Americans' Fear Of Big Government Has Risen Under Obama

Politics: The percentage of Americans who fear big government is close to an all-time high. It's no coincidence that in recent history this alarm has tended to peak toward the end of Democratic terms in the White House.

According to a new Gallup poll, "Americans' concerns about the threat of big government continue to dwarf those about big business and big labor, and by an even larger margin now than in March 2009." Through telephone surveys conducted Nov. 28 through Dec. 1, Gallup found that 64% of Americans say big government will be the biggest threat to the country, while only 26% believe the same thing about big business.

The mark, coming less than three years into President Obama's term, is the highest since 1999 and 2000, when 65% named big government the greatest threat. Is it a mere coincidence that the historical high came at the end of a Democrat's eight years in the White House?

Or has the country simply become fed up with the growth of government under Democratic presidents and their pro-government prejudices?

If it's the latter, then a second term of Obama would put the fear of big government at a historical high. In less than one term he's nearly at the level Bill Clinton reached only when he was at the end of his second hitch in the White House.

And it's not just Republicans who are afraid of an inflated public sector.

Obama has made big government uncomfortable for Democrats. The fear index among his party has risen from 32% in 2009 to 48% this year.

It's also increased among independents, from 59% two years ago to 64% now.

Gallup's historical data show that the fear of government grew under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, as well. But that increase could be largely due to to Reagan's warnings about the encroachment of the state. He made the public more conscious of the dangers of government growth than any president of the 20th century, and that likely produced an awareness among the public that had not widely existed.

If Americans feel threatened by big government today, they'll be paralyzed from fright in 2013 should Obama be re-elected next fall. The former community organizer is the czar of massive government and would be comfortable expanding the state far beyond its already dangerously bloated condition.

When shrinking government should be the top priority, that's not the way to go.