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Support for the economic recovery plan working its way through Congress has fallen again this week. For the first time, a plurality of voters nationwide oppose the $800-billion-plus plan.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 37% favor the legislation, 43% are opposed, and 20% are not sure.

Forget about any quibbling with the absolute numbers or the legitimacy of a phone poll… it’s all about the trend and for a bill that was supported by 45% (vs. 42% against) just two weeks ago, it’s apparent that the public, having had a chance to digest more and more of the stimulus package is becoming more and more skeptical.

We believe this speaks to not only a poorly conceived and written bill but also to the electorate’s view of the role of government. Safety first, right? Above anything else, the government’s primary role is to protect us and our property from threats both foreign and domestic. And as the midterm election results of ’06 bore witness and now a sober reading of the stimulus package after the initial euphoria is now indicating, “minding the purse strings” may well yet take 2nd place in the voters’ mind as to what precisely is the role of government in America.

For genuinely post-partisan reasons, this is cause for encouragement.