Poll shows rising public stress about economy

More worried about losing jobs, having enough money to pay the bills

updated 7:04 p.m. ET, Wed., Feb. 18, 2009

WASHINGTON - Fears are mounting about losing a job, not having enough money to pay the bills and evaporating retirement accounts, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll released Wednesday. Nearly half of those surveyed said they worry about becoming unemployed — almost double last year’s number.

The poll also found that in the past month, public support has dipped slightly for the $787 billion package of tax cuts and government spending that President Barack Obama signed into law this week on the promise that it will save or create 3.5 million jobs and re-ignite the troubled economy.

“I lost a job myself,â€