Poll: U.S. Concerned But Split On Bailout

CBS News Survey Shows That Americans Fear Effects Of Financial Crisis But Are Not Convinced Bailout Plan Is The Solution

(CBS)  While Americans fear that the current financial crisis has far-reaching effects for the nation as a whole, they are split over whether the current bailout plan is the answer, according to a new CBS News poll.

Meanwhile, the approval ratings for both President George W. Bush and Congress have plummeted to historic lows.

Click here to read CBS News' new poll on the presidential race, which shows Obama with a nine-point edge.

Americans overwhelmingly see the financial crisis as hurting everyone, with 92 percent saying it hurts the nation as a whole. Just 39 percent, however, say the bailout would help everyone, while more than half of those surveyed think it would help only Wall Street.

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Read The Complete Poll

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Americans are cautious about any rush to pass legislation to deal with the economic crisis. Fifty-five percent say they are concerned that Congress will act too quickly, while 40 percent say they are concerned Congress won’t act soon enough. More than half say they prefer that Congress take longer than a few days to work out a plan. But desire for Congress to act may be growing: People interviewed in the last two days, after the stock market’s drop Monday, were slightly less patient than those interviewed last weekend.

Respondents are split over whether the government, in principle, should provide money to financial institutions. Forty-three percent say it should do so, while the same percentage says it should not. A slightly higher percentage, 60 percent, says the government should provide help to struggling homeowners; 35 percent say it should not. And 53 percent say they believe the bailout bill would be a burden on taxpayers, while just 34 percent said it would stop a collapse of the U.S. economy.

When it comes to the presidential election, neither candidate wins majority approval for their role in this crisis. But more see Barack Obama as having a plan, and he gets better marks than John McCain. Forty four percent approve of Obama’s handling of the crisis while 35 percent approve of McCain’s.

Obama is more likely to be seen as having a plan for dealing with the crisis, by a margin of 55 percent to 49 percent. But on the broader issue of the economy, neither candidate has gained ground since last week’s presidential debate. Obama still holds a relative lead over McCain, with 26 percent very confident in Obama on the economy and 15 percent very confident in McCain. Thirty nine percent say they are not confident in Obama’s ability to handle the economy while 50 percent say the same of McCain.

The economy remains the most important issue among registered voters in deciding their vote in November, and it is only becoming more important to them. Now 59 percent of voters name the economy and jobs as their top issue, seven points higher than last week and 19 points higher than in August.

Just 15 percent of Americans approve of the way President Bush is handling the economy, while 78 percent of Americans disapprove. Even a majority of Republicans disapprove of the President’s handling of this issue.

Overall, the president’s approval rating has dropped five points from last week and is now the lowest of his presidency. Only 22 percent of Americans approve of the job he’s doing, while 70 percent of Americans disapprove - a new high.

President Bush’s job approval rating has dropped 68 points from its all time high of 90 percent back in October, 2001. It now matches Harry Truman’s previous all-time low, recorded by Gallup in February 1952. The 70 percent disapproval rating is higher than any measured since Gallup began asking about presidential job approval in 1938.

The job approval for Congress is even lower. Only 15 percent of Americans approve of the way Congress is handling its job - the lowest figure recorded since CBS started asking the question in 1977. Seventy two percent disapprove.

Only about one in four Americans approve of how either the president or Congress is handling the current financial crisis. And Americans are more pessimistic than ever about the state of the economy. Eighty nine percent say the economy is either fairly or very bad while just 10 percent say it is somewhat good, the lowest such percentage ever recorded by CBS News. Zero percent say the economy is very good.

And 76 percent of Americans think the economy is getting worse - the highest percentage ever. Only 2 percent think the economy is getting better, while one in five thinks it is staying the same.
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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1257 adults nationwide, including 1113 registered voters, interviewed by telephone September 27-30, 2008. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-lines and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

[guysdigdirt]

For all you have it all figured out that it is Bush''s fault this all happened. Check out the NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/gsVtullpage.html?res:9C0DE7D8153EF933A0575AC0A96F958

search for "Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending" and look at the article that was printed on September 30, 1999- yes 1999. go down to paragraph 3 and read.

[guysdigdirt]

For all you have it all figured out that it is Bush''s fault this all happened. Check out the NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/gsVtullpage.html?res:9C0DE7D8153EF933A0575AC0A96F958

search for "Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending" and look at the article that was printed on September 30, 1999- yes 1999. go down to paragraph 3 and read.

[guysdigdirt]

For all you have it all figured out that it is Bush''s fault this all happened. Check out the NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/gsVtullpage.html?res:9C0DE7D8153EF933A0575AC0A96F958

search for "Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending" and look at the article that was printed on September 30, 1999- yes 1999. go down to paragraph 3 and read.

[david393071]

NO BAILOUT

Since you do not understand. NO MEANS NO. NO BAILOUT.

This is what you are doing, have done, and are not doing.

We caught a bunch of crooks in the act of robbing our house, they tortured,raped and killed our spouse, raped our young daughters and sons, killed our dogs and cats, crapped on our floor, they admitted that they did this.

