Zogby says Obama Approval Plummets to 42 Percent - How Dare They

[Fingers!]

http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/zogby_obama_poll/2009/08/31/254617.html

Monday, August 31, 2009 4:39 PM

President Barack Obama's job approval rating is down to 42%, with a decline in approval from Democrats the leading factor.

The latest Zogby Interactive poll of 4,518 likely voters conducted from August 28-31 found 48% disapprove and 42% approve of the job Obama is doing. The poll found 75% of Democrats approve of Obama's performance, a drop of 13 points among Democrats from an interactive poll done July 21-24 of this year. That same poll found 48% of all likely voters approving of Obama's job performance, and 49% disapproving.
 

[Incognegro]

The healthcare issue is the only issue where Obama really isn't performing as well as hoped.

That doesn't NEARLY make up this huge drop though.

The real problem is that Obama inherited a war and a recession, neither of which he can be expected to fix in 8 months.

[LaylaMonroe]

The healthcare issue is the only issue where Obama really isn't performing as well as hoped.

That doesn't NEARLY make up this huge drop though.

The real problem is that Obama inherited a war and a recession, neither of which he can be expected to fix in 8 months.

I agree.  And even on the healthcare issue, I think he's doing as well as can be expected.    He's got major issues to tend to, and he's trying to juggle them all... I think he's doing pretty well, honestly (especially with communication and keeping us in the loop).  Healthcare is a tough one because he's pretty much caught between a rock and a hard place.  There's no way everyone's gonna be happy with this one, and there's SOOOO MUCH misinformation out there. It's just crazy.

[B3Wannabe]

Bah. Those things wax and wane anyway. It's expected.

[funkStrat_97]

The National Debt Clock 


Some people feel that Obama's agenda will do nothing but pile on more debt and have a host of negative long-term consequences.

[Incognegro]

The National Debt Clock 


Some people feel that Obama's agenda will do nothing but pile on more debt and have a host of negative long-term consequences.

According to the larger-than-life link you posted:

"The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
$3.99 billion per day since September 28, 2007!"

Seems to predate Obama's administration a bit.

[funkStrat_97]

Bah. Those things wax and wane anyway. It's expected.

That's true.  These things are not always the best indicator of how effective a President is.  BTW, here's a real time debt clock that has a break down of where the money is being spent.

US Debt Clock - Real Time

[churchyreal]

I agree.  And even on the healthcare issue, I think he's doing as well as can be expected.    He's got major issues to tend to, and he's trying to juggle them all... I think he's doing pretty well, honestly (especially with communication and keeping us in the loop).  Healthcare is a tough one because he's pretty much caught between a rock and a hard place.  There's no way everyone's gonna be happy with this one, and there's SOOOO MUCH misinformation out there. It's just crazy.

Healthcare in the United States has ALWAYS been a hard issue to deal with because overall the U.S. is still a moderate to conservative nation with a "me, myself, and I" focus. So anything that would represent the opposite has always had trouble in being passed.

One of the reasons why healthcare is hard for Obama is because he is advocating something that would mess with private insurance companies and let's be honest: this is a country where the private sector (capitalism) rules. Universal health care goes against capitalism. I don't think it necessarily represents socialism which is one argument I"m sick of hearing.

As I've indicated in the past I support universal health care BUT only for those who make below the poverty line. I do believe that healthcare is a right for every person but I think the ones who should have the priority are those making below poverty line or below line of standard living income.

But to be honest I'm not convinced that health care is a major issue that needs to be dealt with right now. I still think that the economy should be the #1 issue until unemployment decreases and consumer confidence rises because 3/4 of the economy is consumer spending. The only way I support healthcare reform at this point is if Obama can prove to me that this will affect the economy in jobs being addes, unemployment dropping and consumers spending again.

[Fingers!]

Yes, he did inherit a mess but what if the contributions of Obama WAS, even unintentionally, aiding in driving us further into a dark hole to where we or any other generations after us would never be able to get out of.  Would ANY of you be able to admit that he is in error?  Would any of you be able to call a spade a spade? 

[Incognegro]

Yes, he did inherit a mess but what if the contributions of Obama WAS, even unintentionally, aiding in driving us further into a dark hole to where we or any other generations after us would never be able to get out of.  Would ANY of you be able to admit that he is in error?  Would any of you be able to call a spade a spade? 

