by Damozel | While his overall job approval ratings remain high, a substantial number of Americans want Obama to do something about the deficit. What? They haven't a clue. But something. The poll reflects faith in Obama as a leader, but severe reservations about specific measures he's adopted, according to The New York Times.
A distinct gulf exists between Mr. Obama’s overall standing and how
some of his key initiatives are viewed, with fewer than half of
Americans saying they approve of how he has handled health care and the
effort to save General Motors and Chrysler.
A majority of people said his policies have had either no effect yet on
improving the economy or had made it worse, underscoring how his
political strength still rests on faith in his leadership rather than
concrete results.
Americans are alarmed by the hundreds of billions of dollars that
have been doled out to boost the economy. A majority said the
government should instead focus on reducing the federal deficit. But
with a job approval rating of 63 percent, Mr. Obama has the backing of
Democrats and independents alike, a standing that many presidents would
envy and try to use to build support for their policies. His rating has
fallen to 23 percent among Republicans, from 44 percent in February, a
sign that bridging the partisan divide may remain an unaccomplished
goal.....
“My feeling is that Obama is just throwing money at things, but I don’t
see anything being specifically targeted,” Lynn Adams, 62, a Republican
from Troy, Mich., said in a follow-up interview. “But I’m giving him
the benefit of the doubt because he hasn’t been in office long enough.”
Not that the news is great for Republicans.
While Republicans have steadily increased their criticism of Mr. Obama, particularly on the budget deficit, the poll found that the Republican Party is viewed favorably by only 28 percent of those polled, the lowest rating ever in a New York Times/CBS News poll. In contrast, 57 percent said that they had a favorable view of the Democratic Party.
That's because the Republicans have no better ideas....nothing at all, in fact, to offer by way of a solution. At the end of the day, Americans appreciate the guy who tries to solve problems more than the one who sits on the sidelines criticizing and carping.
RECENT BUCK NAKED POLITICS POSTINGS
- TPMtv for June 17, 2009: Iranian Media Crackdown...
- Conflicts of Interest at Florida's Public Service Commission?
- Turn About Can be Fair Play: Creditors Negotiate with Debtors
- Finally, a Plan for Better Financial-System Regulation?
- Turn to the Left: a Bloggerama
- It's the Hypocrisy, Stupid Part ####: Clinton Critic Ensign (R-NV) Admits to Extramarital Affair with Married Staffer
- Colbert Interviews Obama Economic Adviser & Harry Potter Teacher, Austan Goolsbee
- Needful Diversions: Baby Porcupine Eats a Banana
- TPMtv's "The Day in 100 Seconds" (June 16, 2009 Video): Obama on Meddling in Iran
- Iran Ironies: An Observation
Comments