Millions of people, in all parts of the United States and in all sorts of circumstances, are upbeat about their own lives and futures - yet have exactly the opposite feeling about the country as a whole. As a result, they tend to exaggerate national problems and distrust the country's ability to solve them, while they understate problems in their own backyard and cannot be inspired to address them.

This breeds complacency and civic paralysis; it also explains why so many seemingly popular initiatives, such as trimming the budget, reforming health care, and fixing schools, are so difficult to enact.

Through historical analysis and compelling case studies - ranging from the courtyards of the Cabrini-Green housing projects in Chicago to the halls of Congress - David Whitman offers eye-opening insights into how public opinion actually affects our lives. In the process, he punctures the long-standing belief of both conservatives and liberals that America is on the decline, and he offers suggestions about how we can reduce the optimism gap.