It's been 20 years since any issue has gripped Wisconsinites like the economy does now, according to the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute . Thirty percent of the 600 residents it surveyed last Sunday and Monday said jobs and unemployment are the top issues government should do something about it and 19% put a more general view of the economy at the top. That means half of Wisconsinites are most concerned about the fallout as the stock market and financial trends head downward. WPRI president Jim Miller says the concern about jobs is the biggest among any issue they’ve polled people about since January of 1988.
The poll by the free market think tank also reported Wisconsinites have more respect for car salesmen than they do for State Capitol lobbyists. Only 7% of the 600 poll respondents gave Madison lobbyists high marks for honesty and ethics, 9% said the same about car sales people. State politicians didn't rate much higher, at 11 %. But we do have our heroes. 81% gave fire-fighters high marks for ethics and honesty, Wisconsin National Guard got a 77% rating.