Gallup Poll: 57 Percent Say the Government Is Doing Too Much

In a Gallup poll released this week, more than half of those surveyed said the government has gone too far:

Americans are more likely today than in the recent past to believe that government is taking on too much responsibility for solving the nation’s problems and is over-regulating business. New Gallup data show that 57% of Americans say the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to businesses and individuals, and 45% say there is too much government regulation of business. Both reflect the highest such readings in more than a decade.

The biggest question is whether or not those pulling the strings in Washington will take note and tone it down a notch. My guess is that they will do all they can within the pre-election season window, and then start focusing back on the polls once we get closer to November 2010.

But let’s get back to the question. Has the government “done too much?” On George Stephanopoulos’ show last Sunday, President Obama shrugged off a question about those who question his policies, saying, “My critics say everything’s a tax increase. My critics say that I’m taking over every sector of the economy.”

Cato’s David Boaz did a little digging and found that, well, technically, the president is telling the truth. He’s not taking over the entire economy. No, only “health care, energy, local schools, banks, insurance companies, automobile, companies, compensation at financial firms, newspapers and the Internet.”

What, too much?