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     Business Issues in the News             See also:  Economic outlook  |  Economic policy | Major institutions  |  Unions

Gallup Poll. Jan. 26-27, 2010. Adults nationwide.

"Which of the following do you most agree with? The federal government should become more involved in regulating and controlling business. The federal government should become less involved in regulating and controlling business. OR, Things are about right the way they are." N=509, MoE ± 5

1/26-27/10

"Which worries you more -- that there will be too much regulation of business by the government, or not enough regulation of business by the government?" N=463, MoE ± 6

1/26-27/10

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 22-24, 2010. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

"Do you think Barack Obama has paid more attention to the problems faced by middle class Americans or the problems faced by banks and other financial institutions?"

1/22-24/10

"How important is it to you that the President and Congress deal with each of the following issues in the next year? Will it be extremely important, very important, moderately important, or not that important? Regulation on big banks." N=508 (Form A), MoE ± 4.5

1/22-24/10

"Do you favor or oppose new government regulations that would limit the size and activities of the country's largest banks?"

1/22-24/10

CBS News Poll. Jan. 14-17, 2010. N=1,090 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"In his first year in office, do you think Barack Obama has done too much for the nation's banks and financial institutions, too little, or has he done the right amount for the nation's banks and financial institutions?"

1/14-17/10

"How closely have you been following news about bonuses that some financial companies on Wall Street will be paying their executives this year: very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not at all?"

1/14-17/10

"Many large banks and financial companies that received bailout money from the government have paid the money back. Which best describes your feelings about these companies now paying their employees bonuses? Are you angry, bothered but not angry, or are you not bothered by this?"

1/14-17/10

"Do you think banks and financial companies paying bonuses to some of their employees is a major economic problem, a minor economic problem, or is it not a problem?"

1/14-17/10

"Who do you think has benefited from the money spent by the government to bail out banks and financial institutions: mostly just a few big investors and people who work on Wall Street, or homeowners and people throughout the country as well?"

1/14-17/10

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Jan. 12-15, 2010. N=1,083 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.5 (for all adults).

"How much blame do you think banks and other financial institutions, for taking unnecessary risks, deserve for the country's economic situation: a great deal, a good amount, only some or hardly any?"

1/12-15/10

3/26-29/09

"As you may know, several banks that received rescue loans from the government have now paid back those loans. Do you think the federal government should try to limit the size of the bonuses these banks can pay to their top employees, or do you think the government should stay out of it now that its loans have been repaid?"

1/12-15/10

"Would you support or oppose a special tax on bonuses over one million dollars?" Half sample

1/12-15/10

"Would you support or oppose higher taxes targeted at banks that do a lot of trading in the stock mark?" Half sample

1/12-15/10

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Dec. 16-20, 2009. N=1,160 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

"Do you think big financial institutions such as major banks and insurance companies do or do not have too much influence over decisions made by the Obama administration?"

12/16-20/09

4/23-26/09

"In general, do you think there is too much, too little, or about the right amount of government regulation of business and industry?" N=507 (Form A), MoE ± 4.5

12/16-20/09

12/19-21/08

9/19-21/08

"In general, do you think there is too much, too little, or about the right amount of government regulation of the stock market and financial institutions?" N=504 (Form B), MoE ± 4.5

12/16-20/09

12/19-21/08

9/19-21/08

Bloomberg Poll conducted by Selzer & Co. Dec. 3-7, 2009. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.

"A year from now, do you think the condition of U.S. banks will be in worse shape than today, in the same shape as today, improved but with some problems, or back to full health?"

12/3-7/09

"Banks that received government aid during the financial crisis are now preparing to pay bonuses to top performers because banks are now profitable again. Do you approve or disapprove of banks paying bonuses this year?"

12/3-7/09

"For each of the following major U.S. institutions, please tell me if your impression is very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable. If you don't know enough to give your feelings, just say so. . . ."

"Small business"

12/3-7/09

"Insurance companies"

12/3-7/09

"Corporate executives"

12/3-7/09

"Wall Street executives"

12/3-7/09

"Which of the following two statements best reflects your attitudes toward big financial companies and the role they play in this country? They have a vital function that enables the economy to grow. They enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary people and have a negative impact on the economy." Options rotated

12/3-7/09

"With the benefit of hindsight, do you think last year's government intervention to give money to big banks and investment firms was a good idea or bad idea?"

