http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=119894There's a new "chill" that has nothing to do with claims of global warming or climate change and everything to do with the failing confidence Americans feel in their own freedoms, according to a new poll.
"More Americans this month felt that there was more of a climate of fear over their freedom of association – with more than one in three – 36 percent – saying that they believed Americans had reason to fear punishment or retribution based on who their friends were or who they met with. This is chilling stuff!" said Fritz Wenzel of Wenzel Strategies.
"There has been a dramatic negative move in the WorldNetDaily.com Freedom Index this month, dropping for othe first time below the dead-level-even mark of 50 on its 100-point scale. It now stands at 46.4, down from 53.6 just a month ago
"This coincides with the commencement of the serious votes on the health care bill, which apparently imposes some harsh restrictions on virtually every aspect of the American health care system," he said.
"Clearly, people are spooked."
Nearly half of all respondents – 47 percent, confirmed there has been a decrease in freedoms under Obama's reign. That was up from 40 percent a month earlier.
"That's a big move," Wenzel said.
"And, in this and other polls, Obama has seen his job approval rating plummet," he continued. "In this survey, his approval is just 41 percent positive, down from 44 percent last month. He is slipping dangerously close to a point from which it will be very hard to recover."
Wenzel reported among Republicans, 73 percent confirmed "a decrease in freedoms under Obama, up from 61 percent just one ago."
"And among political independents, the percentage who said the same thing increased by 7 percent this month over last," he said.
Along with increased worries about the loss of American freedoms, "more Americans this month felt that there was more of a climate of fear over their freedom of association," he said.
Thirty-six percent said they thought Americans has reason to be concerned about punishment based on their friends and acquaintances, he said.
