The People Say...

Here are two Rasmussen Reports polls that I think are interesting.

Negative on the auto bailout

Fifty-five percent (55%) of Americans oppose taxpayer-funded loans to help the Big Three automakers stay in business, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Just 26% support loans to General Motors, Chrysler and Ford, while 18% are undecided.

Investors, with an eye to the wildly fluctuating markets, are even more strongly opposed. Sixty-four percent (64%) are against taxpayer-funded loans to the Big Three, compared to 45% of non-investors.

In mid-November, 46% of Americans opposed a taxpayer-backed bailout of the Big Three automakers.

One-third of voters (34%) put most of the blame for the companies’ business problems on the automakers themselves, while 25% blame auto workers’ unions.

Something else that I find interesting about this poll is the difference in political party views:

Forty-one percent (41%) of Democrats blame the automakers, while 43% of Republicans blame the unions.

Hm. So, the Right blames the freedom-squashing unions who are driving up costs and driving down quality, while the Left blames the free market business itself. What does that say about the ideology of the two parties? Hmmm...

Democrat leaders on the economy
What do people think of the leading Democrats' ability to solve the economic crisis?

The key Democrats on Capitol Hill who will be working to reverse the country’s financial downturn are better known than Barack Obama’s new economic team but not better thought of by voters.

Just 30% of U.S. voters have a favorable opinion of Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, while 37% view him unfavorably. One-third of voters (33%) don’t know enough about Dodd to have an opinion of him one way or the other.

Rep. Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, which oversees the banking and housing industries, has an even bigger favorability gap. Twenty-seven percent (27%) have a favorable view of the Massachusetts congressman, but 42% regard him unfavorably, including 31% who say that view is Very Unfavorable. A similar number (32%) are not sure what they think of Frank.

Both men are shrouded in corruption scandals. But they're not alone in their public disapproval:

Just 12% of voters give Congress good or excellent job approval ratings, but they are the highest ratings for the legislature since mid-May. Fifty-five percent (55%) say Congress is doing a poor job. A majority of voters have given Congress a poor rating in every survey since mid-June.

One little thought about the wisdom of the people:

"I am convinced that, on the good sense of the people, we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty."
-- Thomas Jefferson --

We should listen to him. The people have spoken.

There's my two cents.