President Barack Obama laid out three major – and costly - policy goals in his Tuesday night speech to the nation – health care reform, development of new sources of energy and ensuring that every child has “a complete and competitive education.” He also repeated his pledge to cut the federal deficit in half in four years.
Former President Clinton last week gave fellow Democrat Barack Obama top marks for his handling of the economy but said the new chief executive needs to be more optimistic when talking publicly about economic issues. Forty-six percent (46%) of U.S. voters agree, saying President Obama should speak more positively about the economy.
Half (50%) of American voters give President Obama good or excellent marks on his handling of the economy at the close of a busy but turbulent week for the new chief executive.
Forty-nine percent (49%) of U.S. voters trust their own judgment more than President Obama’s when it comes to the economic issues affecting the nation.
Sixty percent (60%) of U.S. voters say the economic stimulus plan that is emerging from Congress is mostly what Democrats want rather than a truly bipartisan product.
President Obama’s prime-time press conference and his campaign-style events this week have boosted support for the economic recovery plan working its way through Congress.
The Senate is scheduled to vote today on an $838-billion economic stimulus plan, but 58% of U.S. voters say most members of Congress will not understand what is in the plan before they vote on it.
With the Senate poised to vote Tuesday on an $827-billion version of the economic recovery plan, 62% of U.S. voters want the plan to include more tax cuts and less government spending.
President Obama last Thursday night stated his belief in the need for urgent action on the economic recovery bill working its way through Congress. “If we do not move swiftly … an economy that is already in crisis will be faced with catastrophe,” he declared. Obama repeated that sentiment in his nationwide radio address on Saturday.
The majority of Americans say most members of Congress don’t pay all the taxes they owe. In fact, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% are confident that their elected representatives do pay the taxes they levy on others.
