In a recent poll by the Pew Research Center the following question was asked:
(Was) TARP enacted under Bush or Obama?
The disturbing part is how few people knew the correct answer - Bush. Below is the percentage of people (by political affiliation) who answered correctly:
Republicans - 36%
Democrats - 34%
Independents - 35%
I think this lack of understanding has a direct impact on President Obama and his agenda. Polls suggest that Americans are unhappy with TARP and if they believe President Obama is at fault for this thing they don't like then using the transitive property they will think other legislation that the President backs will be similarly flawed.
TARP was initiated under Bush and was loaded down with pork. McCain, who campaigned against pork, voted for TARP and drove a "final nail" into the coffin of his presidential aspirations.
ReplyDeletehttp://troubled-asset-relief-program.net/bailout-pork/
Similarly flawed legislation? Do you mean the 2000 page plus monstrosity that grew in the middle of the night and hadn't been read before being voted on and where Pelosi said you have to pass it to actually find out what's in it?