For Immediate Release Thursday, April 23, 2009
‘Elvis is still alive’ polls higher than independents’ faith in Obama’s direction
WASHINGTON — America’s third largest party points to polling released April 22 by the Associated Press showing only 17 percent of self-described political independents think America is ‘heading in the right direction’ under Barack Obama as a sign the president’s agenda of higher taxes, higher spending, higher debt and nationalizing industry isn’t winning over sensible voters.
‘The percentage of Americans who believe Elvis is or might still be alive is higher than that of political independents who think Obama has America heading in the right direction,’ said Libertarian National Committee Communications Director Donny Ferguson.
Nineteen percent of respondents to an Aug. 2002 FOX News/Opinion Dynamics poll said they believed either Elvis Presley was still alive, or weren’t sure.
‘The fact someone is more likely to believe Elvis could still be alive than a political independent is to believe Obama has us heading in the right direction should be astonishing,’ said Ferguson. ‘Until you realize both require you to believe an out-of-control appetite has no negative consequences whatsoever, whether it’s for fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches or prosperity-crushing national debt.’
Overall, 48 percent of Americans tell the Associated Press they believe America is ‘heading in the right direction’ under Obama, while 44 percent say America is heading in the ‘wrong direction.’
‘If you want the truth, you have to get away from the partisan Republicans and Democrats and look at people who decide elections – the independent American,’ said Ferguson. ‘Only 17 percent of independents – the people who decide elections – say they believe things are looking better under Obama. That should be a stark warning for the President and any other politician who hopes to change America into the very kind of European socialism that continent is trying to get away from.’
Seventy-nine percent of all respondents say the record-shattering debt being run up by Obama will hurt future generations. Republicans fare poorly as well, with only 29 percent of Americans stating they approve of the way the party, which began the current bailout mentality with then-President Bush’s TARP plan to prop up failed banks, is handling economic issues.
‘After 14 years of a Republican Congress and White House that exploded spending, bailed out banks and regulated virtually more and more facets of American life, and now a Democrat administration building on that foundation at a record pace, it’s clear the Libertarian Party – with its message of fiscal and personal responsibility – is America’s only mainstream political party,’ said Ferguson.
For more information on this issue, or to arrange an interview with the Libertarian Party, please call Director of Communications Donny Ferguson at 703-200-3669 or 202-333-0008, x. 225, or email Donny.Ferguson@lp.org .
The Libertarian Party is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting http://www.LP.org . The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.
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