Many news sites (such as this, this and this) are reporting today with great fanfare a new CNN Poll that 43% think things in the United States are going well, versus 56% who say things are bad. The 'great' news is that the gap between both numbers narrowed rapidly from just a month ago, and it is the best number since April 2007.

If we put this in the correct perspective, it means that ever since the Democrats took control of Capital Hill four years ago, things started going downhill in the eyes of the American people. In fact, in early January 2007, the numbers were practically still flipped with 57% saying things are (still...) going well in this country; yet three months later, by April, this number was already in the low forties. The number was lower ever since despite President Obama showing up with all his job-creating policies. Only recently, when pro-business, pro-workers, pro-good health care forces were elected to - and took some control of - Washington, did the poll become more positive.

Regardless the above poll, a lot work is still needed for vast majorities of Americans to actually see -- not just think... -- that things in this country are going well again.