CBS Poll: Support For Stimulus Falls

Survey Finds Half The Country Backs Bill, But Support Is Down From January; Obama Seen As Working For Bipartisanship

(CBS)  Slightly more than half the country approves of President Obama's $800 billion-plus stimulus package, a new CBS News poll finds. But support for the bill has fallen 12 points since January, and nearly half of those surveyed do not believe it will shorten the recession.

Fifty-one percent of those surveyed support the stimulus package, while 39 percent do not. An additional 10 percent don't know. Last month, 63 percent supported the package and just 24 percent opposed it.

Americans believe the president is following through on his promise to establish greater bipartisanship in Washington: The public overwhelmingly thinks Obama is reaching out to Congressional Republicans, with 81 percent saying he is doing so.

Americans do not believe that Congressional Democrats and Republicans are following suit, however: Only 49 percent believe that Congressional Democrats are striving for bipartisanship, and just 41 percent say Congressional Republicans are seeking bipartisanship.

The different perceptions are reflected in the various parties' approval ratings: President Obama's approval rating stands at 62 percent, while the overall approval rating of Congress is 26 percent. (Read more on the poll's findings on the president's approval rating here.)

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Read The Complete Poll (PDF)

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Eighty-one percent of Americans say the stimulus bill should be a bipartisan effort. Just 13 percent think it is okay for a bill to be passed with only the backing of the Democratic majority.

There are signs that Americans are receptive to Republicans' push to increase the proportion of tax cuts in the stimulus bill: Asked whether higher government spending or tax cuts for business would be more effective in ending the recession, 59 percent choose the tax cuts. Just 22 percent prefer more government spending.

The approval rating for Congressional Democrats is 48 percent, while the approval rating for Congressional Republicans is 32 percent. Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is unknown to most Americans, but she gets a 3-to-1 negative rating from those familiar with her.

The public is not optimistic about the impact of the economic stimulus bill: Just 21 percent believe it will significantly shorten the recession. An additional 18 percent believe it will shorten the recession slightly. Forty-five percent say it will not shorten the recession at all.

Americans are also pessimistic about the economy and their prospects in it. Forty-four percent are very concerned that they or someone in their household will be out of work and looking for a job sometime in the next twelve months - an increase of 14 points from last month and the highest number since CBS News began asking the question in 1996. Another 28 percent are somewhat concerned.

And nearly all Americans - 94 percent - think the economy is in bad shape. That's the highest number in the more than two decades CBS News has been asking this question. Only 5 percent say the economy is good, an all-time low.

Fifty-one percent say the economy is getting worse. More than half say the recession will last two years or longer; an additional 30 percent say it will last one year, while nine percent expect it to last six months.

Sixty-eight percent of Americans think the country is on the wrong track. They are more optimistic than they have been, however: The figure is 11 points lower than it was before the Inauguration, and 21 points lower than it was last fall.

Twenty-three percent now think the country is headed in the right direction - up eight points from just last month and 16 points from an all-time low last October.

Americans continue to be divided on the idea of the government providing money to the nation’s struggling banks and financial institutions, but slightly more now disapprove (47 percent) than approve (42 percent) of the idea. In December, slightly more Americans approved of the bank bailout than disapproved.

More than half of Americans believe the federal government should decide how government money given to financial companies should be spent. Just 27 percent believe financial institutions should decide.

The public does not want the government to own banks, however: Just 14 percent say the government should own and control banks, while 76 percent say the government should not.

President Obama has ordered the detention facility on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, shut down within a year. Americans are divided on the question. Forty-four percent agree that the facility should be shut down, while slightly more - 46 percent - think it should be kept open.

Thirty-six percent say closing the detention facility will make the United States less safe from terrorism. About half think closing it will have no impact, while four percent think closing the prison will make the U.S. safer.

About a quarter of Americans who want the prison closed cite concerns about the treatment of prisoners: that they are being tortured, having their human rights violated or are being otherwise mistreated. Sixteen percent think it is simply a waste of money, while 13 percent think closing the facility will improve the image of the United States and its relations with the rest of the world.

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 864 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone February 2-4, 2009. 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.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

[roystoll2]

Did anybody see the "FACT CHECK" report on Obama"s speech last night? It was from the AP and points out EIGHT LIES (OR DESCREPANCIES) IN HIS SPEECH. This guy is the lyingest political figure that I have ever seen even counting Roland Burris. I even think that the media is catching on. He doesn't even know who invented the automobile and he is going to "fix" the economy. The only thing he has ever "fixed" was the election. Also, as more and more time passes it is more apparent that the Democratic party was almost wholly responsible for the financial crisis. Surprise!...Bill Clinton and Robert Rubin, his Secretary of the Treasury, DEREGULATED THE BANKS ENDING THE BARRIERS BETWEEN REGULAR BANKS AND WALL STREET BANKS. bLAME THAT ON THE REPUBLICANS NOW, YOU LIBERAL LOSERS! BILL CLINTON, ROBERT RUBIN, BARNEY FRANK, CHRIS DODD, FRANKLIN RAINES, MAXINE WATTERS, HERBERT MOSES, BARACK OBAMA. ANY REPUBLICANS IN THIS GROUP!!!!?

