Poll question: “Which would you rather have, a tax increase or a depression so deep that makes the Great Depression look like good times?”

John Hinderaker at Powerline makes the point that some poll questions make sense only if you are a member of the Ruling Class (or as he puts it, the "Political Class") .  Can we tell the pollsters that their questions are stupid?  Can we suggest that the choices are not alternatives?  Can we just hang up in disgust?

This divide [between the ruling class and the country class]comes into sharp focus when Americans are asked whether more government spending is good for the economy. Scott Rasmussen reports:

In official Washington, there appears to be a belief that policy makers must choose between helping the economy or reducing spending and deficits. A number of polling companies have even asked questions on the trade-off.

However, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 28% of voters believe increased government spending is good for the economy. Fifty-two percent (52%) believe increased government spending is bad for the economy, while 12% say it has no impact. Eight percent (8%) are not sure.

This suggests that for 72% of voters, asking about a trade-off between cutting spending and helping the economy doesn't make sense. A look at the demographics shows that the trade-off makes sense for only one group-- the Political Class. Among that group, 67% believe increased government spending would be good for the economy.

Here in Virginia the ruling class has been beating the drums for a tax increase to build more roads. The Republican Governor and many in the General Assembly have been fighting a rearguard action against tax increases while the ruling class and their shills in the media, the overage hippies who never want to grow up, only want to talk about what taxes to increase.

The Commonwealth of Virginia anticipates revenues of $76.5 billion dollars over the next two years. The pro-taxers are proposing tax increases – their favorite is a gas tax – that are expected to raise $1 billion annually to spend on roads. Who among us, if we had income of, say $76,000 annually could not find a way to save $1000 a year if we really had to? To suggest that Virginia cannot find an extra billion dollars a year for roads boggles my mind. At a time when people are losing their jobs, their homes and their savings, the ruling political class can only find reasons to tax the country more.