Well, just in this thread I said Obama isn't doing a good job in getting the healthcare bill passed.   

[Fingers!]

Well, just in this thread I said Obama isn't doing a good job in getting the healthcare bill passed.   

Getting bills passed is not a sign of doing a good job.  Even if he got it passed overnight, it can still be the wrong thing to do to the nation.  Bush got Congress to passed the Patriot Act.  Good job?  Sure, if you want to live in a police state...

[Loopy]

Yes, he did inherit a mess but what if the contributions of Obama WAS, even unintentionally, aiding in driving us further into a dark hole to where we or any other generations after us would never be able to get out of.  Would ANY of you be able to admit that he is in error?  Would any of you be able to call a spade a spade? 

I, myself, am an avid supporter of Obama, and have criticized him on several fronts (his foreclosure rescue plan has thus far been a major FAILURE, IMO, and he has thus far failed to take control of the health care message from the right-wing loons that have been spreading lies and misinformation, and using this debate to launch vicious attacks that have NOTHING to do with health care). Heck, had they polled me recently, I probably would be one of the Democrats who currently DISAPPROVED. That does not mean I don't still support  him overall.

I DO NOT, however, like this ultra-partisan, "the sun never shines during a Democratic administration" approach that many of his critics on the right have been taking since even BEFORE he took office. Mind you this criticizm is coming from people who GOT US INTO THIS MESS! He's only been in office 7 1/2 months. In other words, I'll readily criticize him when I don't agree with him, but I'm not ready to throw him under the bus after 7 months just because people who would have never supported him anyway want me to. Fingers, you could turn around and ask that same question of the Obama-haters. What if his policies DO help the country and things get better. Would ANY of you be able to admit that he's a good President? Or would the same old tired political game of being the "loyal opposition" continue? Neo-conservatives by nature are not intellectually honest.

Meanwhile, some semi-GOOD news on the economic front, from the WALL STREET JOURNAL no less.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125185379218478087.html

I'm willing to give Obama more time. Most of us weren't dumb enough (as conservatives have suggested) to think he was going to magically fix EVERYTHING in his first year in office. It took us more than a couple of years to get into this hole, it's gonna take longer than a few months to fix it.

[Incognegro]

Getting bills passed is not a sign of doing a good job.  Even if he got it passed overnight, it can still be the wrong thing to do to the nation.  Bush got Congress to passed the Patriot Act.  Good job?  Sure, if you want to live in a police state...

Effectively communicating a message and garnering support from both sides of the isle is a VERY important role of the President.   

Fingers, you could turn around and ask yur same question of the Obama-haters. What if his policies DO help the country and things get better. Would ANY of you be able to admit that he's a good President? Or would the same old tire political game of being the "loyal opposition" continue?

True.

And for everyone who doesn't read the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, or any other financial paper, I suggest you do so.

[Fingers!]

I, myself, am an avid supporter of Obama, and have criticized him on several fronts (his foreclosure rescue plan has thus far been a major FAILURE, IMO, and he has thus far failed to take control of the health care message from the right-wing loons that have been spreading lies and misinformation, and using this debate to launch vicious attacks that have NOTHING to do with health care). Heck, had they polled me recently, I probably would be one of the Democrats who currently DISAPPROVED. That does not mean I don't still support  him overall.

I DO NOT, however, like this ultra-partisan, "the sun never shines during a Democratic administration" approach that many of his critics on the right have been taking since even BEFORE he took office. Mind you this criticizm is coming from people who GOT US INTO THIS MESS! He's only been in office 7 1/2 months. In other words, I'll readily criticize him when I don't agree with him, but I'm not ready to throw him under the bus after 7 months just because people who would have never supported him anyway want me to. Fingers, you could turn around and ask that same question of the Obama-haters. What if his policies DO help the country and things get better. Would ANY of you be able to admit that he's a good President? Or would the same old tired political game of being the "loyal opposition" continue? Neo-conservatives by nature are not intellectually honest.

Okay.  I like that answer.  Well balanced.

[BigFoot_BigThumb]

That's usually what you get when you only poll those living in the Golf Club subdivisions.

