With public outrage building over bonuses paid to executives of the bailed-out American International Group (AIG), 68% of Americans now believe most of the taxpayer money given out as bailouts is going to the very people who created the country’s current economic crisis.

Seventy percent (70%) of investors hold that view along with 67% of non-investors.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that, overall, only 18% disagree and 14% are undecided.

Separate survey data recently found that 64% of Americans believe that big business and big government typically work together against the interests of consumers and voters. Only 15% disagree.

Americans have consistently been wary of the large taxpayer-backed bailouts and 65% now say Wall Street has benefited more from the bailouts than the average U.S. taxpayer. Only 18% believe the taxpayer has benefited more.

These numbers are roughly comparable to the findings in a survey in October just after Wall Street’s problems burst into public view and Congress was close to passage of its first bailout plan for the financial industry despite strong public opposition.

Seventy-six percent (76%) say executives of American International Group (AIG) should be required to give back the bonuses they were given – after taxpayers gave the huge insurance company a $170-billion bailout to stay in business. Just 17% disagree.

Earlier this year, 88% said that the executives of companies that need federal money to stay in business should not receive bonuses.

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Investor confidence as measured in the Rasmussen Investor Index has been up in recent days from record lows.

Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Democrats say the AIG executives should be required to give back the bonuses, compared to 65% of Republicans and 73% of adults not affiliated with either major party.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of Republicans say most of the bailout money is going to the people who created the economic crisis. So do 67% of Democrats and 65% of unaffiliated Americans (see crosstabs).

Public anger over the AIG bonuses has both the Obama administration and congressional leaders on the defensive, and it’s clear Americans are following the story. Eighty-eight percent (88%) say they are following new stories about the bonuses at least somewhat closely, with 55% following very closely. Only two percent (2%) say they are not following the AIG story at all.

Given the choice between federal bailouts for the auto companies, the finance industry and financially trouble homeowners or no bailouts for any of them, 54% of Americans oppose all of the bailouts.

President Barack Obama continues to get good approval ratings in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll, but the level of voter disapproval has been rising in recent weeks.

The president of AIG said Wednesday in a testy congressional hearing that he has asked employees making more than $100,000 per year to give back half of the bonuses they received. Some, he said, have given all the money back.

Congress is also considering a special tax on the bonuses to try to recoup some of the money.

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