Summer of Discontent Slams Obama and Republicans – ABC News / Washington Post Poll

[IamK]

Source: ABC News

Analysis by Julie E. Phelan and Gary Langer (@langerresearch):

More than half of Americans now disapprove of Barack Obama’s job performance, six in 10 rate his work on the economy and job creation negatively and more than one in three say they’ve become worse off financially under his presidency – a high in ABC News/Washington Post polls since Ronald Reagan trademarked the question a generation ago.

Those results and others underscore the depths of this summer of economic discontent. With unemployment stubbornly over 9 percent, 77 percent say the country is headed seriously off on the wrong track, up 17 points this year to the most since the end of George W. Bush’s presidency.

In a further sign of the deep hazards to Obama, Americans by a 2-1 margin, 34 percent to 17 percent, now say his administration’s efforts have done more to harm rather than help the nation’s economy. The number who say his economic program has improved the economy has plummeted by half since January. And 47 percent say it’s had no effect.

Obama has scheduled a major address on the employment situation Thursday evening before a joint session of Congress. He’ll face a tough public audience: In this poll, produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates, a record 62 percent disapprove of his work on the economy, as many disapprove of his work on job creation specifically, and by 50-45 percent slightly more describe themselves as pessimistic rather than optimistic about employment in the year ahead.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/summer-of-discontent-slams-obama-and-republicans-abc-news-washington-post-poll/

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no one escapes in this poll...

[Dulcinea]

1. Well, duh.

No one is doing anything about chronic unemployment. That's the single biggest issue to many Americans. Our economy will never recover until this issue is addressed, and there seems to be very little will on the part of private industry or the government to do anything about it. I hope the Prez proves me wrong with his upcoming jobs speech.

[durablend]

2. They're not going to either

Goes against the grand scheme of things that they seem to have planned out.

[ixion]

3. the true believers 'unrec' this at their own peril

Pretending low ratings don't exist isn't going to make them go away.

[durablend]

4. Sure it will

The pollster (as well as the participants) are obviously racist and never loved him to begin with!

[Fuddnik]

5. !

[Mugweed]

6. Yes, the right-wingers I know revel in this.

I keep trying to tell them that he's becoming unpopular because he was voted into office in an overwhelming majority so that he could reverse all the damage the republicans have caused, and he has perpetuated much of it instead. They don't get it that he's unpopular because he compromises with the right too much.

[crim son]

12. You're right about that,

and the media is playing it that way too, or has been until very recently.

[Enthusiast]

15. Of course the media plays it that way.

If the Obama presidency is going to survive he must move to the right. The voters hate organized labor, the voters love free trade deals and the voters want to slash social security and medicare. That's why the GOP congress is sooo popular.

[Mojorabbit]

41. I don't think all is lost

I have spoken to a whole lot of first time Dem voters(08) who think it is the Republican's fault he has not been able to do much. That they are blocking everything he tries. These are low info voters. I am hoping that holds true for a lot of people. I also hope Obama stands up and does what he should have done the first year in office and that is address the unemployment situation.

[No Elephants]

45. He will, if you think de-regulating and cutting taxes is addressing the unemployment situation.

Almost forgot: And a National infrastructure Bank, yet another bad DLC idea that Obama seems to want to adopt.

[Proletariatprincess]

7. It just doesnt seem to matter anymore....

what the citizens want or need. Polititians on both sides will do as they please.

[ixion]

8. not "do as they please," more like "do as they're told"

in my opinion. They're bought and paid for corrupt.

[Dragonfli]

9. The Republican approach to job creation of shoving money to the top has never worked

He should stop pushing their memes and approaches.

He should instead consider trying more Democratic policy approaches (or at least try like hell and make the obvious historical parallels so people know he wants to help).

Was I the only one that noticed that the portion of the stimulus that was not tax cuts actually helped get jobs started again even tho it was greatly underfunded? More of that (by about three or four times) minus all the Republican parts (tax cuts) coupled with a return to taxing Corporations that have cash in large reserve (as well as the investor class that pay half what workers pay) would turn things around if history is any indication.

