Opinions are like …

This week’s Economist/YouGov poll is very interesting. The headline numbers are the favorables on increased offshore drilling. They are exactly the same as before the BP disaster which has gotten to the point where the Coast Guard is performing controlled burns of the oil slick. Even though the polling has held up, I would be surprised to see any politicians aggressively chanting “Drill-Baby-Drill” during the next few weeks.

The numbers that really jumped out and grabbed my attention were the favorables on big banks. AIG has higher favorable opinion numbers than Goldman Sachs. JPM-Chase, Citi, Morgan Stanley, and B of A range from 19% to 29% favorables while AIG is at 11% and Goldman is at 9%. The banks with large retail banking arms have got to be nervous about the prospect of loosing two thirds of the kind thoughts that are still out there for them.

That and the failure of the Republican leadership to generate grass roots opposition to financial reform guarantee that a financial regulation package will pass in the next week or two. While the tea party may have been fogged into focusing their anger at health care legislation, I don’t think that they are able to be motivated in significant numbers to show up to anti-consumer protection rallies.

The real question is whether GOP senators will try to influence the final bill or whether working with the Democrats is anathema. I have a hunch that the strong primary challenges to McCain and Crist have illustrated to Senate Republicans that they have ceded the ability to have any affect on legislation short of a filibuster. The party of “hell no” indeed.