Fifty-nine percent (59%) of American adults say it’s better for the economy to let American International Group (AIG) go out of business rather than providing federal subsidies to keep the insurance giant afloat.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that only 18% think it’s better to provide the subsidies while 24% are not sure.

But those who align with America’s Political Class have a fundamentally different view. By a 70% to 11% margin, the Political Class believes it is better to keep AIG in business through subsidies.

At the other extreme, 73% of Populists say it’s better to let AIG go out of business. Populists represent a majority of the country and it’s reasonable to consider their views as the views of Mainstream America.

Those who find themselves in the middle, between the Political Class and Mainstream America, say it’s better to let AIG go by a 44% to 22% margin.

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Beginning this week, Rasmussen Reports will periodically release data highlighting the gap between Mainstream America and the Political Class on issues of the day. From the mainstream, or populist, point of view, big government and big business are political allies rather than political opponents.

As defined by recent research, 55% of Americans are Populists. Another 20% lean in that direction, meaning the 75% generally hold the attitudes of Mainstream America. Only seven percent (7%) are aligned with the Political Class. Another 7% lean towards the Political Class views.

It’s worth noting that the gap between Mainstream America and the Political Class is far bigger than the partisan gap within those groups.

Among Republicans who share the mainstream view, 77% say it’s best to let AIG go out of business. So do 70% of Democrats in this group and 72% of those not affiliated with either major party. There are roughly equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats holding the mainstream, or populist, view.

Overall, just nine percent (9%) of Americans believe that any additional money should be provided to AIG. Populists reject the idea of more money for the insurance giant by an 85% to seven percent (7%) margin. Those in the Political Class are more conflicted: 45% are opposed to more money for AIG while 24% support it.

AIG has already received $170 billion as a bailout from the federal government to stay in business but has triggered public outrage with reports that it gave its executives $165 million in bonuses after the bailout. Seventy-six percent (76%) of Americans say those who got the bonuses should be required to give them back.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Americans also 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.

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