Bail out construction, not banks: Survey

Most Americans and Europeans would rather see the construction companies bailed out than the banks or car manufacturers, according to a recent survey conducted by the Financial Times of London and Harris Poll. The online survey was conducted between Feb. 25 and March 3 by Harris Interactive Inc. of Rochester, N.Y., and involved 6,538 adults in France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain and the United States. The majority of those surveyed opposed government bailouts of banks, insurance companies and car manufacturers. But the majorities in several countries said they supported government bailouts of the construction industry, with 51% of respondents in the United States in support, 56% in Britain, 65% in France and 55% in Germany. Financial services companies and automakers did not receive that support. In the United States, 65% of respondents said they opposed the bailout of banks, 77% said they opposed the bailout of insurance companies, and 69% were opposed to helping automobile manufacturers. Similarly, 77% of respondents from France opposed helping banks, 88% opposed bailouts for insurance companies, and 58% said they opposed aiding automobile manufacturers.