THE VOICE OF MODESTO

American voters say that reducing unemployment is more important than cutting federal deficits, taking the Democratic side in what is expected to be an ongoing debate in this midterm election year.

By a ratio of better than 2-to-1 — 64% to 30% — voters said that reducing employment is the priority, according to the Quinnipiac poll released Thursday. The national unemployment average is about 9.5%.

The poll presented a grim economic and political picture: 79% said the nation remains in a recession, up slightly from the 74% who said that in May and 71% who said it in May, 2008. Just 23% said the economy is getting better, while 31% said it was getting worse and 44% said they saw no change.

The good news for Democrats, however, is that voters accept a key party argument that it was the Republican Bush administration that is to blame for the recession. A majority, 53%- 25% blame former President George W. Bush more than Obama for the current economic conditions, according to the poll.

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