Thursday, February 05, 2009

Pity

Rasmussen Reports: Support for Stimulus Package Falls to 37%

And a dash of humility.

Maybe I underestimate the American people.

Posted by Ben Sutherland at 2/05/2009 08:22:00 AM

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rasmussen #'s indicate that a stimulus package featuring big tax cuts and massive spending increases would have widespread support.

Which makes you wonder whether you're really underestimating the American people.

Apparently, the most popular tactic would be to run up a big, fat, nearly-impossible-to-repay debt.

Would someone remind me how we got in this mess in the first place? Oh, right. At least part of it started in the housing market where too many people were running up big, fat, nearly-impossible-to-repay debts.

We're in crazy stupid territory right now and the idiocy is flying from just about every direction.

This is what happens when panic replaces reason, I suppose.

As silly as this stimulus package is gonna be (and it will be silly), I'm not hearing anything wiser from anyone else in a position to do anything.

I'm amazed by the level of panic amongst the elected class and our collective unwillingness to recognize that opportunity for success comes with a risk of hardship.

Friday, February 6, 2009 at 11:07:00 AM CST
Ben Sutherland said...

"I'm amazed by the level of panic amongst the elected class and our collective unwillingness to recognize that opportunity for success comes with a risk of hardship."

Exactly, Carson. It's self-centered, on everyone's part. This scenario is exactly one of the more fundamental reasons that Friedman advocated free markets. Because when government picks winners and losers, it undermines that very important principle of profit ventures. And it tends to favor big guys over little guys. All of which is coming to pass.

The numbers I saw on Rasmussen, Carson, were mixed and in the same direction as this headline. But, as always, I'm probably just missing the boat. I'll talk with you about the numbers you're talking about.

But the bigger principle - that Americans want their cake and to eat it in big, luxurious McMansions that someone else is paying for is well taken.

Americans are so pampered and lazy. I am too. I can just admit it.

I'm with Buffet. I'm open to a stimulus working. I just want people to be honest if it doesn't. And I want someone, anyone, to take responsibility for this enormous deficit that is being persistently run up, like money grows on trees - or, more appropriate the mindset of folks like Paul Krugman, that someone else made it and not him - in the meantime.

To be honest, I don't think the stimulus is going to work. And when this many Americans are saying that it's not going to work - and it is them that it is supposed to work on, remember - I think that's a pretty bad sign for the whole deal.

Hope'n'change spring eternal. We'll see what happens.

Friday, February 6, 2009 at 7:20:00 PM CST

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