Main Street’s take: Trouble ahead

Rich or poor, most Americans think the nation is careening toward recession, a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll finds. The poll also showed that 40% of the public believe government should step in to help people hurt by the mortgage mess or take steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. As for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke: Many Americans say they don’t know enough about him to say how well he is doing. For more poll results and the poll methodology, see Page C2.