Public Giving Gov't, Business Lower Marks

[modrepub]

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The public's view of the government has eroded over the past year and its view of business corporations is now at the lowest level in two decades.

The public's rating for the federal government has fallen from 59 percent favorable last year to 45 percent now, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. The favorable view of business corporations is also at 45 percent.

When dissatisfaction with national conditions is running high "people tend to be critical of institutions such as the government, the Congress, and have rising discontent with business corporations, especially oil companies," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center. Only 20 percent of people said they have a favorable view of oil companies — down from 32 percent in 2001.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051025/ap_on_re_us/public_pessimism;_ylt=Ag.D.HWiEA5VwFwwEYRL_SBG2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[orwell]

1. Do People Care

that they are paying 3.00 plus for gasoline...

People do...

[salin]

2. back in the midwest, gas has "dropped" to 2.50

and folks are "happy" that costs have dropped to "preKatrina" levels... some how the comparison of how much worse it could be make the spiked costs (compared to a year earlier) seem ... more reasonable. At least that is how the local news stories read.