Poll: 75% 'angry' at government « Columbus Underground Messageboard

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Poll: 75% 'angry' at government

(227 posts) (1891 views)

Started 1 month ago by rus
Latest reply from hugh59
poll: Are YOU 'angry' at the Government?
Yes : (14 votes)

25 %

No : (34 votes)

62 %

Don't Care : (7 votes)

13 %

55 votes

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rus

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http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32680.html

Poll: 75% 'angry' at government
By ANDY BARR | 2/8/10 11:52 AM EST

Three-quarters of the nation’s voters are “angry” at the federal government’s policies, according to a new Rasmussen Reports survey out Monday.

Of the 1,000 likely voters surveyed Feb. 5-6, 75 percent said they were either “very” or “somewhat” angry with the “current policies of the federal government.” Forty-five percent said they were “very” angry.

Only 19 percent said they were “not very” or “not at all” angry with the government, while 6 percent were not sure.

Nearly two-thirds, 60 percent, agreed with the statement that “neither Republican political leaders nor Democratic political leaders have a good understanding of what is needed today.”

The Republicans surveyed were angrier than Democrats, but both expressed frustration.

Eighty-nine percent of Republicans and 61 percent of Democrats said they were angry, while 78 percent of independent voters said they were.

More men were angry with the federal government than women, and voters who earned from $60,000 to $100,000 were found to be the angriest.

The percentage of those who said they were angry with the federal government has been on the rise.

In September, 66 percent of those surveyed said they were either “very” or “somewhat” angry, while in November 71 percent said they were.

The poll has a margin of error of plus- or minus-3 percentage points.

Not exactly a surprise, but interesting that this sentiment doesn't seem to benefit either of the two main parties.

Posted 1 month ago # |
JonMyers
Short North
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100% of tea-baggers are absolutely furious with government.

Posted 1 month ago # |
cc

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The eleven most frightening words ever spoken:

"I am from the government and I am here to help."

an old reaganism - he might have been senile, but he sure was funny.

Posted 1 month ago # |
rus

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JonMyers wrote >>
100% of tea-baggers are absolutely furious with government.

Think it's really just tea-baggers? Seems like even hardcore D or R types aren't really happy with DC of late...

Posted 1 month ago # |
Bear
The woods
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Yep. And if you ask them, policy by policy, whether they support the policies that comprise the government's policy, they'll say yes. Nearly half the people want to cancel the stimulus package, but 80% or more want to spend more on infrastructure, extending unemployment benefits, etc. -- aka the stimulus package. Which leads to the inescapable conclusion that at least 25% (edit, make that 30%) of the population bears watching.

Posted 1 month ago # |
rus

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Bear wrote >>
Yep. And if you ask them, policy by policy, whether they support the policies that comprise the government's policy, they'll say yes. Nearly half the people want to cancel the stimulus package, but 80% or more want to spend more on infrastructure, extending unemployment benefits, etc. -- aka the stimulus package. Which leads to the inescapable conclusion that at least 25% of the population bears watching.

Presuming you're right, that this is just tea-bagger sentiment, doesn't the poll indicate that sentiment is spreading beyond 25%?

ETA: Seems a bit more than tea-bagger sentiment to me. Dissatisfaction from the left on how Obama is handling national security issues ( i.e. the continuation of Bush policies ), views of the health care bills as industry giveaways, etc., could explain dissatisfaction and I don't see a leftist identifying with the tea party movement.

Posted 1 month ago # |
Bear
The woods
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I never said it was just tea-baggers. It's either ignorance or gullibility (believing politicians who tell us we can spend without taxing). Those know no party.

I mean, seriously, if you're for A but against B, but A=B, guess what? Either you've been lied to by someone or you just haven't fulfilled your responsibilities as a citizen in a democracy.

Posted 1 month ago # |
JedThorp
Merion Village
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75% of voters are 'angry' with government, but I bet only 75% of those couldn't articulate WHY.

