Apr
27

Roundtable Poll Question – Darkening Mood?

Written by: Sarah LaDuke    Filed under: Poll Question, The Roundtable     Comments: 4    Tags

A new poll shows a darkening mood across the country. Do you feel this combination of pessimism about the economy and worry that we’ll never find a new consensus on government’s proper size and role?

Sarah LaDuke

Sarah LaDuke

Sarah grew up in Saranac Lake, NY where she worked part time at Pendragon Theatre all through high school and college. She graduated from SUNY Albany in 2006 with a BA in English and started at WAMC a few weeks later as a part-time board-op in the control room. Through a series of offered and seized opportunities she is now the producer of The Roundtable.

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4 Comments to “Roundtable Poll Question – Darkening Mood?”

  • Brian Minerly April 27, 2011 at 9:43 am

    It’s practically impossible NOT to feel worry and pessimism about the economy. While I think there will never be a complete consensus on anything, I believe that another ten years or so of conservative approach to taxation and governance should inflict enough pain and damage to 99% of the population to bring back the same kind of progressive governance that created Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid… just in time to replace them, since the GOP will have killed them all off.

  • Anne Humphrey April 27, 2011 at 10:45 am

    To Everybody at WAMC:
    This morning I listened to the poll question and heard more pessimism.

    In order to help counter all that pessimism, I have an important suggestion:
    Every U.S. citizen and more should read, “A National Strategic Narrative,” (“The Y Article,” by Mr. Y (Captain Wayne Porter – U.S.Navy, and Colonel Mark “Puck” Mickelby – U.S. Marines, from the Pentagon) .

    An article about “The Y Article,” in “Foreign Policy,” by John Norris is here: Foreign Policy.com.

    Yesterday, “OnPoint with Tom Ashbrook” interviewed the authors: http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/04/26/pentagon-security.

    This article has fantastic ideas from an unusual source that can provide weeks and weeks of fantastic “poll questions” and gripping “vox pops.”

    All links can be found at “OnPoint with Tom Ashbrook.”

    I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of “The Y Article”. Please, please read it!

    Sincerely,
    Anne Humphrey

  • Michael Batcher April 28, 2011 at 8:17 am

    When Mr. Donahue described rising gas and food prices as a tax, I felt he was actually playing on this alleged dark mood. I am 59 years old, and have been paying taxes for quite a while now. My taxes have gone to government programs that help the needy, undertake research on diseases, support our troops overseas, and expand our scientific knowledge. We have government to provide stability and to expand our capabilities in ways that the private sector either can’t or won’t. Rising prices on commodities are a result of whatever costs are required to provide them. They are not taxes. We have 6 billion people (and growing rapidly) in the world. Do you not expect prices on commodities to increase as demand increases?

    With respect to the “decline” of our country, one needs to take a more expansive view. Our peak was in the 1960′s, but we expended ourselves on Vietnam and the Cold War. The economic malaise that followed was then addressed by President Ronald Reagan, who attacked government and began the deficit spiral we are now in. If our leaders spend 30 years attacking our institutions and leading us into unjustifiable conflicts, how do you expect Americans to feel?

  • Hannah Blasdel April 29, 2011 at 9:27 am

    This is THE MOST BORING CONVERSATION EVER!