Most Americans want stricter regulation of financial market
15/10/2008 17:31
Most Americans thought that the lack of regulation was partly responsible
for the current financial and housing crisis, according to a survey published
yesterday.
The Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg national survey showed that nearly
three-quarters of Americans wanted stricter regulation of business.
At least
70 percent of respondents in each of a wide range of demographic categories
blame the absence of more regulation for the nation's economic troubles, the
survey said.
Among those who called for new regulations were 58 percent of
Democrats and 24 percent of Republicans, along with 48 percent of those who live
in households earning US$100,000 or more a year and 48 percent of those with
household incomes of US$40,000 or less a year.
The need for stronger
regulation of financial markets was cited most as the top issue for the
presidential candidates to address in the remaining weeks of the campaign,
according to the survey.
Nine out of 10 polled said the economy was doing
badly, while more than three-quarters said the country was facing a crisis, and
more than half worried that the downturn would threaten their household's
financial security.
Asked to choose which of six economic issues was most
important for Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama to address in their campaigns,
respondents cited bolstering regulation most frequently -- roughly twice as
often as they mentioned taxes, housing foreclosures and
unemployment.
Overall, 45 percent of respondents said there was too little
regulation in business; 27 percent said there was too much.
Asked if the
government should provide assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure, 61
percent said they were in favor and 27 percent opposed such a measure. Only
three months ago, a Times/ Bloomberg poll found 55 percent supported government
assistance and 36 percent opposed it.
The survey of 1,543 adults was taken
Friday through Monday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3
percentage points.
Xinhua
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