Do you have more faith in gov't or big business?
(PHOTO CREDIT: JIM WATSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Americans are mad as hell... and they're keeping both big business and government in the crosshairs. The Wall Street Journal reports that historically the public focuses its anger on either one institution or the other - but not this time.
On the one hand, people are frustrated with the Wall Street failures that led to this financial mess; and they're outraged at ongoing situations like bonus payouts at AIG. But Americans also see too much involvement by Congress and the federal government - accusing the administration of "socialism" and a "takeover" of the economy.
What's interesting here is some don't see government and business as opposing forces, rather they see "a unified elite pursuing one big swindle." For example - the government using hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayers' money to bail out banks and automakers.
This anger at both government and business is making it difficult for either Democrats or Republicans to connect with voters. A founder of one "tea party" group says the greatest movement within the tea party is "None of the above," a belief that lawmakers in both political parties aren't cutting it and need to be removed. People really do get it. The question I keep coming back to is: Why do we continue to re-elect incumbents?
Democrats say once their agenda is in place - it will prove they can solve problems and people won't distrust government as much. Talk is cheap. So far the Democrats don't have a lot to show for their control of the executive and legislative branches of government.
Here’s my question to you: At this point, do you have more faith in government or big business?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Crime a greater threat to your well-being than a year ago?
Three-quarters of Americans say there is more crime in the U.S. than there was a year ago. Gallup's annual crime poll shows this is the highest level since the early 1990s. The poll also finds 51-percent of Americans say there is more crime in their local area than a year ago.
The official crime statistics won't be released until next year. But it's worth noting that during difficult economic times - it's not uncommon for crime to increase. And even though the statistics aren't out yet - it seems like stories about crime and violence are everywhere these days:
– Making national headlines, there was the brutal beating death of a 16-year-old honor student in Chicago... which was only one example of an epidemic of murders of young people in that city.
- Not far from Chicago - In Joliet, Illinois - where shootings and murders are up from last year - some people are afraid to come out of their homes.
- In Washington, D.C. - Two teens were killed and three others were wounded yesterday. Police think it was a drive-by shooting possibly motivated by an ongoing dispute between rival neighborhoods.
- And In Deerfield, Florida - police say five juveniles are in custody after a 15-year-old was set on fire after being doused in rubbing alcohol. A couple of these kids were even seen laughing about it.
Here’s my question to you: Is crime a greater threat to your well-being than it was a year ago?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Confident there'll be meaningful health care reform before end of year?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Despite all the hoopla over the Senate Finance Committee vote, there is still a very long way to go before health care reform becomes a reality. President Obama applauded Senator Olympia Snowe for becoming the first Republican to break ranks and vote for health care reform - but the truth is Snowe is keeping her options open.
Senate Finance Committee member Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) talks with Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) before announcing her support for key health care reform legislation.
Her support sounded pretty conditional when she said: "My vote today is my vote today. It doesn't forecast what my vote will be tomorrow."
And another centrist in the Senate, Independent Joe Lieberman, said he opposes the bill the way it is now because it would raise insurance prices for most Americans.
Meanwhile a group of almost 30 labor unions is warning that the Senate finance committee bill is deeply flawed. They say they'll oppose it - unless they see come changes. Big labor, a key Democratic constituency, is insisting a public health insurance plan is essential to reform.
And they're not the only ones... as the Senate committee passed its bill without a public option, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stood on the other side of the Capitol still insisting the House would pass a bill with one. Pelosi also says a bill will pass "certainly this year."
Really? There's a lot of people who still aren't on board and a lot of legislative steps to go. At the end of the day - a committee vote does not a health care reform law make.
Here’s my question to you: How confident are you there will be meaningful health care reform before the end of the year?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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