would compliment him.
  • About 15% believe Trump could help most by changing his personal behavior.
  • 6% specifically want him to moderate his tone or be more respectful, thoughtful, or “presidential.”
  • A few say they would refuse to speak with him at all.

This mix of resignation calls, praise, and pleas for a change in tone highlights a polarized country where even basic expectations of leadership are hotly contested.

What Voters Want to Tell Democratic Leaders

On the Democratic side, many Americans are focused on strategy: how Democrats should handle Trump and Republicans in Congress.

  • 10% say Democratic leaders should stand their ground and fight harder against Trump or the GOP.
  • Another 10% want more compromise and bipartisanship.

Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, the desire for confrontation is even sharper:

  • 19% say they would urge party leaders to take more of a stand.
  • Only 2% would call for greater compromise.

One Democratic-leaning independent in their 20s from New Jersey wrote, “Stop being gentle and palatable to the opposing side… We should have an equal reaction to balance out the scales of power.”

Interestingly, this appetite for toughness doesn’t tie neatly to ideology. Few Democratic-aligned respondents pushed the party clearly left or right, and those who did were split between wanting a more progressive and a more moderate direction.

Beyond strategy, some voters simply want Democrats to listen more and prioritize ordinary people:

  • 8% say they’d tell Democratic leaders to help people, listen to people, or put people above partisan politics.
  • 5% say they’d deliver a similar message to Trump.

Kayley Jensen, a 30-year-old single mother from the Bay Area, urges leaders to look at who is really struggling: “You’re throwing all this money on things that don’t matter when you could be building shelters.”

How These Feelings Could Shape Upcoming Elections

The poll suggests that, despite any attempts to downplay affordability, economic anxiety is likely to dominate upcoming midterm elections. When voters are preoccupied with wages, rent, and groceries, they tend to judge leaders by what’s happening in their own bank accounts.

For candidates of any party, this data highlights three winning themes:

  • Address cost of living and jobs directly and concretely.
  • Show that you are listening to everyday concerns, not just playing to party bases.
  • Balance firmness with willingness to solve problems across the aisle.

For engaged citizens, this is also a roadmap for what to demand from people seeking your vote.

What You Can Do If You Feel Politicians Aren’t Listening

If you share the frustration highlighted in the poll, there are practical steps you can take to make your voice harder to ignore:

  • Contact your representatives regularly: Call, email, or attend town halls to raise concrete economic or local concerns.
  • Organize around specific issues: From housing affordability to local shelter funding, focused advocacy often gets more traction than general complaints.
  • Support local journalism and civic groups: They amplify community voices and put pressure on national leaders.
  • Track how your officials vote: Compare their actions to your priorities and use that information at election time.

For deeper engagement, explore nonpartisan resources that track voting records, fact-check claims, and explain economic data in plain language. These tools can turn dissatisfaction into informed pressure for change.

About the CNN/SSRS Poll

The findings come from a CNN poll conducted by SSRS from December 4 to 7. The survey used both online and phone methods, drawing from a random national sample of 1,032 adults via a probability-based panel.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is ±3.5 percentage points, meaning actual views in the broader population may differ slightly from the published numbers but still paint the same overall picture of economic concern and widespread frustration with political responsiveness.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/24/politics/what-voters-would-tell-washington-vis