Two polls released this week by the USA Today and the Washington Post are painting radically different perspectives about the economy.

We’re looking exclusively at those two polls- beginning our analysis by looking at USA Today, which explains why poll results in general are significant:

“A business owner who thinks the economy is turning around is less likely to lay off workers, for instance. A consumer who feels more confident about the future is more likely to buy a new car or house, which fuels growth.”

Its poll, conducted in conjunction with Gallup, finds a majority of Americans feel they will be better off financially at this time next year,

and reports a “notable spike” in the number of Americans who feel the economy is getting better.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reports that the number of Americans who feel the stimulus package will help the economy is shrinking. Its poll, in conjunction with ABC News, finds that:

“Overall, 52 percent now say the stimulus package has succeeded or will succeed in restoring the economy, compared with 59 percent two months ago. The falloff in confidence has been the sharpest in the Midwest, where fewer than half now see the government spending as succeeding. In April [it was] six in 10 …”

But USA Today reports:

“Now 36% of those surveyed in the Gallup-Healthways well-being poll say the economy is getting better. That's not exactly head-over-heels exuberance, but it is double the number who felt that way at the beginning of the year”

So what do you think? Does the media’s coverage of polls cause a ripple effect upon the economy? We invite you to leave your comments on our website, and encourage you to check out the coverage in USA Today and the Washington Post.