Want Tighter Financial Regulation

Six-in-ten Americans (60%) think it is a good idea for the government to regulate more strictly the way major financial companies do business, while 31% say tougher regulations are a bad idea. Most of those who support tougher regulations — 34% of the public — say this is something they strongly support; 21% say tougher regulations are a good idea but say they have reservations about the proposal. The vast majority of liberal Democrats (82%) view stricter regulations of financial companies as a good thing; 67% of liberal Democrats say they strongly support them. Among conservative and moderate Democrats, 73% regard stricter regulation as a good idea, but fewer than half (43%) say this is something they strongly support. Republicans also are divided over placing tighter regulations on financial firms. A majority of moderate and liberal Republicans (52%) favor this proposal while just 33% of conservative Republicans agree. By about two-to-one (61% to 31%), more independents view stricter regulation of financial companies as a good idea rather than a bad idea. Read More