57% don't see stimulus working

[cbhope1030]

WASHINGTON — Six months after President Obama launched a $787 billion plan to right the nation's economy, a majority of Americans think the avalanche of new federal aid has cost too much and done too little to end the recession.

A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll found 57% of adults say the stimulus package is having no impact on the economy or making it worse. Even more —60% — doubt that the stimulus plan will help the economy in the years ahead, and only 18% say it has done anything to help improve their personal situation.

That skepticism underscores the challenge Obama faces in trying to convince the public that the stimulus has helped turn the economy around. It also could complicate the administration's plans to overhaul the nation's health care system.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-08-16-stimulus-poll_N.htm

[theal3]

It's working great in my state. Everyday the newspaper has articles of the hirees from stimulus money; good results on cash for clunkers etc. We have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, and it drop from July to June, not huge, but enough..... considering summer employment.

[February]

It's going well in Northern Cali as well. If it were not for the news I wouldn't know any different. The last poll I saw said 50% were dissatisfied.
I have always wondered who these people are, because no one has ever asked or polled me.

[Lady_Jean_La]

I'm in Northern California and I don't see it. State offices closed 3 Fridays a month, courts closed on Wednesday, cuts at colleges, Parks fees up, water rationing, strikes threatened, house prices dropping, etc.

[Re-Poe]

I hear about it quite a bit and see signs on highway construction saying it is from recovery act or something like that. then i saw on the news that some temp jobs had been created and they were paying like 20 bucks an hour. (locally) even a temp job when you have no job is better than nothing and then when temp job runs out you will be elgible for unemployment, maybe....that would give a person even longer to find permanent employment. imo the stimulus is absolutely working.

imo

[Re-Poe]

I'm in Northern California and I don't see it. State offices closed 3 Fridays a month, courts closed on Wednesday, cuts at colleges, Parks fees up, water rationing, strikes threatened, house prices dropping, etc.

Sounds like your state is broke. Not sure stim funds will run state offices. Here in Illinois I heard that a lot of state offices were closed 8/17. Illinois is broke. Rod sunk us. I hope we can recover from his bungling job as guvna. My friend who is Exec Director of one of the Women's Shelters is having a horrible time because state funding has went kaput for a lot of social programs. It really is a bad time to live in Illinois. imo

[Doc Holliday]

Strictly speaking, the Cash for Clunkers program wasn't part of the stimulus was it? This is an honest question because I'm too lazy to google for it. Did they take that money from the $700 billion stimulus?

Anyway, my beef with the stimulus is that it wasn't fast enough. I think the theory is sound - when you get in this type of recession a temporary increase in government spending can shove the economy back towards full output/full employment.

But the stimulus seems too watered down - and too spread out over time. Now, I know that the reason is that the system just isn't engineered for such a thing, but still.......

It looks to me like this was where we stood as of August 7: $200 billion available, and $70 billion actually paid out. http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/report-progress

[Doc Holliday]

er...make that 77 billion paid out...

[Lady_Jean_La]

Sounds like your state is broke. Not sure stim funds will run state offices. Here in Illinois I heard that a lot of state offices were closed 8/17. Illinois is broke. Rod sunk us. I hope we can recover from his bungling job as guvna. My friend who is Exec Director of one of the Women's Shelters is having a horrible time because state funding has went kaput for a lot of social programs. It really is a bad time to live in Illinois. imo

The largest income item of California is federal money. Some state employees are totally federally funded. imo

[Truberry]

Strictly speaking, the Cash for Clunkers program wasn't part of the stimulus was it? This is an honest question because I'm too lazy to google for it. Did they take that money from the $700 billion stimulus?

Anyway, my beef with the stimulus is that it wasn't fast enough. I think the theory is sound - when you get in this type of recession a temporary increase in government spending can shove the economy back towards full output/full employment.

But the stimulus seems too watered down - and too spread out over time. Now, I know that the reason is that the system just isn't engineered for such a thing, but still.......

It looks to me like this was where we stood as of August 7: $200 billion available, and $70 billion actually paid out. http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/report-progress

Doc, I agree it wasn't quick enough, we really needed a stimulus that would actually stimulate asap.. the only way I saw for that to happen was to stimulate the American people's pocket books..instead of giving the money to states for pork projects.. I've heard nothing but disappointment, states budgets are being cut.. obviously they aren't getting the stimulus that they need..where the heck did it go? hmmm

[flareon]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-08-16-stimulus-poll_N.htm

I'm not surprised. The numbers were always so arbitrary and were used to push through a bill. There was never any way to prove or disprove any benefits. Most people always knew that the economy would improve even by doing nothing. The banking was the biggest problem. I never agreed with the TARP, but I could understand why it was done. After that, the constant stream of monies became a way to pay back patronage and to buy votes.

[Dovey]

It ain't working in Chicago as it was all closed down yesterday, it ain't working in Detroit or the states of MI or Indiana, or Ohio, Nevada, Florida and many other states. Just were is it all working?
Oh yea, it's working in Washington DC with government jobs and it's working in low income areas, that's about all that is working....

AIN't working is it?

[Dovey]

Strictly speaking, the Cash for Clunkers program wasn't part of the stimulus was it? This is an honest question because I'm too lazy to google for it. Did they take that money from the $700 billion stimulus?

Anyway, my beef with the stimulus is that it wasn't fast enough. I think the theory is sound - when you get in this type of recession a temporary increase in government spending can shove the economy back towards full output/full employment.

But the stimulus seems too watered down - and too spread out over time. Now, I know that the reason is that the system just isn't engineered for such a thing, but still.......

It looks to me like this was where we stood as of August 7: $200 billion available, and $70 billion actually paid out. http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/report-progress

Now that Obama owns the auto industry where do you think the cash for clunkers $$ are coming from? Obama want to own all the insurance agencies, what is next? Hope it's not who you work for or you will also be out of a job like the other of millions of American citizens.

[theal3]

And nearly 57% didn't think the Republican Admin. was working either after 8 years..... I'ts only been a few month since the stimulus went into effect, what's the rush?