WASHINGTON (CNN) – Six months after the $787 billion economic stimulus package became law, a new poll indicates a majority of Americans don't think it's working.
Fifty-seven percent of those questioned in a USA Today/Gallup survey released Monday say the federal stimulus has had no effect on the economy so far, or has made things worse. Just over four in 10 say the stimulus has made things better.
The poll also suggests that six in 10 doubt that the stimulus package will make things better in the future, with 38 percent saying the infusion of money from Washington will have a positive effect on the nation's economy.
"Support for the stimulus package dropped significantly even before it was passed, and six months ago the public was evenly divided over whether it would help the economy," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Americans have never supported the idea of a second stimulus bill - back in March, two-thirds opposed that idea."
The stimulus package includes nearly $300 billion in tax cuts and nearly $500 billion in new spending. No Republicans in the House of Representatives, and only three in the Senate, voted in favor of the bill.
Republicans have been vocal in criticizing what they call the ineffectiveness of the stimulus package to lower unemployment and jump start the economy.
The USA Today/Gallup poll was conducted August 6-9, with 1,010 adults questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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Americans stop expecting this President to wave a magic wand over everything and just fix it immediately. This did not happen overnite and it won't be fixed overnite. That is how we got in this mess in the first place. Let's stop living in this microwave society and put some of the blame where it belogs on us.
Don't need a poll to illustrate the obvious.
But those $600 checks that Bush handed out worked great!!! CNN reports another dire issue worthy of THE SITUATION ROOM!!!
The one rare commodity the Americans need is Patience. It is costly, it is dear , and it is utterly unpredictable in its manifestation, especially when the times are hard.
What did John King do this poll. Everyone knows him and his wife are in the tank for the republicans.
Give it time. It's saved jobs.
Another administration blunder.
What, the stimulus not working!!
What, no end in sight for the war!!!
What, no health care reform!!!!
You like apples far lefties? Well, how do like them apples!!!
This poll just shows that non-thinking people don't think.
6 months to immediate results? That's a rather naive expectation.
Stimulus not working? So how come the Dow isn't sub 6000? Unemployment is the last to rebound so these misleading polls are doing nothing but creating more skeptics.
The stimulus is designed to work in TWO YEARS, not 6 months.
How could it possibly be working when so little of it has been implemented so far? What a crock. This was just your standard spending bill that they put the word "stimulus" on. Nothing different whatsoever. Spend spend spend. That is what Democrats do best.
Maybe Bush's $600 checks didn't do much – so Obama writes the equivalent of a $2,600 check for every man, woman, and child in the country... for what??? Liberal pork projects.
Well duh! Government does not create wealth. Only the private sector can do that. Obama and the democrats might as well had taken that 800 billion dollars and flushed it down the Washington D.C. sewage system. It was one of the horrendous acts of government stupidity I think I have ever witnessed.
microwave society. well put. so many want everything NOW!! first you have to plant the seed, nurture the plant, harvest, prepare, serve–then hopefully enjoy your meal.
The solution to the problems in the economy is NOT to spend more than we have (which is the Obama solution). That's just one of many reasons why people are losing faith in him quickly.
Just another Obama screwup – we are paying dearly for the community organizer's inexperience.
How many even went to the site and looked at data?
As previously stated... IT'S ONLY BEEN 6 MONTHS! These things take time.
Sheesh!
Why is it that people(Republicans) thing that President can cure the
economic (Unemployment) in six months when Reagan could
not do such when he was in office, They did not complain. He,
the President is not a magic worker. They just want to see the
President fail. They cannot say they do because if they did not,
they would try to work with him. There is one reason but they
are afraid to admit.
S
Most people have such a negative view these days that they would never admit it if they did think it was working. If the economy gets worse it is because of the stimulus. If it gets better then it must be just natural ebs and flows of the market. Despite the number of people who claim they are not victims of talking points that is what is going on. Here and in much of the public opinion that is being expressed lately. All you hear and read is how bad everything is. People protest in a town hall meeting and it is all over the news. Promising economic indicators are released and there is a paragraph at the bottom of the list.
How many of those people who have such strong beliefs have even taken a college economics course? How many books have they read about economic theory? Can they even discuss it without including a talking point?
It took them 8 years to figure out that Bush & Co were criminals but can't wait 6 months for things to magically improve. Without meaningful health care reform you can bet that the economy will sink very fast.
It took more than six months to ge into this mess. It's going to take more than six months to get out of it. Life is not a drive through,
Give it time. Oh I forgot this President is not allowed time when the previous one had all the time in the world (to put us in this situation). Wonder why there is a different standard for the Black President. Maybe because there are always different standards for people if they are not rich or white.
What, you mean creating artificial demand for goods and services doesn't actually work in creating REAL sustained demand for products?
Hmmm... who'd have guessed.
You'd have thought that George Du(M)bya Bush's tax "rebate" fiasco seven years ago (of giving $100 to every Tom-Dick-and-Harry in the country) would have put this notion to bed forever.
The "bailouts" are a failure.
TARP is a failure. (thanks for that fiasco Du[m]bya!)
The "stimulus" (AKA "porkulus") is a failure.
Cash for Clunkers is a failure...
Healthcare "reform" is D.O.A.
"Cap-n-tax-n-tax-n-tax" is also D.O.A.
Obama is a one-and-done president.
Four and the door.
Government – get the hell out of the market!
Gee, it's been how many months and the stimulus is still not working!? What is wrong with this President. He's been in office 6 months and he hasn't accomplished all that he said he would do. If John McCain were President the economy would have turned around overnight. People get REAL. The man is not a miracle worker. Things will get better. It takes time. And for those who supported McCain if you think things would be different if he were in office, you're in denial.