CNNMoney: US Economic Meltdown - Poll indicates bailout doesn't help average Americans - by David Goldman
Poll indicates bailout doesn't help average Americans - by David Goldman
The government said last week's $700 billion financial bailout was necessary to help Wall Street and Main Street alike, but most Americans don't think the plan was intended to benefit them, according to a survey released Tuesday. In a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll, only 40% of Americans think the legislation was an attempt to rescue the economy in order to help ordinary taxpayers. Instead, 53% saw the bill as mostly a bailout for Wall Street."By coming together on this legislation, we have acted boldly to prevent the crisis on Wall Street from becoming a crisis in communities across our country," President Bush said last week after the House voted 263 to 171 to pass the measure. But taxpayers weren't buying it. The survey of more than 1,000 Americans, conducted Oct. 3-5, found that 59% thought the bill would treat taxpayers unfairly. Almost as many - 52% - thought the bill would waste money.
Note EU-Digest: both presidential candidates - Obama and McCain supported the bailout, which has voters now worried on which side of the fence they stand.
Labels: Bailout, Polls: Perceptions, US Economy
