In the aftermath of President Obama’s now-obvious-to-all sequester overreach–in which he first predicted the end of the world as we know it, then backed away from those claims once the cuts went into effect, then attempted to inflict maximum pain on the American people, and is now blaming the Secret Service for the stupid and unnecessary decision to shut down White House tours–something is changing.
President Obama’s RealClearPolitics.com approval rating is in the 40s. His disapproval rating exceeds his approval rating in three different polls (Fox, McClatchy/Marist, and Quinnipiac). Congressional Democrats are beginning to grouse. And according to a Washington Post story yesterday, Mr. Obama’s approval rating at this early stage in his second term is among the lowest of any president in the post-World War II era.
According to the Washington Post-ABC News poll, half of independents express a negative opinion of the president’s performance; just 44 percent approve. A majority of Americans give Obama negative marks on handling the economy. And the president has only a four-percentage-point lead over Republicans when it comes to whom the public trusts more to deal with the economy.
This is clearly not where a president who is less than two months into his second term wants to be. But in some respects, it’s not all that surprising. Mr. Obama, while he won his contest with Governor Romney fairly handily, was not a particularly popular president for most of his first term–and the key elements of his agenda are decidedly unpopular.
It hasn’t helped the president that the transition period was characterized by a fractious debate with Republicans over the so-called fiscal cliff, followed by an equally fractious debate with Republicans over sequestration. The public appears to be tiring of these Obama-manufactured crises. And polling indicates that they are tiring as well of tax increases, which is at the heart of Obama’s economic theory, such as it is. So the president’s standing is fairly weak.
That could of course change; public opinion polls are ephemeral and the currents in politics can shift quickly. That said, I believe that one of the most important political facts of Obama’s second term will be the increasing unpopularity of the Affordable Care Act, which is the crowning domestic achievement of the Obama presidency.
It’s never been popular, even when it passed–and it’s gotten less popular over time. Moreover, it’s noxious effects are only now beginning to be felt–and they’ll get worse, not better, as more and more of this monstrously unworkable plan begins to kick in.
My assumption is that by the middle and end of Obama’s second term, reactionary liberalism, having been tried, will have failed. Badly. At that point the public will turn its lonely eyes to Republicans. They need to be ready. My guess is they will be.
I chalk it up to Chris Matthews being distracted by his own demands that the new Pope be slightly more leftist than Lenin.
Found out today insurance prem doubled goes up in May and for doctor visit have to pay100 deduble then copay of 35 specialist the copay is 100__
One can only hope that when this POTUS and his ideas are squarely residing on the dung-heap of history, people like Chris Matthews and his ilk will be accompanying Obama there or lamenting with wails and gnashing of teeth.
"My assumption is that by the middle and end of Obama’s second term, reactionary liberalism, having been tried, will have failed." n nAssume away! It's easier than dealing with reality.
No assumption need be made, really. It has failed, is still failing and will always be a failure. There's your reality, Hillel. Deal with it.
And when reality hits, are you all going to be able to deal with it like men or are you going to act like the POTUS and point the finger at everyone but yourself? It would be nice if either side actually owned up to it when their ideas do not work out and I'm thinking the Prog/Libs are already getting their bag of excuses ready.
Will we ever know whose idea it was to cancel the WH tours? That was truly stupid for the Oteam. nMay they continue to make such 'political' decisions, sooner the better.
I blame Bush for that.
Its Obama's thin skin that he cannot hide and he does not have the maturity to overcome stupid decisions.
Translation of your remark: Its (sic) the color of Obama's skin that he cannot hide and I do not have the maturity to overcome my stupid prejudices.
I see winning the Senate in 2014 as the Battle of the Bulge. This is our last stand to take back our country. n nAnd by that time, Obamacare is going to start kicking in fully and hopefully, more people will flock to the Republican party.
They won't flock to the Republican Party – they'll blame insurance companies for higher premiums and conclude that somehow Republicans are responsible. The Democrats will respond that the answer is to really nationalize health care.
