« Four DEMOCRAT Congressmen NOT From AZ..and Obama's ACORN Go After Sheriff Joe | Main | EFCA Authorizes Government Control of 4 Million Small Businesses »
March 14, 2009
Obama's Poll Numbers Are Falling to Earth
Obama's Poll Numbers Are Falling to Earth
By DOUGLAS E. SCHOEN and SCOTT RASMUSSEN
It is simply wrong for commentators to continue to focus on President Barack Obama's high levels of popularity, and to conclude that these are indicative of high levels of public confidence in the work of his administration. Indeed, a detailed look at recent survey data shows that the opposite is most likely true.
The American people are coming to express increasingly significant doubts about his initiatives, and most likely support a different agenda and different policies from those that the Obama administration has advanced.
Polling data show that Mr. Obama's approval rating is dropping and is below where George W. Bush was in an analogous period in 2001. Rasmussen Reports data shows that Mr. Obama's net presidential approval rating -- which is calculated by subtracting the number who strongly disapprove from the number who strongly approve -- is just six, his lowest rating to date.
Overall, Rasmussen Reports shows a 56%-43% approval, with a third strongly disapproving of the president's performance. This is a substantial degree of polarization so early in the administration. Mr. Obama has lost virtually all of his Republican support and a good part of his Independent support, and the trend is decidedly negative.
A detailed examination of presidential popularity after 50 days on the job similarly demonstrates a substantial drop in presidential approval relative to other elected presidents in the 20th and 21st centuries. The reason for this decline most likely has to do with doubts about the administration's policies and their impact on peoples' lives.
There is also a clear sense in the polling that taxes will increase for all Americans because of the stimulus, notwithstanding what the president has said about taxes going down for 95% of Americans. Close to three-quarters expect that government spending will grow under this administration.
Recent Gallup data echo these concerns. That polling shows that there are deep-seated, underlying economic concerns. Eighty-three percent say they are worried that the steps Mr. Obama is taking to fix the economy may not work and the economy will get worse. Eighty-two percent say they are worried about the amount of money being added to the deficit. Seventy-eight percent are worried about inflation growing, and 69% say they are worried about the increasing role of the government in the U.S. economy.
When Gallup asked whether we should be spending more or less in the economic stimulus, by close to 3-to-1 margin voters said it is better to have spent less than to have spent more. When asked whether we are adding too much to the deficit or spending too little to improve the economy, by close to a 3-to-2 margin voters said that we are adding too much to the deficit.
Support for the stimulus package is dropping from narrow majority support to below that. There is no sense that the stimulus package itself will work quickly, and according to a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, close to 60% said it would make only a marginal difference in the next two to four years. Rasmussen data shows that people now actually oppose Mr. Obama's budget, 46% to 41%. Three-quarters take this position because it will lead to too much spending. And by 2-to-1, voters reject House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's call for a second stimulus package.
While over two-thirds support the plan to help homeowners refinance their mortgage, a 48%-36% plurality said that it will unfairly benefit those who have been irresponsible, echoing Rick Santelli's call to arms on CNBC.
And although a narrow majority remains confident in Mr. Obama's goals and overall direction, 45% say they do not have confidence, a number that has been growing since the inauguration less than two months ago. With three-quarters saying that they expect the economy to get worse, it is hard to see these numbers improving substantially.
There is no real appetite for increasing taxes to pay for an expanded health-insurance program. Less than half would support such an idea, which is 17% less than the percentage that supported government health insurance when Bill Clinton first considered it in March of 1993.
Wild Thing's comment.......
Obama told them he was going to change America into a socialist/communist hell hole right up front in all his speeches. They were just to naive or stupid to get it.
Republicans need to run advertising linking the financial mess to Democrats.
This is what the GOP needs to do. They need to take the lead at every chance they can and keep hammering Obama on all he does. Republicans need to confront the false notions of the public, head on!
Posted by Wild Thing at March 14, 2009 05:47 AM
Comments
Exactly! Who was in charge of the house and senator for the last two years of Bush? The dummycraps! They pushed and pushed and refused to allow him line item veto, so anything he wanted was tied to their ptomaine pork products. He had no choice but to sign those because what he desired was actually needed, like extra armor for the kids in the war, etc. They did the same to his dad, except it was with taxes! They hate the Bushes because they're wealthy but it's okay for the Kennedys to be wealthy. The Bushes got rich the old fashioned way and earned it themselves in oil; the Kennedys got rich off booze, gambling and prostitution!
Now Obama says he's going to use line item veto that he doesn't even have yet? It's time to put blame where blame is due--squarely on the heads of Pelosi and Reid. They were in charge and they acted in an extremely unfair manner. Spoiled brats!
Posted by: Lynn at March 14, 2009 07:46 AM
You bet Chrissie. "This is what the GOP needs to do. They need to take the lead at every chance they can and keep hammering Obama on all he does. Republicans need to confront the false notions of the public, head on!"
Agreed!!! That is what you and Team Theodore are doing every day and we've got Michael Steele to lead the charge.
I have railed for years about that Communist, the only honest one, Bernie Sanders, and his 'Congressional Progressive Committee' they are writing the legislation for Obama to sign. All this time, since 1991 the Republicans have ignored, acquiesced or encouraged that cancer amongst their House of Representatives and up into the Senate where both Sanders and his protégé Pelosi now reside.
The hell of it is we have no leaders in the GOP, we have one or two who voice "their" opinions publicly on single issues then behind closed doors they vote Democrat.
Posted by: Jack at March 14, 2009 10:51 AM
Lynn, DITTO and a hgue AMEN to all you said.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 14, 2009 07:24 PM
Jack, see that is the thing, just like you said. We need a warrior mentality in these elected people to truly verbally fight and stand up to the left and the communists. They should be telling people when they debate that the person is a memeber of the Progressives and what that is. I tell people we know that are democrats about this stuff and they look at me like I am in need of a tin foil hat or something.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 14, 2009 07:28 PM
My Top 3 GOP leaders: SC Senator Jim Demint, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions and Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at March 14, 2009 09:53 PM
