"Hope and Change" update

[Mornac]

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75% Are Angry At Government’s Current Policies
February 08, 2010

Voters are madder than ever at the current policies of the federal government.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 75% of likely voters now say they are at least somewhat angry at the government’s current policies, up four points from late November and up nine points since September. The overall figures include 45% who are Very Angry, also a nine-point increase since September.

Just 19% now say they’re not very or not at all angry at the government’s policies, down eight points from the previous survey and down 11 from September. That 19% includes only eight percent (8%) who say they’re not angry at all and 11% who are not very angry.

Part of the frustration is likely due to the belief of 60% of voters that neither Republican political leaders nor Democratic political leaders have a good understanding of what is needed today. That finding is identical to the view last September, just after the tumultuous congressional town hall meetings the month before. But only 52% felt this way in November.

Americans are united in the belief “that the political system is broken, that most politicians are corrupt, and that neither major political party has the answers,” Scott Rasmussen explains in his new book, In Search of Self-Governance.

Male voters are definitely angrier than women. Voters earning $60,000 to $100,000 per year are more frustrated than those in any other income group.

Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Republicans are angry with the government’s current policies, which is perhaps not surprising with the White House and Congress both in Democratic hands. But 78% of voters not affiliated with either major party agree.

Sixty-one percent (61%) of Democrats share that anger, but Republicans are three times as likely as Democrats to be Very Angry.

The divide between the Political Class and Mainstream voters, however, is remarkable. Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Mainstream voters are angry, but 84% of the Political Class are not. Those numbers include 57% of Mainstream voters who are Very Angry and 51% of the Political Class who are not angry at all.

But then 68% of Mainstream voters don’t think the leaders of either major political party have a good understanding of what the country needs today. Sixty-one percent (61%) of the Political Class disagree.

By comparison, the majority of Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliateds don’t believe the current political leaders have a good handle on what is needed today.

Older voters and higher-income voters share that belief most strongly.

Democratic Senate candidates are struggling in a number of states in part because of unhappiness with the government’s policies, including the controversial national health care plan. Opposition to that plan played a key part in the GOP upset Senate win last month in Massachusetts.

Most voters oppose the now-seemingly-derailed health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats for months. They continue to have very mixed feelings about the $787-billion economic stimulus plan approved by Congress last February.

Looking back, most voters still don't approve of the multi-billion-dollar government bailouts of the financial industry and troubled automakers General Motors and Chrysler.

Forty-nine percent (49%) worry the government will try to do too much to help the economy, while 39% fear it won’t do enough.

As the economy continues to stumble along, 59% of voters believe cutting taxes is better than increasing government spending as a job-creation tool, but 72% expect the nation’s elected politicians to increase spending instead.

Eighty-three percent (83%) of Americans say the size of the federal budget deficit is due more to the unwillingness of politicians to cut government spending than to the reluctance of taxpayers to pay more in taxes.

Voters have consistently said for months that they have more confidence in their own economic judgment than that of either the president or Congress.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/february_2010/75_are_angry_at_government_s_current_policies

[ivanm]

JC and I have been touching on the issue of criticism being directed towardst the president, and we wonder why.  Frankly it may be amatter of racial prejudice and if that is the case then no amount of giveaways will improve that outlook.  Recial prejudice seems to have a life of its own and runs on some sort of social energy that springs anew no matter how hard people try to suppress it.   

However, that is not what I am wanting to say.  JC wonders why there is criticism and I am saying that Obama is not delivering on his promises. In fact I just spotted a news item on my home page that I wll try to copy in after this pos that addresses that point.
 
I think the key underlying factors are a deterioration in trust and respect of each other and of our elected officials.  It is cutting into our chances of being the great nation we used to be and is stealing the future for our kids and grandkids. I don't know the answer but it would help if we could rebuild a bit of that mutual trust and respect right here on the forum.  There are a few posters I trust and respect and yet when the newcomers come off like gang busters I immediately go on guard.  Isn't that human nature?

Maybe a newbie's starting impression he makes is related to what he or she wants this place to be.
In past years newsrake has not been a wingnut place like EZ or a bigoted place like nopc, but it is becoming more like those two sites every day.  Where are the newbies coming from, and who invited them? Is the objective to stack the halls with screaming whiney juvenile liberals looking for a free lunch or is it as advertised, to have a fair and balanced place to talk about the issues?

Some of the newbies I like and some I wish would simply find another place to hang out. If they are so sadistic and juvenile as to enjoy coming here to harrass and raise a ruckus then bring it on because I am not backing down from a bunch of self centered shrimps, but I prefer that they act like mature educated people and I would appreciate it if they could give others some slack when their outlooks collide.