The way he talks sometimes and the deals he makes show a right wing Ideology that makes me concerned that he will not try what has worked in the past but would rather use the GOP approaches and free trade approaches championed by the Third Way and PPI think tanks simply because he believes in them. That will help neither chronic unemployment nor his chances for re-election, it is time he met the Keynesians half way for his own survival if not for ours.

I have heard that he likes to meet people half way but has not shown much interest in Democratic solutions, it is time for him to compromise with those that actually make sense.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. And the real bitch of it is...

...the lousy right wing policies that have failed us will be perceived as left wing policies because they happenened under the auspices of a Democratic president, pushing the government even further to the right.

:argh:

[No Elephants]

46. Turns out third way actually = one way--the Republcan way.

We're heading for a one party nation, thanks to the DLC.

[oNobodyo]

11. What kind of speech could anyone write that would change things

Seriously? Remember the last time you tried to talk to a wing nut and change their minds about anything?...How well did that work out for you?...

About the only thing he could do is call out the republicans in public...but the response will be ugly and it'll come from the militia types...

People are putting an awful lot on something and someone that can't change a damned thing.

[bigworld]

13. What he should say on Thursday:

My fellow Americans:

For the past two years, I have compromised with Republicans and given them almost everything they wanted: tax breaks, a rollback of environmental protection, job cuts. And I am still taunted as a socialist by them. I have given a mile, and they have not given an inch.

But starting today, I will stop compromising my ideals and principles and give the American people what they elected me to do: be their voice in Washington. Beginning today, I draw the line in the sand and will say NO MORE to this wholesale transfer of power to the uber rich. Beginning today, I will speak up for the common man instead of the corporation. Beginning today, I will compromise no more.

I thought I could work with these people, but they have taken advantage of me - of us - and the economy has tanked as a result. Beginning today, I will say no to the monied corporate interests, no to the lobbyists, no to the war profiteers, no to the megarich, no to the rightwing, and YES to the people of America!

Yes we can, and yes, we must!

Good night and God Bless America

[russspeakeasy]

17. You nailed it bigworld

:toast:

[coalition_unwilling]

39. I'd love to hear Obama use the phrase 'uber rich' in any speech. It

would make my day :)

[Javaman]

43. How can I get a ticket to that alternative reality? nt

[Enthusiast]

16. He shouldn't even talk to the wing nuts,.

They don't represent America. They represent a tiny ignorant segment of America that is an embarrassment to the nation.

What are the militia types going to do? Hold up signs that say Obama is a commie? They have done that to death.

[Enthusiast]

14. Remember the enthusiasm for newly elected President Obama?

It was incredible! Remember the size of the crowds? Never before has any politician had such support.

What happened?

Do die hard Obama supporters really think the American people voted for him in overwhelming numbers because they felt he would promote right of center policies?

If thousands of us political junkies were mistaken in our appraisal of Obama, in thinking he was lefty, what were the chances the regular voter would have pegged him correctly?

Did the American people vote for Obama thinking he would promote new free trade agreements? Did Obama enjoy all that massive support because the voter thought he would consider cutting social security?

I don't know why I waste my time.

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. Obama ratings sink to new lows as hope fades

Source: Washington Post

Public pessimism about the direction of the country has jumped to its highest level in nearly three years, erasing the sense of hope that followed President Obama’s inauguration and pushing his approval ratings to a record low, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

More than 60 percent of those surveyed say they disapprove of the way the president is handling the economy and, what has become issue No. 1, the stagnant jobs situation. Just 43 percent now approve of the job he is doing overall, a new career low; 53 percent disapprove, a new high.

As part of a reinvigorated effort to regain momentum as he heads toward the 2012 election year, Obama traveled to Detroit on Monday for a Labor Day appearance that served as a prelude to his speech Thursday to a joint session of Congress in which he will unveil new proposals to create jobs.

