Author Topic: Americans turn on Washington, 68% say wrong track in poll  (Read 1324 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

rangerrebew

  • Guest
Americans turn on Washington, 68% say wrong track in poll
« on: September 25, 2013, 09:19:49 pm »

Americans Turn on Washington, 68% Say Wrong Track in Poll

By Mike Dorning - Sep 25, 2013 12:00 AM ET .

Americans See U.S. on Wrong Track, Recovery Waning

As the U.S. heads toward a potential government shutdown or default, the public is more alienated from Washington than at any time since the aftermath of the 2011 downgrade of the nation’s credit rating.


Americans are pessimistic about the course of the country, with 68 percent saying it’s headed in the wrong direction, the most in two years, according to the poll of 1,000 adults conducted Sept. 20-23. 
 .
President Barack Obama’s 47 percent favorability rating and the 34 percent positive reading for Republicans are the worst ever for both in the Bloomberg National Poll, which began in 2009. The 44 percent approval rating of the Democratic Party is at a two-year low.

Obama’s 45 percent job-approval rating is the lowest since September 2011, a month after a partisan showdown over lifting the debt ceiling brought the U.S. to the brink of default.

Americans also are pessimistic about the course of the country, with 68 percent saying it’s headed in the wrong direction, the most in two years, according to the poll of 1,000 adults conducted Sept. 20-23.

“People are so divided and unwilling to compromise,” said poll respondent David Carpenter, a 40-year-old general contractor and political independent in Atlanta. “There’s no unity from the administration. He sticks to his ideals and points fingers. I don’t think that’s the right way to lead.”


Americans’ negative feelings about Washington contrast with more optimistic views about their own prospects. Thirty-five percent of respondents expect their financial security to improve during the next year, up from 25 percent in December 2012.

Grumpy Public

The poll results highlight the vulnerability of both Obama and congressional Republicans to a public backlash in the showdown they are approaching on the federal budget. A grumpy, divided public could turn on either political party -- or both - - if the economic recovery is thrown into turmoil because of Washington brinkmanship.

The president enters the fight with a “slippery advantage” in popularity over his opponents, said J. Ann Selzer, president of Des Moines, Iowa-based Selzer & Co., which conducted the survey for Bloomberg. “Obama has been damaged, but the Republicans haven’t crawled out of their own hole.”



House Republicans are demanding the defunding of Obama’s health-care law as the price for a temporary measure to keep the government open through Dec. 15. The deadline for action is Sept. 30, when the federal fiscal year ends. Obama has said he won’t accept the condition, setting up the possibility of a government shutdown if the issue isn’t resolved on time.

Debt Ceiling

House Republicans also are imposing a series of conditions, including concessions on government spending levels and a revamp of the tax code, to raise the nation’s $16.7 trillion debt limit, which U.S. Treasury officials say they expect to exhaust as soon as mid-October.

No side has gained a clear advantage in assigning blame for the slow pace of economic growth, with 32 percent of Americans saying Obama has pursued the wrong policies, 29 percent saying Republicans have stymied growth by blocking Obama’s initiatives and 30 percent maintaining the recession was so severe that the government is limited in its ability to influence the rebound.

More than four years into the recovery, the U.S. has regained 6.8 million of the 8.7 million jobs lost since December 2007, which marks the beginning of the worst downturn since the Great Depression. The $51,017 U.S. median household income last year was more than $4,600 below the pre-recession level in 2007 and the lowest since 1995.

Investor Support

Still, with the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 U.S. stock index up 19 percent this year as of yesterday, there was no fall-off in support for Obama among investors since the June Bloomberg poll. His job approval remained steady at 46 percent among Americans who own stocks, bonds or mutual funds. Among non-investors, his job rating plunged to 44 percent from 57 percent in June.

Among all Americans, Obama’s job approval declined four points since June. For the first time in the Bloomberg poll, more Americans, 49 percent, have an unfavorable view of Obama personally than those who view him favorably, 47 percent.

His decline in job approval during the past three months is most pronounced among his partisan allies, falling to 78 percent among Democrats from 86 percent in June. Among independents, his performance rating dropped to 38 percent from 44 percent. Republican assessments of the president’s job performance improved slightly to 14 percent from 11 percent.

Since June, Obama has weathered criticism from civil libertarians over disclosures of National Security Agency surveillance of telephone records and Internet communication.

Fed Opposition

His consideration of former economic adviser Lawrence Summers for Federal Reserve chairman aroused opposition from critics of the financial deregulation that Summers had backed as a member of President Bill Clinton’s administration.

Obama’s support for military intervention in Syria also generated a backlash from antiwar activists who supported his 2008 candidacy because of his opposition to the Iraq War.

Obama’s handling of the situation in Syria is overwhelmingly unpopular, with Americans disapproving by 53 percent versus 31 percent approving. While foreign affairs has been a strength of his presidency, Americans disapprove of his management of the U.S. reputation in the world, 51 percent to 43 percent.