I think there's a lot of 'groupthink' going on here, as anger seems to snowball...like angry mobs. I think people are stressed because life (their life) doesn't look quite as rosy as it did 20, 10 or even 5 years ago. So, it must be the government's fault, right? But, what is it, specifically, that the government could do differently that could make them happy? Bring the factories back from China? "Lower taxes?" It's funny because I hear a lot of people (teabaggers, frankly) complain about taxes when Obama hasn't raised taxes. I keep hearing all of these teabaggers complain about how their freedoms are being taken away? Really? What were you free to do 2 years ago that you're not free to do today? People have a valid right to be concerned about the growing federal deficit, but it's not exactly like that problem started under Obama of this Congress. Having worked both AGAINST goverment and FOR government, I can tell you that governing is hard work, and most people in government are sincerely working to improve people's lives. Bottom line is that our government reflects the wants and desires of the electorate, and if our government has governed in a certain way, it's because - whether voters want to admit it or not - that's what we asked them to do, either actively or passively. Our country's in the state we're in as much because of choices WE'VE made as decisions Congress has made.

Posted 1 month ago # |
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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JedThorp wrote >>
75% of voters are 'angry' with government, but I bet only 75% of those couldn't articulate WHY.
I think there's a lot of 'groupthink' going on here, as anger seems to snowball...like angry mobs. I think people are stressed because life (their life) doesn't look quite as rosy as it did 20, 10 or even 5 years ago. So, it must be the government's fault, right? But, what is it, specifically, that the government could do differently that could make them happy? Bring the factories back from China? "Lower taxes?" It's funny because I hear a lot of people (teabaggers, frankly) complain about taxes when Obama hasn't raised taxes. I keep hearing all of these teabaggers complain about how their freedoms are being taken away? Really? What were you free to do 2 years ago that you're not free to do today? People have a valid right to be concerned about the growing federal deficit, but it's not exactly like that problem started under Obama of this Congress. Having worked both AGAINST goverment and FOR government, I can tell you that governing is hard work, and most people in government are sincerely working to improve people's lives. Bottom line is that our government reflects the wants and desires of the electorate, and if our government has governed in a certain way, it's because - whether voters want to admit it or not - that's what we asked them to do, either actively or passively. Our country's in the state we're in as much because of choices WE'VE made as decisions Congress has made.

+1 And I also agree it's not just the teabaggers. I see a growing dissatisfaction with the system on both sides of the political divide. Of course when I used to negotiate, the axiom was "when both sides are unhappy, you're making progress."

If this stays true to course, the whining level will stay high, and the action level will be low to non-existent. It's one of the most sacred rights of Americans to complain about everything, but do nothing to change things. On the other hand, as much as I despise what the teabaggers stand for, at least they are taking the time and effort to organize. I'd like to see a more organized progressive voice out there.

Posted 1 month ago # |
GW_Justice
Grandview Hts.
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Why is it a mystery that some people are angry? Read this Bob Herbert Op-Ed for the answer.

Unemployment for those making less than $12K a year is 30 per cent. That's Great Depression levels. And nobody is talking about it, certainly not the R's, the D's don't get that it is a crisis that is going to explode this summer when it gets hot.

Posted 1 month ago # |
HeySquare
German Village
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+1 Jed.

I think the poll would probably be more accurate if the title were 75% of Americans are angry, and the government makes a convenient target.

Posted 1 month ago # |
Tenzo
German Village
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Unemployment for those making less than $12K a year is 30 per cent

And the ice caps have been growing over the last 2 years, after receeding. At the current rate of excelleration the earth will be covered by ice in 50 years.

Damn you Al Gore!

Posted 1 month ago # |
rus

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JedThorp wrote >> Bottom line is that our government reflects the wants and desires of the electorate, and if our government has governed in a certain way, it's because - whether voters want to admit it or not - that's what we asked them to do, either actively or passively. Our country's in the state we're in as much because of choices WE'VE made as decisions Congress has made.

Interesting line of thought.

Yeah, there's no way factories are coming back from China. One guy I knew said we're too interested in cheap goods, but don't like the pollution or working conditions it takes to make those cheap goods, so we outsourced the pollution and working conditions to China. Don't know if I buy that idea entirely, but it is interesting.

Similarly, I don't know anyone my age or younger who thinks social security will survive past the baby boomers. Too much going out and not enough coming in.

I agree that if we, as a society, want massive social programs, a high quality military ( read as foreign interventionalism, perhaps ), or insert-favorite-government-program-here we should pay for it. That we haven't for years and continue to borrow to do so does seem to be a problem.