NOW YOU ARE TELLING US TO LET THEM GO, HELP THEM LOAD UP A TRUCK WITH OUR PROPERTY, AND GIVE THEM OUR WALLETS AND LIFE SAVINGS, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?

We need to have anyone dealing with this, accompliances, arrested sent to Guantanimo indefinitely, tried by Military Tribunal, just like the Treasonous Domestic Terrorists that they are, under the Patriot Act.
They accomplished what the 911 Terrorists could not do, "US Economic Crisis", "Pearl Harbor of the US Economy" according to Warren Buffet, "Global War Against Terrorism" per George Bush.

NO BAILOUT. Lynch them. especially those corporate board members that think we don''t know that they bought out Politicians and think they are above the law.


Our allies (Japanese, Germans, British, etc), think this bailout is a bailout of the Corporate Board Members that caused the US Economic Crisis. No punishment means NO CONFIDENCE IN US Political System, US Economy by our Allies.

[david393071]

NO BAILOUT

Since you do not understand. NO MEANS NO. NO BAILOUT.

This is what you are doing, have done, and are not doing.

We caught a bunch of crooks in the act of robbing our house, they tortured,raped and killed our spouse, raped our young daughters and sons, killed our dogs and cats, crapped on our floor, they admitted that they did this.

NOW YOU ARE TELLING US TO LET THEM GO, HELP THEM LOAD UP A TRUCK WITH OUR PROPERTY, AND GIVE THEM OUR WALLETS AND LIFE SAVINGS, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?

We need to have anyone dealing with this, accompliances, arrested sent to Guantanimo indefinitely, tried by Military Tribunal, just like the Treasonous Domestic Terrorists that they are, under the Patriot Act.
They accomplished what the 911 Terrorists could not do, "US Economic Crisis", "Pearl Harbor of the US Economy" according to Warren Buffet, "Global War Against Terrorism" per George Bush.

NO BAILOUT. Lynch them. especially those corporate board members that think we don''t know that they bought out Politicians and think they are above the law.


Our allies (Japanese, Germans, British, etc), think this bailout is a bailout of the Corporate Board Members that caused the US Economic Crisis. No punishment means NO CONFIDENCE IN US Political System, US Economy by our Allies.

[david393071]

NO BAILOUT

Since you do not understand. NO MEANS NO. NO BAILOUT.

This is what you are doing, have done, and are not doing.

We caught a bunch of crooks in the act of robbing our house, they tortured,raped and killed our spouse, raped our young daughters and sons, killed our dogs and cats, crapped on our floor, they admitted that they did this.

NOW YOU ARE TELLING US TO LET THEM GO, HELP THEM LOAD UP A TRUCK WITH OUR PROPERTY, AND GIVE THEM OUR WALLETS AND LIFE SAVINGS, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?

We need to have anyone dealing with this, accompliances, arrested sent to Guantanimo indefinitely, tried by Military Tribunal, just like the Treasonous Domestic Terrorists that they are, under the Patriot Act.
They accomplished what the 911 Terrorists could not do, "US Economic Crisis", "Pearl Harbor of the US Economy" according to Warren Buffet, "Global War Against Terrorism" per George Bush.

NO BAILOUT. Lynch them. especially those corporate board members that think we don''t know that they bought out Politicians and think they are above the law.


Our allies (Japanese, Germans, British, etc), think this bailout is a bailout of the Corporate Board Members that caused the US Economic Crisis. No punishment means NO CONFIDENCE IN US Political System, US Economy by our Allies.

[bc19521221]

I am both angry and opposed to the bailout. But I guess some are missing the object of our anger. It is not just against bailing out Wall Street. It also for the way Congress and the President are proposing to "fix" the problem.
So far nothing in the bill would fix anything, just give Wall Street an opportunity to go out and make more bad loans. And even though the TAXPAYERS put these representatives where they are supposedly to represent us and our opinions, it seems they are tuning us out. After all, THEY know what is best for US, or at least it seems that way.

[goddess2u]

CBS is so biased when it comes to the candidates. Katie Coric''s expressions when she interviewed Sarah Palin shows how much she don''t like her. She gave her a trick question but why didn''t she give one to Biden. You can tell she favors Obama/Biden. That is why CBS is dropping so low in the polls. Why can''t you be fair and balanced like Fox?

[ajmarine111]

1

[kedouglas]

my comment on the bailout I think that mcain and obama,and bush running to bailout the ceo and corp leader who put them self in this situation. need to stop and take a good look of what they are commenting, this country to we the poeople of this country are not all agreeing to this and the next president of unites states weather good or bad will be look at as makeing a bad decision. this was once consider as one of the riches country in the world and now were in business of bailout greeded people who as put them self in this bind if me or you and people who over extended them self by buying home they couldn''t aforward who''s bailing us out they need to save people who loseing home. secure money in the bank that belong to the people. ceo should not walk a way with a slap on the wrist. and there boss.
should not get away . this was a skeem that didn''t work for them it back fire. get rich quick skeem

[kedouglas]

my comment on the bailout I think that mcain and obama,and bush running to bailout the ceo and corp leader who put them self in this situation. need to stop and take a good look of what they are commenting, this country to we the poeople of this country are not all agreeing to this and the next president of unites states weather good or bad will be look at as makeing a bad decision. this was once consider as one of the riches country in the world and now were in business of bailout greeded people who as put them self in this bind if me or you and people who over extended them self by buying home they couldn''t aforward who''s bailing us out they need to save people who loseing home. secure money in the bank that belong to the people. ceo should not walk a way with a slap on the wrist. and there boss.
should not get away . this was a skeem that didn''t work for them it back fire. get rich quick skeem

[praiseallah1]

The Bailout Tick you off too?

