Voters Want A New Balance of Power in Washington, D.C.

Voters want a new balance of power. To achieve significant change, voters see a need to rearrange the balance of power in Washington. Business interests, in particular, need to be challenged. Not only does business have too much money and power, described previously, it is not using its power wisely.

In January 2007, Pew Research Center asked adults whether “business corporations generally strike a fair balance between making profits and serving the public interest.” Only 38% agreed and 58% disagreed, the highest distrust in the 20 year history of the question.

Pew explored these issues further in a survey of adults released on Valentines Day 2008. Pew asked the 81% of people who rated the condition of the economy “fair” or “poor,” who bore responsibility for the problem. The greatest blame went to George Bush and Congress, followed by multinational corporations, large investment firms and banks.