Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for September 14, 2018
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
September 14, 2018: Lehman Brothers, one of the world’s largest investment banking firms, collapsed 10 years ago this weekend on September 15, 2008.
The collapse led to a global financial crisis and an ongoing series of government bailouts that ignited strong public resistance. “It’s hard to overstate how deeply Americans despised their government’s response to the global financial crisis,” according to The New York Times.[1] Among other things, the fury about bailouts led to the creation of the tea party movement.[2]
For a time, the entire system of free-market economics was called into question. Ten years later, however, 77% of U.S. voters have a favorable opinion of free markets.[3]
While faith in free markets has been restored over the past decade, trust in government has not. Just 18% trust the federal government to do the right thing most of the time.[4]
One reason may be that 58% still want the biggest banks to be broken up.[5] However, since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, “the biggest financial institutions have only gotten bigger.” According to The New York Times, “This increases the likelihood that taxpayers will be called on again to rescue these behemoths if they get into serious trouble.”[6]
Voters share that concern. Forty-six percent (46%) fear that the collapse of a large bank today would lead to another financial crisis. Just 19% disagree, and 35% are not sure.[5]
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- September 13, 2018 – 180 female candidates nominated for House by Democrats
- September 12, 2018 – 21.1 out of every 100,000 U.S. men commit suicide
- September 11, 2018 – 2-meter-long unmanned boat crosses Atlantic
- September 10, 2018 – 1,190 state legislative incumbents not running for re-election
- September 7, 2018 – 1,400 Americans under age 26 earned $1 million or more in 2016
- To see other recent numbers, check out the archive.
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.
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Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ The New York Times, "The Policymakers Saved the Financial System. And America Never Forgave Them." September 12, 2018
- ↑ Rasmussen, S. & Schoen, D. (2010). Mad As Hell: How the Tea Party Movement Is Fundamentally Remaking Our Two-Party System. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
- ↑ ScottRasmussen.com, "77% Have Favorable Opinion of Free Markets," September 13, 2018
- ↑ ScottRasmussen.com, "Weekly Monitor: 18% of Voters Trust Government Most of the Time," September 8, 2018
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 ScottRasmussen.com, "58% Still Want Big Banks Broken Up," September 14, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "The Banks Changed. Except for All the Ways They’re the Same." September 12, 2018
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