Public to feds: Help regular folk first

[kpete]

Source: USA Today

Public to feds: Help regular folk first

By Susan Page, USA TODAY
As President Obama outlines his priorities to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, Americans overwhelmingly support new spending to help individuals — including creating jobs and rescuing struggling homeowners — but oppose bailouts for automakers and banks.

A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday finds that the new president, with a reservoir of support and a 62% job approval rating, still has a selling job to do with an anxious public focused on the economy.

On Obama's plan to help some homeowners who can't pay their mortgages, a 59% majority call the aid "necessary" — but a 51% majority also call the taxpayer-funded rescue "unfair."

"Look, the American people are pleased with the direction Barack Obama is taking, but there are still parts of the economic recovery plan that people are not sure about," says Simon Rosenberg of NDN, a Democratic-leaning think tank. "He has to make it very clear that his focus is on the struggle of everyday people, and not on those with means."




Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-02-23-poll_N.htm

[Wapsie B]

1. I still say simply pay off those mortgages

instead of pouring money down a rat hole giving it directly to the banks. For those who rent or have their houses paid off give them a stimulus check. What a shot in the arm that would be for the working folk, which is precisely why it would never be done.

[mike_c]

2. forgive my student loans....

That would utterly transform my finances. It would allow me to live and to have hope for a better future. Instead, I'm a lifetime indentured servant of the Dept of Education and Sallie Mae.

[Wapsie B]

3. It would transform the finances of many people.

[newtothegame]

4. Wapsie, are you an Iowan too?

Speaking of student loans, I owe the University of Iowa about $100g's. And I can't find a job.

[Wapsie B]

5. Yes, native Iowan having lived there most of my life.

I grew up around Fairbank and went to college @ UNI for a period of time. It was tough finding a job in Iowa when the economy turned south in the early 80's too. Some places never did quite recover. Where are you at? Wow 100g's. I can't even imagine that kind of student loan debt.

[newtothegame]

6. I spent some time at UNI as well. I'm in Iowa City as of now..

and yes, 100g's is out of control. I was fine after undergrad, but discovered there's not much to do with a BA in the liberal arts unless you move onto grad school.

My dad and I had a conversation about this the other day; I'm all for higher education, but the message perhaps needs to be changed. Convincing students that they can spend and spend on education because they'll make it all back in the workplace just doesn't seem to translate anymore. My girlfriend was a double major, graduated in 2005 and took her first job for $20,500 at an advertising agency. 3 years later she's barely at $25,000. She's now kinda asking her self what the point of school was; she coulda hit that salary and beyond straight out of high school in a sales job. And my older brother, a Drake law school graduate who graduated in 2007, is near the top of his class in terms of salary, making $41,000, again asking himself if this is what he dropped $150,000 in student loans for?

[closeupready]

7. That's exactly right. Once, a college degree was a ticket to the good life.

Universities and colleges continue to trick potential students into believing this, even though it is no longer true. Meanwhile, young idealistic people sink 10's and even 100's of thousands of dollars to pursue their dreams, only to find out, they were duped. I think it's almost a crime, in a lot of cases.

[Wapsie B]

9. That's why many are going to community colleges or places like culinary school

to get actual job skills that are marketable this day and age. Training to be either a Chef or HVAC tehnician are tangible skills. Many four-year degrees while valuable personally-I never regret finishing mine-do not make an employer sit up and take notice. Unlike in the 50's and before where a college degree was the ticket to a good life, employers nowadays are looking for people with skills to fill an immediate need.

[Duer 157099]

8. "First"? Hasn't that horse already left the barn?

some trillion and a half or so dollars later, NOW we get to be first?

riiiiight.....