Bailing out Homeowners

The public remains divided over spending billions to help homeowners who are facing foreclosure on mortgages they cannot afford — 46% say this is the right thing for the government to be doing while an identical percentage says it is wrong. But 72% of those who support the government helping homeowners facing foreclosures say they are, at least, bothered by bailing out people who got in over their heads and 21% of supporters go so far as to say this policy makes them angry. Almost two-thirds of Democrats (64%) say that is the right thing to do, compared with 23% of Republicans and 46% of independents. The gap between Democrats and Republicans has widened — from 29 to 41 points — since the same question was asked in December. Notably, those with family incomes of $30,000 or less are the only income group where a majority (55%) sees the homeowner foreclosure assistance as a good idea. At the other end of the income spectrum (family incomes of $100,000 or more), 36% view homeowner foreclosure aid positively — the lowest of any income group. Read More