Only 31% of likely voters say the country is headed in the right direction.

Down from 34% last month, according to Rasmussen.

Most Republicans (84%) and voters not affiliated with either major political party (61%) still believe the country is heading down the wrong track. A slim majority (53%) of Democrats thinks the country is heading in the right direction.

Most black voters (63%) are confident in the nation’s current course. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of white voters and 54% of voters of other races believe the country is heading down the wrong track.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of the Political Class feel America is heading in the right direction, but 73% of Mainstream voters think the country is heading down the wrong track.

Political Class, eh? Here's Rasmussen's discussion of that category of people (who are so bizarrely out of synch with the rest of us):

The specific questions used to calculate the Political Class Index are:

-- Generally speaking, when it comes to important national issues, whose judgment do you trust more - the American people or America’s political leaders?

-- Some people believe that the federal government has become a special interest group that looks out primarily for its own interests. Has the federal government become a special interest group?

-- Do government and big business often work together in ways that hurt consumers and investors?

To create a scale, each response earns a plus 1 for the populist answer, a minus 1 for the political class answer, and a 0 for not sure.

Those who score 2 or higher are considered a populist or part of the Mainstream. Those who score -2 or lower are considered to be aligned with the Political Class. Those who score +1 or -1 are considered leaners in one direction or the other.

In practical terms, if someone is classified with the Mainstream, they agree with the mainstream view on at least two of the three questions and don’t agree with the Political Class on any.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of voters nationwide are considered Mainstream. Only 4% support the Political Class. When leaners are included, the numbers jump to 83% for the Mainstream and 9% for the Political Class.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans are Mainstream voters along with 51% of Democrats and 70% of those not affiliated with either major party. When leaners are included, the numbers are: GOP, 91%; Democrats, 72%; and unaffiliated voters, 87%.

Interesting. Suggests to me that the reason the media seems slanted toward Democrats is that they are "Political Class."