Government to blame for economy, poll says

Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES

Despite the growing effect of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Americans are far more likely to blame their economic woes on the federal government rather than major financial institutions, according to a USA Today/Gallup Poll released Tuesday.

When asked whom they blame more for the poor economy in the poll conducted over the weekend, 64 percent of Americans faulted the federal government, and 30 percent cited big banks and other financial institutions.

Still, there was a strong populist thread against both big business and government in the responses, with 78 percent of the respondents saying Wall Street bears a great deal or a fair amount of blame for the struggling economy.

But more people, 87 percent, said the same about the federal government.

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