Most of America wants to keep big government out of their health care. n n
Then why did we reelect Obama and leave the Senate in Democratic hands? I don't care what people "want" – I suspect you are right. I fear, frankly, that people are too dang stupid to figure out that how they vote might impact what they get!
Which was the goal from the get-go. The plan all along was to bankrupt insurance companies, then "ride to the rescue" with gov't single payer. It's as obvious as can be.
Exactly.
Never trust a Lefty; stand-up and fight back, and do not give an inch to the Marxist anti-freedom Democrat Party!
When a positive poll is needed they take them from the counties around DC where the heaviest concentration of government workers live, chat, shop and enjoy themselves. That’s why the percentage is so high on the plus side. Rocket science!
His approval ratings should have been in the teens, in October 2008. But, of course, the average American is as dumb as a stump. Critical thinking does not exist in their brain-dead, or indoctrinated minds. The fact that this less-than-zero, empty-suit, Chicago Thug got re-elected, and still has approval ratings close to 50%, is astounding. I know the fat cats on Wall Street are happy, but the rest of us? How bad does it have to get folks? Just wait until ObamaCare fully kicks in.
the ACA was run against by Mitt Romney as if it were the original sin and he was the avenging angel. n nCheck with Fox News – even they acknowledge that Romney lost n nGive it a rest with the ACA; give it a rest with the failed Ryan budget n nGrow up or get fully marginalized
Don't forget that the Democrats in the Senate are going to force a vote on gun control. This should cost about 7 Democratic Senators their jobs if they vote for it or not. If they vote for it, they lose to their Republican challenger. If they don't, they get a primary from their left, eating up all their campaign cash. In the words from Animal House, "This is gonna be great!" Conservative Ruckus Blogspot
Maybe, but I can't forget that North Dakota (!!!) elected a Democrat to the Senate. The state most reliant on oil for its existence saw fit to put a member of the party most committed to stopping drilling into office. That move destroyed much of my remaining faith in humanity. Nothing makes sense anymore.
mike: try to realize that North Dakota had two Democratic Senators for years, both Conrad and Dorgan were true fiscal conservatives who gave up on the Pelosi Party. n nalso, dems in the Dakotas and Nebraska are descended from the Farmer Populist segment.
I know all that – but putting a D in the Senate in 2012, when the R's had a real shot at it, was beyond stupid! At some point voters have to consider the broader impact of their choice. Giving Reid and Obama more power in the Senate won't be good for industries that extract natural resources – North Dakotans should appreciate that.
Obama's approval ratings in the 40's, economy tepid at best – he is doomed! One term and out! nOh, wait. nWho cares what his approval rating is now? Are the American people waking up? I doubt it. He sucked for four years and got reelected anyway. The best that can be said is that the people aren't as stupid as Obama thinks they are, and can still get riled up about the truly important stuff, like WH tours! nMeanwhile, the Democrats continue to pretend that money grows on trees, and Americans don't seem too concerned. n
If the republicans are unreasonable at that point (like the Pr & demo are being now) will all lose except the rich..
The most divisive in history. And he just lost his best bud Hugo. Couldn't happen to a nicer psychopath narcissist
I am no fan of Obama and hope he is stopped at every turn. However, the fact that Congressional Dems are "grousing" is somewhat ridiculous since they are dragging him down. I'm skeptical of whether the Republicans can take advantage. But gridlock is fine by me. One party rule under W and under Obama did a lot of harm to the country.
Gridlock in 2010 would have been great – no ACA, then. Now, we need Republican control to undo some of this damage.
Obama blew his tax increase wad with the fiscal cliff. Republicans gave him a tax increase. Now he looks like a food coming back and saying the rich need to pay more. Most rational people hear this and say, "uh wait a minute, didn't we just make the rich pay more 2 months ago?"
What more can we expect from the queen of denial and the liar extraordinaire? Not much…