[ssabass]

Obama approval ratings are fine, when you ask the right people. He is doing a heck of a job, on every issue, even the health care issue. No one thought, this would be easy. The first Black President, in this racist country. Man, they are going to fight him, even if they really believe his policies are right. If anyone here believes that Rush limbaugh, Glen Beck & the other idiots like them, are the only ones that want Obama to fail, think again. They don't want this black man to do something no other white President before him could do. But, after all the opposition that Obama will face, I believe he will get  everything accomplished, he sets out to do.

[GospelEngineer]

Now let me first say I was not a supporter of Barack Obama before he was elected and I am still not a supporter of his policies.

I am a conservative republican, I listen to and agree with much of what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity say(I can feel the opposition rising already lol). As a conservative I do feel that Obama's agenda reeks of socialism. Take a step back and look. The government took over the banks, the car companies and now is attempting to take over health care. Hmm....the government running private enterprises.....THAT'S SOCIALISM!! I'm not going to argue whether or not it was necessary for him to do so because at this point it's irrelevant.

As for fixing the economy I do think it was unfair for people to expect him to turn it around instantly. However, he came in talking big as though this stimulus would provide a quick jolt, and it hasn't, so now he is reaping the consequences.

Lastly, I am sick and tired of people still blaming Bush for everything. Fine he was the worst president ever, he nearly single handedly destroyed the world and its economy and everything in it(yes sarcasm). We know already. At some point Obama is going to have to shoulder responsibility.

[churchyreal]

A Health Care Compromise MAY be in the works.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/02/health.care.compromise/index.html

How would you feel about this compromise?

[BBoy]

I personally think that Obama is doing a great job. First of all, he needs more time to fix some of the problems he inherited and at the same time enact his own ideas.

Also, and yes I shall say it, I do believe there is a racial problem here. If we think that America is going to just roll over and readily admit that a black man and his wife can make improvements that others couldn't, we are being naive.

Calling a spade a spade is a two-sided coin. We can't ignore the problems of being a minority in America and then call a spade a spade when those minorities struggle a bit.

Just my two cents,

BBoy

[Incognegro]

Now let me first say I was not a supporter of Barack Obama before he was elected and I am still not a supporter of his policies.

I am a conservative republican, I listen to and agree with much of what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity say(I can feel the opposition rising already lol). As a conservative I do feel that Obama's agenda reeks of socialism. Take a step back and look. The government took over the banks, the car companies and now is attempting to take over health care. Hmm....the government running private enterprises.....THAT'S SOCIALISM!! I'm not going to argue whether or not it was necessary for him to do so because at this point it's irrelevant.

As for fixing the economy I do think it was unfair for people to expect him to turn it around instantly. However, he came in talking big as though this stimulus would provide a quick jolt, and it hasn't, so now he is reaping the consequences.

Lastly, I am sick and tired of people still blaming Bush for everything. Fine he was the worst president ever, he nearly single handedly destroyed the world and its economy and everything in it(yes sarcasm). We know already. At some point Obama is going to have to shoulder responsibility.

Where to begin?

1) "The government took over the banks, the car companies and now is attempting to take over health care."

We haven't.  Maybe you got this from ya boys Rush Limbaugh & Sean Hannity, but we didn't "Take over".  The CEO's of major Car companies came to congress for money.  They were failing.  We could NOT let the car industry crumble.  We didn't say "Hey we're TAKING this company!".  It was either provide oversight (which we have every RIGHT to do, seeing as we gave them so much money), or watch them fall, and deal a devastating blow to our economy.

As for Banks, we haven't "Taken over" the banks.  We are overseeing the banks.  It's a lack of oversight and accountability in the private sector that helped get our economy into this mess.  You deride these policies as "socialism", then say:

"I'm not going to argue whether or not it was necessary for him to do so because at this point it's irrelevant."

whut?





2) "He came in talking big as though this stimulus would provide a quick jolt, and it hasn't"

 

My only explanation for this comment is that you don't really follow the market. 

Watch the Markets for yourself.  6 months ago the Dow Jones was at 8,000.  Now the markets are over 9,000.  That's HUGE.  The stimulus has clearly worked.  Only this week have the markets stalled a bit, but we're definitely trending upwards.





3) "I am sick and tired of people still blaming Bush for everything....at some point Obama is going to have to shoulder responsibility."

Barack should NOT should responsibility for things that occurred under the Bush Administration.  I will blame Barack for his own failings.





4) "I listen to and agree with much of what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity say..."

This explains your entire post...misinformation and all.