Either we answer that problem with equally massive tax increases ( perhaps 70% or higher, as in some countries ) and decide we want government to control... well, most everything, or perhaps we decide there are limits to what government can do and look for solutions in other areas.

I can't see a politician, any politician, advocating for either of those ideas though. Perhaps that explains some of the anger measured in the poll; people realize politicians are dodging the spending issue.

Posted 1 month ago # |
Tenzo
German Village
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I think what left a lot of people slack jawed is that Obama was granted a Nobel Peace prize for attendance, promised all sort of stuff and then turned around an increased the deployment of military and did the opposite.

Just as an example.
The nation finally had a candidate that said things would be different. Told us "trust me and things will change" and we all belived him. Them it turned out to be more of the same.

I think the number includes people who are angry at themselves for believing. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me 44 times, I'm angry.

Posted 1 month ago # |
mrsgeedeck
Somewhere in the Middle
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This makes me kind of sad. I wonder how many of that group is involved in local politics. Government doesn't function in a vacuum, nor is it a fairy god-mother, people need to start taking responsibility for the predicament their in on all levels, personal, neighborhood, city, state, etc.,

Posted 1 month ago # |
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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It sounds like the poll has leading questions.

Nearly two-thirds, 60 percent, agreed with the statement that “neither Republican political leaders nor Democratic political leaders have a good understanding of what is needed today.”

Does that sound like agenda-setting or what? If your available responses range from very angry to not at all angry, where is there room to express saisfaction and approval, other than as a lack of anger?

I can't help seeing the tea party antics as much more than a child having a tantrum to see if anyone cares. Shout, bang your fists on the table, make wild claims, shout some more, pout, and most important, preserve your precious anger because your self-importance is on the line.

And dang it makes me laugh to hear them called teabaggers, look that one up on Wiki...

Posted 1 month ago # |
rus

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Tenzo wrote >>
I think what left a lot of people slack jawed is that Obama was granted a Nobel Peace prize for attendance, promised all sort of stuff and then turned around an increased the deployment of military and did the opposite.
Just as an example.
The nation finally had a candidate that said things would be different. Told us "trust me and things will change" and we all belived him. Them it turned out to be more of the same.
I think the number includes people who are angry at themselves for believing. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me 44 times, I'm angry.

Think you're on to something there.

Posted 1 month ago # |
thefiercelime
the 4th Dimension
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If the nation weren't so apathetic, like myself, it'd be constantly up in arms about a government that seems forever hellbent on waging at least 2 wars at all times and bankrupting the economy. You would think it was this nation's birthright- as if the founders asked the question- "What went wrong with the Roman Empire?" and came to the conclusion that they just weren't tenacious or ruthless enough. This country could use some Socialism. Sure would beat the hell out of the Reagan-Bush Fascism of corporate govt that's ruled during the majority of my time in this kooky country. The healthcare in the US is sick. It's the Imperialism that's killing the economy, but, Americans seem to have been conditioned that this is not only acceptable, but, necessary?

Posted 1 month ago # |
rus

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thefiercelime wrote >>
If the nation weren't so apathetic, like myself, it'd be constantly up in arms about a government that seems forever hellbent on waging at least 2 wars at all times and bankrupting the economy.

And yet the Federal budget for social security, medicare and medicade is much larger than the defense department...

Posted 1 month ago # |
kit444

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Jacob Weisberg had a good column about this on Slate the other day:

http://www.slate.com/id/2243797/

"We want Washington and the states to fix all of our problems now. At the same time, we want government to shrink, spend less, and reduce our taxes. We dislike government in the abstract: According to CNN, 67 percent of people favor balancing the budget even when the country is in a recession or a war, which is madness. But we love government in the particular: Even larger majorities oppose the kind of spending cuts that would reduce projected deficits, let alone eliminate them. Nearly half the public wants to cancel the Obama stimulus, and a strong majority doesn't want another round of it. But 80-plus percent of people want to extend unemployment benefits and to spend more money on roads and bridges. There's another term for that stuff: more stimulus spending."

We have an instant gratification society that believes you can cut taxes, increase spending and reduce the deficit and have it done yesterday. When that doesn't happen, it's obviously the idiot politicians fault and has nothing to do with our shortsighted and unrealistic expectations.

Posted 1 month ago # |