Over five in ten Americans support Obama's stimulus package

Washington, Feb.20 (ANI): Fifty-one percent of Americans support the economic stimulus and spending plan passed by Congress last week, while 40 percent oppose it.

Fifty-eight percent think the legislation was necessary, and according to Fox News, support for the bill breaks down along party lines.

Seventy-nine percent of Democrats support the package, while 70 percent of Republicans oppose it. Among independents, 45 percent support and 42 percent oppose.

For those supporting the stimulus bill, the top reason is because it was seen as the best option and we "have to do something" (37 percent). Other main reasons include the spending included in the bill (17 percent), belief in Barack Obama and the Democrats (14 percent), and simple belief the plan will work (11 percent).

A 52 percent majority says the legislation that passed last week is better described as a "spending bill" than a "stimulus bill" (31 percent). Among those opposed to the legislation, almost all describe it as a "spending bill" (87 percent).

Twice as many voters think President Obama sincerely tried to reach out to Republicans to make the stimulus plan bipartisan (66 percent) as think Republicans sincerely tried to help the president and be bipartisan (33 percent).

Opinion Dynamics Corp. conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters for FOX News from February 17 to February 18. The poll has a 3-point error margin. (ANI)