Stagnation expectation as political risk

When a large and growing share of the public answers that their household finances will be 'about the same' a year ahead, it signals rising economic inertia rather than outright crisis; that plateaued expectation erodes upside political narratives and raises the odds voters punish incumbents for failing to produce improvement. Policymakers and campaigns should treat a spike in 'same' responses as a different risk class than rising 'worse' responses. — A high and rising 'more of the same' share is an early indicator of political vulnerability and policy fatigue because it signals diminished propulsion for growth‑oriented messaging and greater receptivity to change‑focused challengers.