Come Again?

WASHINGTON - Americans overwhelmingly want Congress to pass an economic stimulus bill, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, but expectations are low that it will have much of an effect on their own finances or turn the economy around this year.

I'm struggling to reconcile this. People admit it won't help them, but they still want it? These must be registered voters (you know, those easily swayed by sound-bites and blind to trivial things like facts, math, or economics).

About two-thirds of those surveyed predict that a package would make the nation's economy a lot or a little better. When it comes to their own family finances, however, just over half say it either would have no effect or even make things worse.

So, isn't that an admission that this is essentially a socialist bill? It may or may not help the general public, will definitely benefit government, but will make individuals' situations worse? And yet, complacency and tacit approval to run things down the crapper seem to reign the day...