What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Back in July, we were struck by the comments of Scott, an unemployed worker who was part of a focus group of MD indie voters assembled by Peter Hart and the Annenberg Public Policy Center. He said "if banks are coming back and I don't have a job, that's not ok with me." His comments were a sign, we noted then, of the public's wariness of more gov't intervention in things like health care.

-- Today, Pres. Obama's still trying to find a way to balance frustration with bailouts with Dems' growing push for more gov't involvement - including news today that House Dems have 218 for a "robust" public option.

-- The Senate vote against increasing Medicare payments for doctors suggests many Dems are taking Scott's words to heart by spurning a bailout of "special interests." Of course, doctors don't see it that way, esp. since they'll be asked to support yet another gov't-run program that could underpay them as well. Meanwhile, patients aren't feeling better about how much reform will cost. The latest Gallup poll shows just 22% think costs will get better; 49% say they'll get worse.

-- The public, according to a new WaPo poll, overwhelmingly supports limits on Wall Street bonuses. No shocker there; The real question is if this will be enough to ensure anxious voters that the gov't has become more frugal. Are Soc. Sec. recipients too big to fail? What about those Bush tax cuts set to expire in '10? And, oh, extending jobless benefits. All are aimed at the "little guy," but all will increase the deficit.

-- Normally, voters will turn a blind eye to red ink if they see a benefit. At this point, however, it's not clear they'll really see those benefits any time soon.