[smartasss1]

Fact check? This from someone who listens to Fox News. I will tell you who doesn't know who invented the automobile and a lot of other things. GEORGE BUSH.

P.S. you don't have to press 'submit' twice.

[roystoll2]

Did anybody see the "FACT CHECK" report on Obama"s speech last night? It was from the AP and points out EIGHT LIES (OR DESCREPANCIES) IN HIS SPEECH. This guy is the lyingest political figure that I have ever seen even counting Roland Burris. I even think that the media is catching on. He doesn't even know who invented the automobile and he is going to "fix" the economy. The only thing he has ever "fixed" was the election. Also, as more and more time passes it is more apparent that the Democratic party was almost wholly responsible for the financial crisis. Surprise!...Bill Clinton and Robert Rubin, his Secretary of the Treasury, DEREGULATED THE BANKS ENDING THE BARRIERS BETWEEN REGULAR BANKS AND WALL STREET BANKS. bLAME THAT ON THE REPUBLICANS NOW, YOU LIBERAL LOSERS! BILL CLINTON, ROBERT RUBIN, BARNEY FRANK, CHRIS DODD, FRANKLIN RAINES, MAXINE WATTERS, HERBERT MOSES, BARACK OBAMA. ANY REPUBLICANS IN THIS GROUP!!!!?

[roystoll2]

The unions When they get all powerful, like the UAW or THE STEELWORKERS, ETC. have killed just about every single industry that they have infected. Don't worry though, Obama will bail them out. Just look exactly where the stimulus money is going. Have you ever wondered why almost all of the Union dominated companies and areas are in the deepest recession, while most of the non-union companies are still open and running? Maybe it is just a coincidence.

[smartasss1]

If Bush did not Fck up everything we wouldn't need a stimulus.
At least the $787 Billion stimulus was spent here than the $600 Billion Bush spent in Iraq. Would you rather have a 1930s like depression?

[tvchpete]

somebody tell this louisianna gov to back to his corrupt state and shut up

[tvchpete]

i dont know why republicans hate investing in america, but love spending billions in iraq and other oil rich countrys, they cant face the fact that reaganomics is a failure only the rich prosper from giving to the rich, bobby jindal is a crook from a crooked state

[clovisbuford]

The so-called "Stimulus Bill" is nothing more or less than the most massive pile of PORK ever seen. BHO comes across as petulant and immature. OINK OINK OINK.
Posted by tucanofulano at 08:58 PM : Feb 08, 2009
Yeah because taht last 20 yrs of deregulation and lack of oversight of our financial markets has worked so well .We have jsut had 8 yrs of massive tax cuts for the wealthy and two wars fought on credit under republicans , oh yeah our national debt doubled by 5 trillion dollars , our economy suffered its biggest collapse since the great depression.. but you talk about pork .. denial is not a river in Egypt .. turn rush back on , go towards the light , reality has no place here in La La conservative land .

[clovisbuford]

The country didn''''t want the first stimulus package by a very wide margin, they didn''''t listen then and they won''''t listen now, this has been coming since the early 90''''s. I have to ask myself what Warren Buffet does at age 75 with a trillion dollars in the bank, I bet it makes the hamburger a pretty casual affair, I don''''t think they are listening to anything we have to say out here, they are under the assumption that its Wall Street leading Main Street when its been the other way around all along, Its a hopeless cause, you can''''t force people to buy automobiles or invest in the market.
Posted by spaceatoms at 11:57 PM : Feb 08, 2009 If you want to know what warren buffet does with his personal money , the bulk of it goes to charity .He has already donated the bulk of his fortune to the billgates foundation (he says why reinvent the wheel) He supports a progressive income tax ( you know that socialism thing started by teddy roosevelt Republican) Buffet also supports the inheritance tax ,(you know republicans call it the death tax) etc. He says that the american system has until recently kept an American middle class and what has enabled all of our successes his included. He has challenged any other member of the Forbes 400 to show that they pay more a percentage in income tax than their secretary and he will pay a million dollars to the charity of their choice . it stands uncollected at this point .

[spinproof]

Former President Bush created more U.S. Debt than all the other U.S. Presidents combined, during his terms in office President Bush added over $5 trillion dollars to U.S. Debt all by himself! So if this current proposal by President Obama is generational theft as Sen. John McCain claims, then how does he describe the debt former Pres. Bush created? The sick thing about the new $5 trillion dollar debt former Pres. Bush added is that he has nothing to show for it! What can Pres. Bush point to that justifies $5 trillion in new U.S. Debt? Can someone point to something meaningful former Pres. Bush acquired with the $5 trillion, I would love to see an itemized list on where this money went, but like most Republican spending, dream on trying to account for it!

