Poll: More Think Obama Stimulus Hurt Employment Than Helped

A plurality of Americans believe President Barack Obama’s stimulus package has harmed economic growth, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll released on Friday.

Less than a third, 29 percent, believe the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the stimulus package, improved the economy. Meanwhile, 43 percent believe it hurt the economy.

The survey was released the same day that the Labor Department released its monthly figures showing that while the number of job cuts were 125,000, the unemployment rate went down from 9.7 percent to 9.5 percent, or two-tenths of a percentage point. President Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus package in February 2009, vowing the bill would save or create 3.5 million to 4 million jobs.

In what Republican lawmakers would likely consider good news, 69 percent in the Rasmussen poll believe tax cuts are a better way to create jobs than more government spending.

But Republican or Democratic policies aside, most voters are looking to the private sector more than government to revive the economy.

“Ultimately, though, voters are looking to the private sector to create jobs,” the poll says. “Sixty-five percent (65%) say that decisions made by business owners seeking to grow their business will do more to create jobs than decisions made by government officials. Just 23% expect the government officials to have a bigger impact.”

During brief remarks Friday at Andrews Air Force Base, Obama said the economy is clearly moving in the right direction.

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