Gallup: U.S. Standard of Living Soars, While the Economy Plunges

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/eric-zuesse/56277/gallup-u-s-standard-of-living-soars-while-the-economy-plunges

Gallup: U.S. Standard of Living Soars, While the Economy Plunges
by Eric Zuesse | June 7, 2014 - 9:37am

On 6 June 2014, Gallup headlined "In U.S., Standard of Living Index Climbs to Six-Year High," and on 14 January 2014, Gallup headlined "Americans' Satisfaction With Economy Sours Most Since 2001."

The June 6th poll showed that Americans' economic expectations for themselves were rosier than ever since Gallup started polling on this in January 2008; the bottom in these expectations occurred November 2008 when the Bush economy tanked and Obama was elected; and the rise since then has been virtually continuous.

The January 14th poll showed an all-time low, since Gallup first polled on this question in 2001, of Americans' satisfaction with the U.S. economy. Only 28% were satisfied in January 2014, versus 68% who had been satisfied during 10-14 January 2001, at the very end of Bill Clinton's Presidency, just before George W. Bush's.

What sense can be made of these two findings together?