A poll released today by the Wall Street Journal in partnership with NBC reveals significant weakness in support for President Barack Obama and the Democratic party. Compared to the optimistic results of a similar poll conducted soon after the inauguration, some news outlets are heralding the results as a potential death knell for the president's popularity, his policies, and his party.
On the contrary, the poll results point out a more disturbing trend: Americans have lost faith in both political parties; do not feel confident about the present or the future; feel as though the country is in the midst of a severe decline; and are only marginally optimistic about the likelihood of the passage of healthcare reform, job creation, or the eventual success of the war in Afghanistan.
Unquestionably the biggest concern of all is high unemployment .
When evaluated on the merits, the latest poll lays bare the biggest problem of all: our government of the people and by the people and for the people, has proved to be grossly ineffectual at working for the best interests of all Americans.
So sit back, strap yourself in, take a stiff belt of your favorite alcoholic beverage or caffeinated drink, and hold firm to the sides of your seat as we delve deeper into the message behind the numbers:
In response to the question, "Do you think America is in a state of decline or do you feel that is not the case?", 61% felt that the country is in decline, while 35% did not.
This sentiment is driven largely by a continued divisiveness between Democrats and Republicans that hijacks any legislative effort to get something done quickly and without acrimony. The divisive attempt at healthcare reform is the latest example; and national skepticism is no doubt inflamed by an unemployment rate in excess of 10%; gloomy prospects for future job growth; and a housing market only showing signs of life because of short sale and foreclosure transactions.
The good news is, in order to fix a problem, it first has to be acknowledged. Thus, the average American clearly knows the country's soul and spirit are in deep trouble. Acknowledging this is at least a beginning.
Another question asked, "Do you approve or disapprove of the job that Congress is doing?". For representatives of either party, the numbers do not bode well for election cycles in 2010 and 2012. Of those polled, 68% do not approve of Congress' efforts, while 22% do. This figure is no doubt exacerbated by the continuing partisan ill-will as evidenced by the failure of Republicans to get on board with financial bailout programs or healthcare reform; and, by the demonstrated failure of the Democratic majority to do anything decisively to advance their agenda and the country in the process.
When asked if the nation was ‘headed in the right direction' or whether the U.S. had ‘gone off track', 55% indicated they felt America has lost her way while 33% felt differently. While the afterglow of the presidential election brimmed with the possibilities of a new administration with new ways of thinking and promising a partisan approach to governance, the past year has shown otherwise.
Throughout, unemployment continued to rise while the nation is embroiled in two wars with no legitimate endgame in sight; healthcare reform is bogged down in the morass of political back-biting and lobbyist influence; and billions of dollars in stimulus money lent to banks has not been used to help Joe American.
Couple all of those factors with trillion dollar budget deficits and it isn't hard to see that not much has changed since the election. If anything, the country is now treading water financially, where in October, 2008, it was on the verge of drowning. In sum, this measure of national direction is not likely to change for the positive until job creation happens in a convincing way.
Be sure to read Part II!
Comments
Yeah there are lot of jobs in Health care Admin find a local school to get your degree in few months check www.bit.ly/8FBySg
Excellent article. The news reports yesterday laid it all on Obama has though it was disappointment with HIM, when in fact it is a general disillusionment with a government that has stopped working. I fear that the nation is on the verge of tremendous social unrest and violent upheaval not seen since the 1960's if things don't change in a hurry. Let's hope not.
The Democrats couldn't score in a pantry raid for crissakes! If the Republicans were in power, they would be ramming through their agenda in true damn-the-torpedos fashion. The Dems have no balls. Pelosi has hooters, but no juevos rancheros.
U AMERICANS ARE GOING 2 GO THE WAY OF ROME. REMEMBER WHAT HAPPEN 2 THOSE TOGA WEARING PEEGS. OSAMA WILL RULE THE WORLD AND THE WEST WILL BE OBLITERATED AND WE WILL TAKE OVER ONCE AND FOR ALL AND REGAIN WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS. WOULD ANYONE LIKE SOME HUMMUS?
