President Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner both said this week that they see optimistic signs in the U.S. economy, but the short-term and long-term perspectives of most Americans remain unchanged over the past month.

Confidence that the economy will be stronger one year from now is up slightly from the first of the year, but looking five years down the road, economic confidence is down six points from March.

The latest Rasmussen reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Americans believe the economy will be stronger one year from now. That figure has changed little so far this year. It’s up two points from April, unchanged from March, and up three points from the beginning of the year.

Thirty-six percent (36%) say the U.S. economy will be weaker 12 months from now. That’s unchanged from both April and March, but up five points from January.

Looking further ahead, 58% say the economy will be stronger in five years. Twenty-three percent (23%) say it will be weaker and seven percent (7%) about the same. Those numbers are virtually unchanged from April.

In March, 64% expected an improved economy within five years.

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Women are much more confident than men in both the short- and long-term. Forty-six percent (46%) of women expect the economy to be stronger within a year, compared to 39% of men. In five years, 64% of women say the economy will be stronger, a view shared by 51% of men.

Investors are more confident than non-investors in the economy both one year out and five years from now.

With a Democratic president and Democrats in control of both houses of Congress, it’s not surprising that there is a wide partisan divide on the country’s economic future. Sixty-one percent (61%) of the president’s party say the economy will be stronger within a year, but just 27% of Republicans and 34% of adults not affiliated with either party agree.

Similarly, 74% of Democrats see a stronger economy within five years, compared to 47% of Republicans and 46% of unaffiliateds.

The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures the economic confidence of consumers on a daily basis, has gained ground since the beginning of 2009. However, investor confidence as measured by the Rasmussen Investor Index is up even more.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of U.S. voters say America is heading in the right direction this week, up 10 points from when Obama took office in January.

The number of Americans who plan to take a summer vacation has held steady from last year, but 58% of those vacation goers say economic conditions are forcing them to cut back on their holiday spending.

The Discover Small Business Watch also finds that small business owners are working longer days and longer weeks with a lot less time off.

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