Contrary to what some of you may think of me, I can work with those of different outlooks if they will treat me with respect.  There are a few people on this forum that I can work with in spite of our differences and then there are others I simply put up with.  That doesn't mean I buy their act.

If anyone has to constantly make excuses for his behavior and outlook then that person is suspect and it
is not the many who react to his jaded reasoning.  I think that some of the posters are sincere about their opinions but there are some who come here to play grab ass.  It is those that I put on ignore status.

[Mornac]

I don't know exactly what you're referring to, but the title of this thread and the opening post should be regarded in the spirit which they were intended. 75% of the electorate expressing anger at government’s current policies is clearly a change from the day when they complacently accepted whatever crap they were dished up. This should give everyone reason to hope for a popular revolt against the tyrannical manoeuvres coming out of both in the White House and Congress.

The news is good.

[Pepsi]

Rasmussen is such a GOP tool.   

[Velleity]

I don't know exactly what you're referring to, but the title of this thread and the opening post should be regarded in the spirit which they were intended. 75% of the electorate expressing anger at government’s current policies is clearly a change from the day when they complacently accepted whatever crap they were dished up. This should give everyone reason to hope for a popular revolt against the tyrannical manoeuvres coming out of both in the White House and Congress.

The news is good.

So you're saying that nothing is going to happen between now and November. In November your precious Republicans are going to enjoy a massive win. Then in 2012 the nation is going to complete the job by electing a fabulous Republican into office, and these people are going to enact you're agenda. People are going to be very pleased with the results for some reason, even though the last time we had that people were pissed off and threw your bums out on their asses.

Is this your vision?

Because if it is I'd laugh my ass off, except I can't laugh my ass off because if people are stupid enough to do something like this then we're going to be truly fucked.

Here's what's really going to happen. We are going to have health care, Republicans either pick up a few seats or it's a wash, and your morans don't smell the White House for at least another decade because people do remember.

[Mornac]

So you're saying that nothing is going to happen between now and November. In November your precious Republicans are going to enjoy a massive win. Then in 2012 the nation is going to complete the job by electing a fabulous Republican into office, and these people are going to enact you're agenda. People are going to be very pleased with the results for some reason, even though the last time we had that people were pissed off and threw your bums out on their asses.

Is this your vision?

--Nope.

Because if it is I'd laugh my ass off, except I can't laugh my ass off because if people are stupid enough to do something like this then we're going to be truly fucked.

 
--I think it's safe to say that your ass will remain in its place of origin.

Here's what's really going to happen. We are going to have health care, Republicans either pick up a few seats or it's a wash, and your morans don't smell the White House for at least another decade because people do remember.

--That's entirely possible - but this thread is about hope and change. You can throw up you hands and bemoan business as usual, but I'm hoping for change if its all the same to you.

[IM2]

Rassmussen is a republican leaning (or biased) poll. So the numbers are not going to be accurate. Find a more reputable polling source, then perhaps we can have a decent discussion.

[Mornac]

Geeze, you guys aren't real big on hope and change, are ya?

[Velleity]

I'm hoping for change if its all the same to you.

With insurance companies earning 8 times the previous year's profits, upping premiums by 30%, not insuring 47 million of us, paying executives unconscionable sums of money, spending less than 2/3 of the premiums on actual healthcare, and with health care in this country costing twice as much as any other industrialized nation I'm hoping for change too.

[Mornac]

Swell. Then you support the proposal to lift the ban on selling insurance across state lines, thereby freeing up all companies to compete against each other thus driving down the price of insurance.

[Observer]

Rassmussen is a republican leaning (or biased) poll. So the numbers are not going to be accurate. Find a more reputable polling source, then perhaps we can have a decent discussion.

Actually, independent researchers have determined Rasmussen to be the most accurate of the political polling companies.

[johnhp]

Swell. Then you support the proposal to lift the ban on selling insurance across state lines, thereby freeing up all companies to compete against each other thus driving down the price of insurance.

You mean allowing insurers in the states with the least regulations take advantage of customers across lines who would get much less and pay not much less?  Good deal.

[johnhp]

Actually, independent researchers have determined Rasmussen to be the most accurate of the political polling companies.

Really?  Name these researchers, please.

[Observer]

Look them up.

[IM2]

fiddy percent,

Actually, independent researchers have determined Rasmussen to be the most accurate of the political polling companies.

Bullshit. Another example of stupidity brought to you by fiddy percent security, the place where half right is correct.