Posted by Donny Ferguson at LP blog. Reposted to IPR by Paulie.
As more polling numbers roll in, it’s not looking any better for the Obama administration.
Despite Friday’s passage of the president’s package of wealth transfers and expanded spending, Rasmussen reports today only 38 percent of voters think it will help the economy. That means faith in the $1.1 trillion Obama spending bill measures at the roughly same percentage as that of Americans who believe in ghosts and astrology.
Just 27 percent of independent voters, the folks who actually decide elections, say it helps. Thirty-four percent think Obama’s spending explosion will end up hurting the economy.
The package, which Obama claimed must be passed so quickly no one should be allowed even read it because "we don’t have a moment to spare," will not be signed until Tuesday so the president can take advantage of better non-holiday weekend media coverage.
Rasmussen’s polling finds middle-class voters, those most likely to be "swing" voters, are the most skeptical of the spending bill. Only 31 percent think the bill is a mix of new spending and tax cuts, while 50 percent recognize the bill is mostly new spending. Only eight percent of voters think the bill is primarily tax cuts. Many of the tax "cuts" in the bill are nothing more than checks written out to people with no income tax liability.
Despite a fevered sell by Obama, including a prime-time press conference that drew fewer viewers than Clinton’s debut presidential press conference, only thirty-two percent of voters are more likely to vote for a candidate that supported the spending bill. Thirty-five percent are more likely to vote against such a candidate.
Pennsylvania senator and spending bill supporter Arlen Specter has already seen his re-election prospects damaged by his vote. Rasmussen finds just 31 percent of Pennsylvania voters are more likely to vote for Specter because of his support for the bills, while 40 percent are now more likely to vote against him.
8 responses so far ↓
1 ATM // Feb 17, 2009 at 2:24 am
While I find any sign of public opposition to the “bailout” a.k.a. “rescue” a.k.a. “stimulus” packages to be positive, I think the LP would be better served by focusing on the economic and philosophical reasons to oppose government intervention instead of putting out at least its second recent post on polling figures. Would the bailout be justified if 85% of Americans supported it and 75% of Pennsylvanians were more likely to vote for Specter because of his support?
2 paulie cannoli // Feb 17, 2009 at 2:46 am
Would the bailout be justified if 85% of Americans supported it and 75% of Pennsylvanians were more likely to vote for Specter because of his support?
Porkulus would not be justified even if I was the only person in the whole country who was against it. But if pointing out that it is also unpopular helps the LP get any additional coverage, or to actually defeat it, it is worth pointing out. If it doesn’t do either of those things, it probably isn’t.
I think the LP should point out the philosphical reasons why it is wrong, and the practical reasons why it will backfire.
As for polling numbers….like I said, good if it brings in additional news stories covering the LP’s position.
3 Libertarian Joseph // Feb 17, 2009 at 10:21 am
I think you two should stop playing armchair general. shut up or put up
4 Ed // Feb 17, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Who cares what Joseph thinks?
5 paulie cannoli // Feb 17, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Ed,
Actually, the troll has a point. He should certainly serve as an example to others in this regard.
6 pdsa // Feb 17, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Is Donny Ferguson doing a bit of poll cherry picking here? Rasmussen states their polling sample was derived from “National Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters”, without any further breakdown of the numbers. I am a bit curious how they factor “likely voters” at this point in time. It would not surprise me if they excluded many first-time voters in last November’s election from this population. A Gallup random telephone poll of “1,021 national adults, aged 18 and older”, using both land lines and cell phones, returned decidedly different results:
“Stimulus Support Edges Higher, Now 59% – Support up mainly among Democrats; flat among independents, Gallup, February 11, 2009
7 Catholic Trotskyist // Feb 18, 2009 at 2:20 am
Pork is very important for the survival of civilization. Always has been, always will be.
8 paulie cannoli // Feb 18, 2009 at 4:48 am
Pork can give a body trichinosis.
Leave a Comment