During President Joe Biden’s first 10 months in office, the federal government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars providing aid to households amid the Covid pandemic, but according to a new poll, most Americans don’t seem to think the effort made a big difference in their lives, nor does it appear it to be providing the White House with much of a political boost.

The NPR/Marist National survey of 1,172 adults found that while more than 60% of respondents said they received a $1,400 stimulus check, only a quarter of those said the payment helped a lot. Similarly, while 59% said they had received a child tax credit payment, the majority said the money helped only a little, and 20% said it didn’t help at all.

The public’s failure to connect the efforts of Biden and the Democrats with the flow of aid payments, which have had a dramatic effect on poverty reduction, is evident when survey participants were asked about who should get credit for the direct payments provided earlier this year. Just 40% of respondents said Democrats were responsible, and 17% said Republicans should get credit – despite the fact that the legislation that provided those payments was passed in Congress with all Democratic and no Republican votes.

“After pumping billions into the economy during 2021, Biden does not seem to be benefiting despite more Americans supporting the programs than opposing them,” says Lee M. Miringoff of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “Whether it’s a lack of salesmanship or the stubborn pandemic – or both – is a question the White House must tackle going into the 2022 midterms.”

Ratings tumble: At 42%, Biden’s approval ratings remain at an NPR/Marist poll low, tying the result in November, while his disapproval level is now at 51%.

The lack of enthusiasm for Biden appears to carry over to his signature legislative effort, the Build Back Better Act that is still making its way through Congress. While a majority (56%) said they support the infrastructure package that was signed into law last month, just 41% of respondents said they support the Build Back Better bill, while 34% said they do not and 25% were unsure. A plurality (46%) said they doubt the bill would help people like themselves.

One likely culprit in the low levels of support for Biden and his agenda is the surge in inflation in recent months, a problem that now ranks as Americans’ top economic worry. Democrats are “not connecting the dots between concern about inflation and what's happening in Washington, either with the infrastructure bill or Build Back Better,” said poll director Barbara Carvalho, who added that failure to address this concern could be a serious issue for Democrats as they head into an election year.

Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter.