A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 23% of American voters believe the United States is heading in the right direction. That’s up two points since September, but 71% still believe the nation has gotten off on the wrong track.

Just 23% of voters believe the nation is better off today than it was four years ago while 67% take the opposite view.

On a more personal basis, American voters are less pessimistic, but hardly upbeat—38% say they are personally better off than they were four years ago while 49% say they are not (see crosstabs).

On each question, there is a significant gender gap and women are more pessimistic than men. Just 16% of women say the country is heading in the right direction. Nearly twice as many men, 31%, offer that assessment.

The numbers are similar on the question of whether the nation is better off than it was four years ago—just 17% of women say yes along with 31% of men.

When it comes to their personal situation, 35% of women say they are better off along with 42% of men.

While pessimistic in general, Americans have recently grown a bit more optimistic about the War on Terror. Forty-seven percent (47%) of American voters now believe the U.S. and its allies are winning.

Looking to the future, 42% of all voters believe they will be better off four years from now. Thirteen percent (13%) disagree while a plurality of 45% are not sure.

As for the nation, 33% believe it will be better off four years from now. Sixteen percent (16%) disagree while most (51%) are not sure.

There is a huge generation gap on this point. Among those under 30, 70% say the nation will be better off in four years. Among those 50 and older, 20% say the nation will be better off, 20% disagree, and 60% are not sure.

Perhaps surprisingly, there is not a significant partisan gap on this last question—37% of Republicans believe the country will be better off in four years. That view is shared by 34% of Democrats and 28% of those not affiliated with either major political party.

See survey questions and top-line results. Crosstabs and Historical Data available to Premium Members only.