The downbeat results in the aftermath of a series of landmark Supreme Court rulings earlier this summer runs parallel to how people see the nation's overall direction -- 65 percent say it's on the wrong track in the survey -- and both these views are colored by partisanship and views of President Obama. Over 8 in 10 of both Republicans and those who disapprove of President Obama say they are uncomfortable about the nation's shifts on social issues.
Americans who see themselves on the losing side of these high-profile debates are, not surprisingly, most negative about the nation's direction on social issues. Among those who oppose the recent Supreme Court decision upholding the federal health care law, 80 percent are uncomfortable with the nation's direction on social issues. A similar 79 percent who oppose the Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage in all states say they are uncomfortable, as are 76 percent who oppose efforts to ban Confederate flag displays on government property.