A majority of voters (54%) believe a major government economic recovery plan is necessary to restore the U.S. economy to good health.

Just one-third (33%) say the economy can recover on its own, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure.

But 55% of voters also say that any economic recovery plan approved by Congress should include tax cuts. Only 21% disagree, with 24% undecided.

Voters’ unwavering support for tax cuts shows why President-elect Obama’s team felt it essential this week to announce that they were definitely a key part of the economic recovery plan now being put together. The announcement also was intended to counter criticism that Democrats were taking an “open checkbook” approach to the recovery plan which could range in size from $800 billion to $1.2 trillion.

Obama continues to chalk up high ratings in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Approval Index.

Forty-eight percent (48%) say any recovery plan should include major spending increases for roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects, but 35% oppose such spending. Seventeen percent (17%) aren’t sure.

Support for a mega-infrastructure plan is down from 60% in early December.

The plan being fashioned by Democrats reportedly aims to create three million new jobs, including 600,000 new government positions. But 48% of voters say more government jobs are bad for the economy. Thirty-seven percent (37%) think the government jobs will be good for the economy, and six percent (6%) say they will have no impact. Nine percent (9%) are not sure.

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The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures the economic confidence of consumers on a daily basis, for Wednesday finds that 19% of adults say their personal finances are getting better while 50% say their finances are getting worse.

Higher income voters tend to be more confident than those who earn less that the economy can recover on its own.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of investors say a major government economic recovery plan is needed, compared to 61% of non-investors.

Democrats are clearly much more enthusiastic about a big government plan than Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major party.

While 77% of Democrats say a major government recovery plan is needed to restore the economy, just 34% of Republicans and 46% of unaffiliated voters agree. Fifty-four percent (54%) of GOP voters and 37% of unaffiliateds say the economy can recover on its own, a view shared by just 12% of Democrats.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Republicans and 57% of unaffiliated voters say the plan should include major tax cuts, compared to 47% of Democrats.

Democrats are far more enthusiastic about the infrastructure spending, with 58% in favor of it, compared to 51% of unaffiliated voters and only 32% of Republicans. Nearly half of Republicans (49%) oppose that spending, along with 33% of unaffiliated voters and just 25% of Democrats.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Democrats also believe more government jobs are good for the economy, although only 34% of unaffiliateds and 15% of GOP voters agree. Seventy-one percent (71%) of Republicans and 50% of unaffiliated voters say the additional government jobs are bad for the economy, as do just 28% of Democrats.

Interestingly, government workers themselves are more ambivalent about the benefits of additional jobs. While 46% say more government jobs are good for the economy, 37% disagree. Four percent (4%) say they would have no impact, and 13% are not sure.

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