Satisfaction with the direction the country is going is higher today than it's been since 2005, according to the most recent Gallup survey.

Thirty-eight percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States today, similar to last month's 37% satisfaction rate but marking the numerical high since a 39% reading in September 2005.

The satisfaction rate, which Gallup has measured at least monthly since 2001, has now topped 35% three times this year – a level reached only three times in the previous 12 years (once each in 2006, 2009 and 2016).

Satisfaction with the nation is now back to the historical average of 37% for this trend, which was first measured in 1979, but is far below the majority levels reached in the economic boom times of the mid-1980s and late 1990s.

Not surprisingly, Republicans are more ebullient about the direction of the country compared to Democrats.  But it is striking that the largest increase in satisfaction occurred in rural America compared to big cities and small towns.

Much has been written in recent months about rural America's disappointment with Trump.  These numbers seem to belie that reporting.

Now, at the midpoint of 2018, as the United States continues to enjoy a nine-year-long economic expansion, the number of Americans finding satisfaction in the country's direction is on the rise.  This reflects more than a growing comfort with Donald Trump as president; growth in satisfaction has outstripped growth in Trump's approval rating.  And it is more than economic good news – the percentage satisfied has risen more over the past two months than the percentage who think the economy is in good shape or the percentage who think it's a good time to find a quality job.

As the nation moves toward November's midterm elections, as the Mueller investigation continues to unfold, as Trump continues to surprise both friends and foes with his actions, there are a multitude of possibilities for news that could affect satisfaction significantly in either direction.

The transient news of the day is not as important as trends.  This is a trend, and it favors the GOP.  It's more evidence that the "Blue Wave" predicted almost since Trump took office may be a mirage come November.