A New Rasmussen Poll as a Reflection of Tuesday's Vote

California faces an imminent cash flow crisis and some in the state's political class, including the Governor, have suggested that the feds should treat us like TARP banks or auto companies and become our guarantor of loans. Rasmussen finds that a majority of Californians support the idea of loan guarantees. Yesterday, that option came off the table because the feds, noticeably the treasury secretary raised questions about whether and how to do it.

But the poll provides some interesting numbers on how voters look at thing like the California budget problem and the US economic situation. By a margin of 2:1 the responders believe that government spending hurts not helps the economy. By just under 3:1 (66% to 24%) the responses believe that California should solve its own problem. In the most interesting question - Which is better for the economy--to let the state of California go bankrupt or for the federal government to provide subsidies so that California can continue to pay its bills and provide services? 48% say let the state go bankrupt (38% offer up federal subsidies). Then finally "Which is a bigger problem in the United States today—that voters are unwilling to pay enough in taxes or that the politicians are unwilling to control government spending?" 77% blame the politicians.

There is also a huge division between the political class and the rest of us. 84% of the political class and only 7% of the rest favor subsidies over bankruptcy. In relation to loan guarantees 67% of the political class favor them and only 21% of the rest do. There are many reasons why that gulf exists between us and them. Some of it comes from our recognition that the political class, through manipulations like redistricting nonsense, have created a chasm. More comes from the protected environment that many politicians live in - they spend a lot of time talking to themselves while riding around in a protective shell paid for by us.