[spaceatoms]

The country didn''t want the first stimulus package by a very wide margin, they didn''t listen then and they won''t listen now, this has been coming since the early 90''s. I have to ask myself what Warren Buffet does at age 75 with a trillion dollars in the bank, I bet it makes the hamburger a pretty casual affair, I don''t think they are listening to anything we have to say out here, they are under the assumption that its Wall Street leading Main Street when its been the other way around all along, Its a hopeless cause, you can''t force people to buy automobiles or invest in the market.

[spaceatoms]

The country didn''t want the first stimulus package by a very wide margin, they didn''t listen then and they won''t listen now, this has been coming since the early 90''s. I have to ask myself what Warren Buffet does at age 75 with a trillion dollars in the bank, I bet it makes the hamburger a pretty casual affair, I don''t think they are listening to anything we have to say out here, they are under the assumption that its Wall Street leading Main Street when its been the other way around all along, Its a hopeless cause, you can''t force people to buy automobiles or invest in the market.

[spaceatoms]

The country didn''t want the first stimulus package by a very wide margin, they didn''t listen then and they won''t listen now, this has been coming since the early 90''s. I have to ask myself what Warren Buffet does at age 75 with a trillion dollars in the bank, I bet it makes the hamburger a pretty casual affair, I don''t think they are listening to anything we have to say out here, they are under the assumption that its Wall Street leading Main Street when its been the other way around all along, Its a hopeless cause, you can''t force people to buy automobiles or invest in the market.

[spaceatoms]

The country didn''t want the first stimulus package by a very wide margin, they didn''t listen then and they won''t listen now, this has been coming since the early 90''s. I have to ask myself what Warren Buffet does at age 75 with a trillion dollars in the bank, I bet it makes the hamburger a pretty casual affair, I don''t think they are listening to anything we have to say out here, they are under the assumption that its Wall Street leading Main Street when its been the other way around all along, Its a hopeless cause, you can''t force people to buy automobiles or invest in the market.

[spaceatoms]

The country didn''t want the first stimulus package by a very wide margin, they didn''t listen then and they won''t listen now, this has been coming since the early 90''s. I have to ask myself what Warren Buffet does at age 75 with a trillion dollars in the bank, I bet it makes the hamburger a pretty casual affair, I don''t think they are listening to anything we have to say out here, they are under the assumption that its Wall Street leading Main Street when its been the other way around all along, Its a hopeless cause, you can''t force people to buy automobiles or invest in the market.

[bact982]

It would be best for the US to follow the Chinese economic model of the great cultural revolution. China has become a great power again since the revolution. Goverment knows best and the elite/educated (anyone that knew better) were sent on a long trip from where there is no return.

[strangeworld]

"OINK OINK OINK"

Who said republicans act like spoiled children?

[tucano2]

The so-called "Stimulus Bill" is nothing more or less than the most massive pile of PORK ever seen. BHO comes across as petulant and immature. OINK OINK OINK.

[strangeworld]

Republican tax cuts that are supposed to let people keep their money have historically cost future generations of Americans...the GOP pays for such things with debt that must be paid at sometime in the future. We''re just about debted out.

Giving money to those who already have it, whether it be through personal or business tax cuts or other programs, will not create jobs or help those who are not making ends meat. Giving the stimulus money to those who don''t have much, while not popular with some, is a surefire way to get all the taxpayers money back into the economy creating jobs. Give $10,0000 to someone who''s living comfortably and it will not enetr the economy...give $10,000 to someone who''s poor and it''s going to be spent. There should be stipulations though on what it''s spent on, it doesn''t do us much good to allow our tax money to be spent on foreign goods and services when Americans need jobs right now.

[szapper08]

WHEN ARE THESE PEOPLE GOING TO GROW UP?????? Do you think these "supposed" adults could just put away their petty bulls*** and TRY to get something done that will help the American people get back on their feet and get this economy going again. I am so sick and tired of the pettiness in Congress and the Senate, and the finger pointing that goes on. Every one of these so called "people''s representatives" needs to get their acts together. I am SO for limited terms for all of idiots in office. All they want is to get to Washington just so they can make their connections for furthering their incomes in some lobbist position.

[hofkurz]

I don''t pay attention to polls especially when they don''t ask me for my opinion.
The GOP needs to get over themselves. They lost the election.
And why are people forgetting the $592M spent on the US embassy in Baghdad or the $621M spent on the Capitol Visitor Center?
Bush left trillions in debt and an unnecessary conflict in Iraq.
Wish there were more CEOs like Haruka Nishimatsu of JAL.

[wvhaas50]

I have yet to see any change, just another party in charge. Neither of them seem interested in actually doing what is best for the country.

Why can''t they just deal with a bill that creates or saves jobs (NOW) and deal with the other stuff later.