The urgency for Obama to act is driven not just by the most recent unemployment report, which on Friday showed no job growth in August and the unemployment rate stuck at 9.1 percent, but also by the depth of the political hole in which the president finds himself. Even more than two-thirds of those who voted for Obama say things are badly off course.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-ratings-sink-to-new-lows-as-hope-fades/2011/09/05/gIQAIytZ5J_story.html

[ejbr]

19. Well, he better hurry up and find out what the repigs want...

and do it quick!

[durablend]

20. Obviously BIASED poll!

Everyone in the country LOVES the job Obama is doing. A few will be around soon to remind us of that.

Washington Post and ABC News never loved him! :cry:

[demwing]

21. Serious? /nt

[No Elephants]

44. I think the phrase "never loved him" signals a bit of tongue in cheek

[Javaman]

29. um, what?

step away from the computer and look around you.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

30. Yeah, where are the Obama loyalists?

[elocs]

31. In one respect we are just like the right--we dismiss polls whose result we don't like. n/t

[Mr Dixon]

22. IMO

Yawn

[Bragi]

23. Is this a policy or communications failure?

I think it's important to know if the reason his ratings have slid so much have to do with his actual policies or non-policies, or is it mostly due to poor communications from the White House?

If it's the former, then he needs to change his policies; if its the latter, he needs to communicate more smartly and effectively.

If it's a bit of both, then he needs better policies communicated more effectively if he is going to pull himself back up in terms of public estimation and a viable run for a second term.

[MilesColtrane]

34. His chance to do anything substantial about the economy ended...

on November 4th last year.

Republicans will not allow money to be spent on a meaningful jobs program now.

[Bragi]

36. If that's true (I think it is) why doesn't he say that?

Instead of "reaching out" to the GOP in a "bipartisan manner", why then doesn't he get honest with Americans and tell them the truth -- that the GOP has no intention of cooperating to help create jobs.

He could then talk about how he intends to do everything to help the unemployed and the poor that is possible for him to do without the approval of congress.

Needless to say, he could then make it clear that "everything possible" does not include the GOP program of spending and tax cuts.

His failure to do this is why he now looks like a one-term president.

[MilesColtrane]

38. If he did that he'd be portrayed as a whiner trying to deflect blame.

He can't win really.

He'll do what he can with what he has to work with, and that won't be enough.

[Bragi]

40. Of course he can't win with critics

The question is whether he might keep/win back his voters if he spoke honestly, and committed himself to doing everything to create jobs and boost the income of poor and unemployed people that a President can do without support from Congress.

[Larkspur]

24. Maybe working Americans are vomiting those peas Obama says we need to eat

meanwhile, Wall Street gets to keep eating caviar.

It sounds like it is time for change in the WH Staff. Pragmatism doesn't inspire anyone, especially when us peasant folks see the oligarchs on Wall Street not paying for their crimes and sending our nation into economic peril.

[meow mix]

25. whats to disapprove of?? its so cozy underneath the bus.. they must need drug-testing.

its not just for the "professional left" anymore.

[NorthCarolina]

26. ...

:fistbump:

[bigworld]

27. Republicans have always disapproved -- now it is Democrats who are giving him thumbs down

for giving in so much.

At this point, the Democrats best hope is for Obama to pull an LBJ and not seek the Democratic nomination. Unless Obama has something up his sleeve that no one knows about, I feel pretty negative about our chances next year. :(

[madrchsod]

28. he just keeps digging deeper in the well,well,well....

[mother earth]

32. His "base" has woken up. We simply got more GW.

[placton]

33. let's all pretend that

-he will turn this around
-the polls are skewed
-we have no other choices (we being the us voters)
-yada yada yada

[villager]

35. It's such an obvious time for a Third Party to arise...

...one wonders if it will....

[scentopine]

37. All part of 3d chess master's plan. Obama is winning in the dimension common mortals can't see -nt

[buckrogers1965]

42. Too bad.

Obama was the best Republican candidate, now it looks like he won't win re-election.

With any luck the Democrats can run a liberal candidate that might stand a chance of winning.

You know, someone that will eliminate tax cuts for the rich, support the environment, support a lot of small business startups, and bring our soldiers home.