I just want to say how much I appreciate you not doing an article on my withering lead in the Florida Senate race. I really could use some good press. Can I interest you in some oranges? Perhaps grapefruits? I know some people in Miami that own some bodegas or good cafeterias; perhaps ethnic snacks from there? Let me know. I need the good press.
U think u can write? Ur not a journalist. Ur a literairie thief who takes snips from what other real writers write and then posts it as their own. Obama is goin' down & Rush Limberger, Sarah and her Palins and Glenn Beckerhead are going to rule the world and restore America to greatness. Just u watch. Hey, I see u live in Miami. Can u score me some tix to the Daytona 500?
Come to think of it, Tony Soprano could run the government better than they run themselves. He'd clean up the House for sure.
For an old dude, you ROCK!
Nice article.. You were linked from News Busters so good job!
Obama is a wooden puppet. Why are there only 4-5 photographs of his youth? Why are there no "College Buddies" that he hung out with that can attest to anything about him? Why are his educational records sealed? No personal friends? No living American relatives?
Who is this guy? Where did he come from? How did he attend colleges that most Americans can only dream of attending, and who funded him? Who funded Michelle Obama's education?
Who the hell is this dude? Who made him? All he can do is read from a teleprompter. Geeze oh Petes. We are in dangerous times.
This poll is bogus. It only has a small demographics as well as ethnic minority.
Why hasn't anyone called me (ever). I have a landline and cell phone.
Pres. Obama is doing a good job--he just needs to rid himself of those DINOS and GOPHERS and things will get done.
I know so that the Grand Ole Party gets to foam at the mouth while they pretend that their party has a better solution instead of being the PORNOS (Party of Rich NoNothing Old SICKOS)
HassanBinLayd: Stop Using Scare Tactics that so yesterday....
The most important of all POTUS powers is command of the United States armed forces. The power to declare war is constitutionally vested in Congress, but the president commands and directs the military and is responsible for planning military strategy.
Foreign policy is also directed by the president.
The POTUS is the chief executive of America, putting him at the head of the executive branch of the government, with the responsibility to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." To carry out this duty, he is given control of about four million employees of the federal executive branch.
And this country elected a man who has never served in the military, has never experienced a foreign policy position, and has never held a business management job.
We have lost the respect of our allies, gained the derision of our enemies, and have handed our debts to China.
Is it any wonder that we are now worried about the future of our country?
Anne H: blaming Obama for the country’s ills is a right wing cop-out. Have you forgotten the stellar qualifications of The Smirking Chimp, Bush Jr? Let’s see, ran a baseball team thanks to Daddy. Sat in the governor’s chair in Texas for 8 years where he delegated authority to everyone around him so he could polish his little league trophies; took us into a war of retribution for the failed assassination attempt on his Dad and lied to the world to do it; he single-handedly scorched U.S. relations with every country on earth including Britian, Germany, and Israel; he groveled at the feet of Saudi Kings, begging for oil price reductions and was rejected; he consistently butchered the English language; looked the other way when his Vice-President treasonously outed CIA operative Valerie Plame; totally botched disaster efforts after Hurricane Katrina, and oh, choked on a pretzel in front of his Scotty. Your point was what?
It's easy to "blame" whoever is supposedly is running the country. There is plenty of blame to go around I can't believe the lack of respect shown by so many of our supposed "leaders". Americans criticize everyone & everything. No one wants to take responsibility for their role in the disaster ALL people have created with their greed and inflated egos. The big businesses and lobbyists are running the country & nobody takes notice, because their busying looking at the microcosm of their self absorbed desires rather than what's best for EVERYONE. Political analysts stated at the end of the B&C regime that it would take at least 100 yrs to undo the damage of those 8 yrs. WAKE UP AMERICA and let's all figure out how to solve these problems rather than go nowhere in a blame cycle, because we REALLY want it to be "somebody Else's " fault. Isn't that just SO MUCH easier???
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