12/3-7/09

"Do you think President Obama is too pro-business, too anti-business, or has about the right balance?"

12/3-7/09

"To avoid any more taxpayer bailouts, which of the following do you think is the better course: break up large banks, impose stricter regulation of large banks, or allow large banks to fail?" Options rotated

12/3-7/09

"[Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as president?] ... Do you approve or disapprove of the job he is doing with addressing problems in the financial industry on Wall Street?"

12/3-7/09

Time Poll conducted by Abt SRBI. Oct. 26-27, 2009. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"How closely are you following the news about the financial problems on Wall Street and the Obama administration's proposals to address these problems: very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all?"

10/26-27/09

"How good a job would you say the following are doing in taking steps to avoid another financial crisis in the future like the one we've had in the past year? [See below.] Would you say that they're doing an excellent job, a good job, only fair, or poor job?"

"President Obama"

10/26-27/09

"Democrats in Congress"

10/26-27/09

"Republicans in Congress"

10/26-27/09

"Major banks and other Wall Street financial institutions"

10/26-27/09

"Federal government regulators"

10/26-27/09

"The Federal Reserve Board"

10/26-27/09

"The American people"

10/26-27/09

"As you may know, the federal government invested billions of dollars to rescue the major financial institutions. Looking back, do you think this was the right thing or the wrong thing for the government to do?"

10/26-27/09

"Do you think that Wall Street has had too much influence over the government's economic recovery policies, about the right amount of influence, or too little influence?"

10/26-27/09

"Now that many banks and financial institutions are recovering with the government's help, how much has this recovery helped people like yourself: a great deal, some, not much, or not at all?"

10/26-27/09

"Do you think that government policies since the financial crisis have favored Wall Street financial institutions over the needs of people like yourself, or did the government just do what was necessary to avoid a bigger crisis?"

10/26-27/09

"Do you think that the government has done enough to help people like yourself during this economic downturn, too much, or does the government need to do more to help people like yourself?"

10/26-27/09

"As a result of the recent financial crisis, do you think that the large Wall Street financial institutions learned from their mistakes and will change the way they do business, or, do you think things will return to business as usual now that Wall Street has started to recover?"

10/26-27/09

"How concerned are you that the United States could suffer another financial crisis in the next few years as a result of Wall Street firms taking too much risk: very concerned, somewhat concerned, not very concerned, or not at all concerned?"

10/26-27/09

"Do you think there should be more government regulation of Wall Street than we've had in the past, less regulation, or about the same amount of regulation as now?"

10/26-27/09

"Do you think that executives at the large Wall Street financial institutions today are paid fairly for the work they do, paid somewhat higher than they should be paid, or is their pay completely out of line with what they do?"

10/26-27/09

"Last week the government ordered pay cuts and changes in the way bonuses are paid to top executives at the seven financial companies that received the most government assistance. Do you favor or oppose the federal government putting limits on salaries and other compensation paid to these executives? ... Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?"

10/26-27/09

"Some people say that if the government limits pay and bonuses at these Wall Street firms, it will hurt their ability to retain and attract the most talented employees that these companies need to recover and pay back the billions of dollars they owe to the federal government. Others disagree and say that the government needs to change the way Wall Street operates. All in all, should the government force pay cuts and other changes in compensation for the top executives of these institutions or not?"

10/26-27/09

"Several banks rescued by the government which have now paid back the government's rescue loans are paying record bonuses to employees. Should the government allow these banks to pay these record bonuses, or should the government strictly limit pay and bonuses at all banks which the government rescued, regardless of whether or not they've paid back the government?"

10/26-27/09

"Should the government reduce these executive bonuses by putting special higher taxes on them, or not?"

10/26-27/09

"The government paid billions of dollars to rescue financial companies that the government believed were too big to fail -- that is, if they failed, the entire financial system might collapse. Should the government have the power to break up banks and financial companies that it believes are too big to fail, or should the government not interfere with privately owned businesses?"

10/26-27/09

"If the government had allowed these banks to fail, do you think you personally would have suffered from these bank failures, or not?"

10/26-27/09