Do something about it before it''s too late! Email your Senator and Congressman and DEMAND they vote NO to Bush''s $700 Billion Bailout to Wall Street Firms! We taxpayers already paid Billions in bailouts for AIG, Bear Stearns and others firms and the market is still whole. Now Politicians come on TV saying the same rehearsed talking points to SELL this fraud to Mainstreet but if it''s so DIRE than WHY are leaders adding Billions in wasteful Pork to the Bill.

Go watch these videos documenting the fraud of our elected officials http://wallstreetmarketnews.blogspot.com/2008/10/democrates-defend-fanniefreddie-scam.html

[praiseallah1]

The Bailout Tick you off too?

Do something about it before it''s too late! Email your Senator and Congressman and DEMAND they vote NO to Bush''s $700 Billion Bailout to Wall Street Firms! We taxpayers already paid Billions in bailouts for AIG, Bear Stearns and others firms and the market is still whole. Now Politicians come on TV saying the same rehearsed talking points to SELL this fraud to Mainstreet but if it''s so DIRE than WHY are leaders adding Billions in wasteful Pork to the Bill.

Go watch these videos documenting the fraud of our elected officials http://wallstreetmarketnews.blogspot.com/2008/10/democrates-defend-fanniefreddie-scam.html

[bigal321321]

I am so disappointed. This financial crisis is just a blip in our economy and has been blown completely out of proportion. Left alone it probably would have cured itself but politics had to play a part and here we are. Why an I disappointed? Because both Presidential candidates voted for it. It just shows me that Obama is as big a sell-out as McCain. The rich get richer and as always, we get to pay for it. As a matter of fact, the only chance we have is for the House to vote it down. Cross your fingers folks. Because if they vote with the Senate then you''ll know that your government has just robbed you. This bail out is to help the rich stay rich. OH, my goodness when your making over 250K per year and you have to lose 50K of it you''ll just perish. Reality check here...think about this. McCain voting for the bail-out with President Bush is no surpise but Obama voting with Bush? Who''d a thunk?

[noloyalisti]

This corporate welfare bailout is another scam for the taxpayers. It will just fix it up for a couple months until the collapse continues. They will already have borrowed our taxpayer money and distributed it to themselves and the Republicons.

There is nothing in the bill about rolling back the Government of Pigs (GOP) deregulation and adding strict government oversight. Where are they getting the money for the welfare? There is nothing about raising taxes on the rich criminals who already took our money. What a right wing scam!!!!!!!!!

[random_radar]

You can fool some of the people all of the time--hence the public is split about the virtue of bailing out rich bankers.

You can fool all of the people some of the time--hence we can expect the bail out will pass this week while people are confused and vulnerable to the lies being fed to them.

You can''t fool all of the people all of the time--and we will wake up to a nightmare of an economic catastrophe over the next few years that will make the Great Depression seem like a small bump in the road.

Forget about retirement baby boomers, you will be working at Walmart and McDonald''s till the day you die.

[mikyellow]

how on earth did the bill go from 3 pages to over 400 pages full of earmarks and pork? this just shows how self-serving congress is. they don''t care about the people. and bush, all he''s doing is scaring us into giving him 800 billion. what else is he doing? isn''t he still POTUS? and paulson, I can''t believe he asked for a blank check, no questions asked! they should all be ashamed of themselves!

[msobamaishot]

*** right they''re split...one half is poor and knows it, so they realize the bailout will mean much higher taxes in the future and less money in their pockets. While the other half is poor, but thinks they''re rich because they make a decent amount and have a pretty high net worth due to either a portfolio or a retirement fund. They think the bailout is a good idea because it saves their investments. Little do they know that compared to the Wall St. execs and fund managers making millions each year, who the bail out is truly going to benefit, they''re living in poverty.

[msobamaishot]

*** right they''re split...one half is poor and knows it, so they realize the bailout will mean much higher taxes in the future and less money in their pockets. While the other half is poor, but thinks they''re rich because they make a decent amount and have a pretty high net worth due to either a portfolio or a retirement fund. They think the bailout is a good idea because it saves their investments. Little do they know that compared to the Wall St. execs and fund managers making millions each year, who the bail out is truly going to benefit, they''re living in poverty.

[scallywag8]

I think that about 90% of the general population is against this bill. We do not want to pay for rich people to stay rich. If we have to sleep in our beds then so should they.