It’s no secret that President Obama’s popularity is on the skids. The current Rasmussen Poll lists his job approval rate at just 45%; down from a high of 65% in January. Perhaps more importantly, Rasmussen measures a minus 12 point gap in the number of people who “strongly disapprove” of Obama, over those who “strongly approve.” Gallup currently has Obama at a 54% approval level; as against a disapproval level of 40%.
But what’s not being talked about much—at least publicly—is the damage Obama’s freefall popularity is causing the rest of his Democrats. This week, the Gallup organization reported that the Democratic advantage in party affiliation has shrunk 12 percentage points; down to 5%, from a January high of 17%.
According to Gallup, in August, an average of 45% of Americans identified as Democrats or leaned to the Democratic Party, while 40% identified as Republicans or leaned to the Republican Party. This 5-point advantage represents a decided narrowing of the gap between the parties from the 17-point Democratic advantage in January.
Why the Shift? The analysts at Gallup surmise that the narrowing of the gap may be a reflection of the difficulties the Democrats have in governing. Democrats started building up a party advantage in 2005, as George W. Bush's job approval started tanking; leading to their greatest position of relative strength in more than two decades. A Gallup analysis found little evidence that the rise in Democratic fortunes was due to an embracing of the party's liberal-leaning issue positions.
Of course, there is the argument that every new administration suffers at first for inflated expectations, coupled with a national impatience when perceived problems do not respond to quick solutions. The still-sluggish economy, along with the debate over healthcare reform is also putting party ideological differences into sharper focus.
As the 2010 midterm elections draw nearer, the actual damage to the Democratic dominance in the congress is still a matter of speculation. Nevertheless, über-liberal representatives such as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, from strongly Democrat constituencies, are showing rapid declines in their hometown popularity.
Watch for Louisville’s John Yarmuth (D., 3rd Dist.) to start shifting slowly toward the middle.
Comments
What the hell does this article have to do with Louisville City Hall?
And nice try hick, but Obama's poll numbers are actually rising
according to the Portland Progressive Examiner, who's probably much better educated than you, Redneck.
Dear Mr. Me: Louisville's City Hall has been run by Democrats for the last 40 years; and they've done a pretty good job of it, generally speaking. When Obama finishes destroying the Democrat party, the Republicans will probably take over City Hall. Lots of us here in Louisville are less afraid of the devils we know. As to our colleague the Portland Progressive Examiner, we appreciate his spin on Obama's poll numbers, but you can check the Gallup numbers yourself at: gallup.com/poll/113980/gallup-daily-obama-job-approval.aspx, and you will see a steady decline in approval, along with a steady increase of disapproval. And, of course, you are absolutely correct in assuming all of us here in Kentucky are hicks and rednecks. But we all aspire to moving to the northwest coast, where we can receive enlightenment, Starbucks, and fresh crabmeat.
Troubling but at least symmetric: Cheney supposedly was the evil brains behind the Bush 2 'dumb' presidency, and now it looks like Biden will be Obama's more knowledgeable back-up as the President's inexperience, eggheadedness, and indecisive leadership style becomes more and more obvious.
The two big parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, are not defined by one individual, so while we do have a Democrat president, he does not have the power to sink the whole party. Although, together with very left of center Democrats Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid, Maxine Waters, Patrick Leahy, et al, will certainly leave the more moderate Dems like Max Baucus, Jim Webb and Claire McCaskill to unduly work their arses off to bail out the party.
Why? Because most of America is moderate-they simply lean a little to the left or a little to the right. Those in the wings, right or left, just get more airtime/media time because they say more provocative things. It's just so boring being so agreeable.
What will be the Democrat's demise? Losing touch with the largest base of Democrat voters-the moderates. It's the same disease suffered by Republicans.
Obama campaigned as a moderate, which he is not. He is suffering the age old politician's ill-dizzy from the flip-flop.
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