Majority blames Bush for Today's Economy - Even Rasmussen Polls Agrees!

[Land Shark]

Rasmussen Polls is increasingly notorious for polling that appears to directly support RNC talking points and objectives. But even their polls show the majority of Americans blame Bush for today's economic woes, instead of Obama.

One very useful thing from Rasmussen -- or at least interesting -- is their regular polling dividing between a class of "Populists" and "Political Class" -- kind of the new NASCAR voter demographic, yet more historically and politically sound than NASCAR.

The most striking number in the poll is the report that fully 96% blame Bush for today's economy among the respondents Rasmussen defines as the POLITICAL CLASS (The "political classs" is defined, as I recall, as those among BOTH PARTIES, who are actual elites in government or corporations or who tend most of the time to trust/identify with them, as distinguished from POPULISTS who constitute the vast majority of Americans, consist of members of both parties, and distrust both corporations and "big government.")

In other words, those OF BOTH PARTIES who are in positions of power (or who are not in power but tend to trust those who are in positions of power in corporations and government) almost unanimously blame Bush, at a rate of 96%.

Now, this 96% number might be circulated by Rasmussen to fire up the populists against the "liberal establishment."

That being said, nobody believes the establishment "political class" and their supporters are 96% Democrat, so surely there's a large chunk of Republicans in that 96% figure for "Political Class" voters who identify with government (and thus pay attention) and yet nevertheless make a great admission against interest: they almost unanimously say Bush is to blame for today's economy.

Of course, Rasmussen often has numbers better for Republicans, but they nevertheless report numbers "unchanged from a month ago" and lead with this:

Rasmussen Reports:
"As the nation’s unemployment rate remains stubbornly high, 51% of voters nationwide continue to believe that the economic woes can still be blamed on Administration of George W. Bush. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 41% hold the opposite view and believe the policies of Barack Obama are to blame." http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/january_2010/51_still_blame_bush_for_nation_s_economic_woes

Breakdown

85% of Democrats Blame Bush for today's economy

only 70% of Republicans blame Obama for today's economy (see, there are a few Republicans honest enough not to root for their "home team" given economies take a long time to change...)

Unaffiliated voters: 46% blame Bush, and 42% Obama for today's economy.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. It doesn't take a poll to place blame. It's an historical fact that the economy collapsed under Bush

Is 14 months the length of our collective memories?

[Land Shark]

4. Yes, Polls don't establish facts, only opinion; that's all the OP is concerned with (today) n/t

[grytpype]

6. Well, 9/11 didn't happen on Bush's watch either.

[yourout]

2. I blame Bush for most of it but Clinton get some blame also.

NAFTA, CAFTA, GAT and Gramm-Leach-Bliley were all signed by Clinton and they set the conditions that Bushco used to rape and pillage the middle class.

<http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bill-clintons-legacy-is-our-financial-disaster>

Going back a little farther Ronny Raygun got things started.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/opinion/01krugman.html?_r=1>

[endless october]

3. while i agree with much of it, it goes back farther than Bush.

the economy sunk because for decades, we have been shipping out the jobs that held up our middle class. easy credit masked the effects of this for a long time. credit crashed under Bush.

you can't have a consumer based economy if those consumers lose their discretionary income.

most of us agree that trickle down doesn't work as advertised, but i think that we would also agree that trickle up does work. arm the consumers with good jobs, and you'll have a healthy economy. the goods will cost a bit more, but the societal gains will more than make up for that.

[OHdem10]

5. As long as Bush is to blame, the GOP gets to slide by.

The GOP have worked very hard to separate from Bush.

This poll has good points for both parties.

[Land Shark]

7. Those inclined to blame parties would split among the structured choices

with those inclined to find deeper historical roots mostly blaming Obama if in fact they think "Clinton"

[madmom]

8. Nope, we need to force the gop to own bush. He's all theirs. We need to keep

reminding people that it was them who put him on their ticket, it was them who screwed withe the election so he could be put into office, it was ALL the gop, MAKE THEM OWN IT!!!!

[OHdem10]

10. I have been screaming since Inaugeration that we need to keep

all Republicans accountable as GWB. All the Dems do
is scream Bush. They never include Republicans.

[DisgustedInMN]

9. I'm less interested in ...

... playing the "blame game," (only a complete idiot wouldn't know that what is happening now, is the direct result of St Ronnie's Voodoo economics) than I am in having someone who is currently in office doing something for US before WE are all destitute. All we've got so far, is pretty talk and bailouts for the rich scammers.

[Land Shark]

11. Sure. That's a different topic with many threads on DU. n/t

[applegrove]

12. The repukes don't vote on discernable truths. They vote on emotional half truths and lies. They vote

for no taxes on the rich because the rich control their thinking.

[2 Much Tribulation]

13. +1