The slip in Obama’s job approval crosses a spectrum of issues. Approval of his handling of the economy at 38 percent is the lowest level since September 2011. Support for Obama’s handling of the budget has dropped to a new low of 29 percent.

Congress Relations

Just 39 percent of Americans approve of his management of negotiations with congressional Republican leaders, about the same as the 38 percent who said so in June and 37 percent who said so in September 2011.

The controversy over Obama’s consideration of a new chairman of the Fed hasn’t resonated with the public. While 33 percent approve and 25 percent disapprove of how he’s handling the selection process, more have no opinion: 42 percent said they weren’t sure of their view.

Summers, a one-time contender, withdrew from his name this month after several Democrats in the Senate announced their opposition to him and support for another candidate, Janet Yellen, the Fed’s current vice chairman.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mike Dorning in Washington at mdorning@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jeanne Cummings at jcummings21@bloomberg.net

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-25/americans-turn-on-washington-68-say-wrong-track-in-poll.html
« Last Edit: September 25, 2013, 09:21:05 pm by rangerrebew »

Offline 240B

  • Lord of all things Orange!
  • TBR Advisory Committee
  • ***
  • Posts: 25,949
    • I try my best ...
Re: Americans turn on Washington, 68% say wrong track in poll
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2013, 09:32:02 pm »
They have openly created and cultivated a culture of 'America vs. D.C.'.
 
They look down with disdain and "open contempt" on regular American workers. They are far from representing us, they are openly fighting against everything the so called 'people' want.
 
They Lord around like Kings and Royalty. Now they want 'respect'? Screw that! Those thieving conniving fat rich bastards can all straight to hell, with all their 'money' with them.
 
Who isn't just waiting for Pelosi, McCain, and Reid, to finally just ...opt into Obamacare, to put it gently.
You cannot "COEXIST" with people who want to kill you.
If they kill their own with no conscience, there is nothing to stop them from killing you.
Rational fear and anger at vicious murderous Islamic terrorists is the same as irrational antisemitism, according to the Leftists.

Offline olde north church

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,117
Re: Americans turn on Washington, 68% say wrong track in poll
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2013, 09:48:43 pm »
They have openly created and cultivated a culture of 'America vs. D.C.'.
 
They look down with disdain and "open contempt" on regular American workers. They are far from representing us, they are openly fighting against everything the so called 'people' want.
 
They Lord around like Kings and Royalty. Now they want 'respect'? Screw that! Those thieving conniving fat rich bastards can all straight to hell, with all their 'money' with them.
 
Who isn't just waiting for Pelosi, McCain, and Reid, to finally just ...opt into Obamacare, to put it gently.

And non-D.C. America has been remarkably restrained in not crossing the Potomac, laying the city to waste and salting the earth.
Why?  Well, because I'm a bastard, that's why.

Offline 240B

  • Lord of all things Orange!
  • TBR Advisory Committee
  • ***
  • Posts: 25,949
    • I try my best ...
Re: Americans turn on Washington, 68% say wrong track in poll
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2013, 10:14:56 pm »
And non-D.C. America has been remarkably restrained in not crossing the Potomac, laying the city to waste and salting the earth.

That's only because their crew of 'media-maids' follow them around and constantly wipe-up after them. Most of them keep a low profile so their astounding wealth and greed will not be known.
 
However, the level of anger at John McCain is growing. Just like he did in Nam, he is a real bastard and will cut anyone's throat if he think that he himself will personally benefit. But doesn't that describe almost everyone in D.C.?
 
The difference is that McCain made himself based on his war record. We thought highly of him. And for him to turn into some pastey White, ultra-rich, super croney, Liberal drone, that hurts. Because we thought better of him. We were wrong.
You cannot "COEXIST" with people who want to kill you.
If they kill their own with no conscience, there is nothing to stop them from killing you.
Rational fear and anger at vicious murderous Islamic terrorists is the same as irrational antisemitism, according to the Leftists.

rangerrebew

  • Guest
Re: Americans turn on Washington, 68% say wrong track in poll
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2013, 12:57:52 pm »
I'm reading a number of new books, and rereading others, on Nazi Germany and the parallels of the government and the reaction of people to it, and they are eerily similar.  Even in the dirtiest tricks, Hitler (like Obama) was not viewed as part of the problem.  Hitler (like Obama) gave speeches telling people WHAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR.  The media of Germany (like the Media of today) was afraid to call into question Hitler's policies.  Hitler's inner group (like Obama's) was comprised of ideologues, perverts, and thugs.  Hitler (like Obama) "stimulated" the economy by using government money.  I could go on and on but you all get the point. :dammit:

Offline Bigun

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 51,331
  • Gender: Male
  • Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God
    • The FairTax Plan
Re: Americans turn on Washington, 68% say wrong track in poll
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2013, 01:18:07 pm »
One has to wonder what planet the other 32% are on!
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline Rapunzel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 71,613
  • Gender: Female
Re: Americans turn on Washington, 68% say wrong track in poll
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2013, 06:27:06 pm »
One has to wonder what planet the other 32% are on!

Government payroll or welfare....... (which is sort of the same thing these days)
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776