Tom Smith at NORC tells us the General Social Survey shows an overall strand of negative sentiment about the economy that persists since the Great Recession. Typically, positive sentiment returns quickly after a recession, he said, but not this time. Compared to before the Great Recession, the percentage of survey respondents who believe their standard of living won’t improve is very high. In 2006 it was about 15 percent, which is where it might be expected to return. But in 2016 it was 25 percent. Additionally, a higher percentage of respondents believe their parents were better off, and think their children will be worse off, than before the Great Recession.