Public Wary of Deficit, Economic Intervention

[girl gone mad]

I find it interesting that the administration was willing to waste significant political capital on the bailouts (polls have shown anywhere from 70% to 80% public disapproval of the bank and auto bailouts), but they refuse to repeal DADT or consider enacting a single payer system, though both positions have far more widespread public support than the massive spending to save bloated corporations ever did.


Public Wary of Deficit, Economic Intervention
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124527518023424769.html">Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON -- After a fairly smooth opening, President Barack Obama faces new concerns among the American public about the budget deficit and government intervention in the economy as he works to enact ambitious health and energy legislation, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.

These rising doubts threaten to overshadow the president's personal popularity and his agenda, in what may be a new phase of the Obama presidency.

"The public is really moving from evaluating him as a charismatic and charming leader to his specific handling of the challenges facing the country," says Peter D. Hart, a Democratic pollster who conducts the survey with Republican Bill McInturff. Going forward, he says, Mr. Obama and his allies "are going to have to navigate in pretty choppy waters."

(snip)

But the poll suggests Mr. Obama faces challenges on multiple fronts, including growing concerns about government spending and the bailout of auto companies. A majority of people also disapprove of his decision to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Laura Zamora, 40, of Orange, Calif., voted for Mr. Obama but says she is frustrated by the economy and finds her support for the president waning. She says she's facing a possible layoff as a local government worker in California.

"He's bailing out the private sector. He's putting all kinds of money into the private sector," says Mrs. Zamora. "The money should be going to social programs, not to bailing out banks and GM. It should go to people who are unemployed."

(snip)

Mr. Obama's overall job approval and personal ratings have slipped, particularly among independent voters. His job approval rating now stands at 56%, down from 61% in April. Among independents, it dropped from nearly two-to-one approval to closely divided.

[DJ13]

1. This is why Obama needed to get Krugman onboard his economics team

Krugman has long advocated increasing the deficit to stimulate the economy in this crisis, and he has the needed connections in the MSM to be out there daily in support of Obama's spending.

But no, Obama would rather have the bland Larry Summers making an occasional appearance on a select few MSM outlets putting people to sleep.