CNN Wire is reporting that “nearly six in 10 Americans support an increase in spending to pump up the economy, and even higher levels of support for a plan that also involves tax cuts.” Even though economic predictions indicate a contraction in the economy, the grim support shows significant skepticism in government’s involvement on helping the economy.

I believe the skepticism lies not on intellectual opposition to the stimulus but by a psychological egoist rational that the individual cost of the stimulus outweighs the benefit for the economy. “Why should my money help those in need?” is the type of attitude that might be permeating through hard working individuals. This then also explains a stronger support for tax cuts as there is no virtually no immediate, palpable cost to the individual while yielding some benefit to the entire economy.

Unfortunately, I doubt that the individuals surveyed had little or no exposure to the academic training of economics, and instead their instincts are guided either by mishandled principles or by dangerous talking points. Sure, they would probably object to my main point by hugging the “free market principles”; but I am prepared to smash them with the “Keynesian reality”.