According to a poll for Fox News, a majority -- 58 percent -- of voters believe the world is simply "going to hell in a handbasket," and that figure is bipartisan: 48 percent of Democrats feel that way, as do 61 percent of independents and 71 percent of Republicans. Just 35 percent, think that everything will work out and be okay.

Meanwhile, by a 61-36 percent margin, voters say they don't feel hopeful about the direction of the country. That's a reversal from 2012 when 57 percent felt hopeful. The shift is driven by a nearly 30-point drop among Democrats: 80 percent felt hopeful two years ago, while just 52 percent say the same now. In August 2012, Democrats were likely buoyed by Obama's re-election campaign.

All of these stats figure poorly for the party in the White House.

Really, though, both parties aren't faring well

In a recent economic speech at Northwestern University, President Obama said that, even though he was not up for election, his policies were. But, he might be glad that he isn't actually on the ballot; the survey said that more than half -- 53 percent -- would vote against his policies if they were actually up for election, a figure that includes one in six Democrats (17 percent).