Presidential Approval

If the White House takes late-August Rasmussen polls seriously, this will make them blanche:

Overall, 45% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That’s down a point from yesterday and the lowest level of total approval yet measured for Obama. Fifty-three percent (53%) now disapprove. See recent demographic highlights from the tracking polls.

One correctable error made by the White House - people elected Obama President, not Pelosi and Reid.

MORE:  The Eerily Prescient David Brooks penned on the Presidetial approval slide even before the latest Rasmussen.  If Brooks is with me, who will stand against me?

Obama’s challenge was to push his agenda through a Democratic-controlled government while retaining the affection of the 39 percent of Americans in the middle.

The administration hasn’t been able to pull it off. From the stimulus to health care, it has joined itself at the hip to the liberal leadership in Congress. The White House has failed to veto measures, like the pork-laden omnibus spending bill, that would have demonstrated independence and fiscal restraint. By force of circumstances and by design, the president has promoted one policy after another that increases spending and centralizes power in Washington.

The result is the Obama slide, the most important feature of the current moment.

 

Comments

[Porchlight]

I can see it now. As Obama tanks, the inevitable argument by Democrats will be that it was the Republicans' fault for running that Palin idiot in '08 and forcing all virtuous, intelligent people to vote for Obama; otherwise they'd have all voted McCain and we'd have been spared this horrific administration.

[clarice]

He delegated to Obama and Reid because he's too busy flitting about apologizing, golfing, turning Wednesday nights at the WH into Camelot II and advising DC on farmers' marketing the WH produce. One man can't do everything; and directing legislation--even reading what he's promoting--is not his cup of tea, TM.

I can't believe I have to explain this to you.

[Thomas Collins]

I wonder if MSM has figured out that their wall to wall reverential coverage of Ted K and all things Camelot has probably hurt Obama's numbers. Flyover clinging America is not quite as enamored of the Kennedy brand as MSM.

[bishop]

No, they never understand that Adoration of the Dauphin, never goes out of style for them. I know this will be yet another problem for the FTC/FCC to solve.

[Extraneus]

I'd be interested to see the real story of who wrote the House health care bill. Surely not Pelosi or Reid. They and Obama seem to have only a vague philosophical grasp of what's in the details. Ditto for all the Dems at these town hall meetings.

Are the Congressional staffers the actual 1000-page bill writers, or has that been delegated to outside groups? I bet that dude who was here a week or so straw-manning about no death panels in the "statutory language" knows who wrote it.

[clarice]

oops--*He delegated to Obama Pelosi and Reid *

[Extraneus]

The red trend doesn't seem to be leveling off.

[clarice]

Of course it was weitten by staffers--23 year old whiz kids with no experience who rely on language submitted to them by ngos, unions, lobbyusts, etc. All legislation is written that way these days--it's just that when it gets to be over 1100 pp no one in Congress really expercises any meaningful oversight.

[fdcol63]

I think we'd all be horrified at the stealth legislation and benefits that have been inserted into various bills over the years by these people.

[Mike Myers]

My old drill sergeant used to muse--rather loudly I must confess---about certain things being lower than whale sh#t; nothing was lower than that except the bottom of the ocean. Captain Obama, he of the "shoots 3 pointers better than Kobe" "bestest administration evah"" is about to drive this administration's ratings lower than Captain Nemo ever took the Nautilus. Lookin' and talkin' good does not translate to governing well.

[fdcol63]

Mike Myers, his name wasn't Dudley, was it? LOL

[bishop]

It's the Apollo alliance, and ACORN and SEIU
and all the other sundry 'replicators' scurrying across the land, who are behind this.

[Jack is Back!]

Clarice,

Not only the 23 year old whippersnappers but also the lobbyist and special interests groups - AARP, AMA, Pharma, AFL-CIO, etc. You know as well as I (I was once a special interest lobbyist in DC) that most bills get drafted that way and this is why this particular House bill at 1100 pages (before rules are appended) is so damn cumbersome and voluminous. There is something there for everyone except the American public.

[Jack is Back!]

Clarice,

In the immortal words of Phil Mickelson, "I am such an idiot".

For some reason, my dyslexia kicked in and I didn't read all of what you wrote. So pardon me for copying everything you had already written. Like minds think alike. But you're much quicker.

[Dave in OC]

MM and fdcol63,

Or GSgt Zoha?

[hit and run]

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/09/of-course-team-obama-knew-of-lockerbie.html>From Gateway Pundit:

The Lockerbie bomber who killed 169 Americans was released last month from prison in Scotland. Tonight he will be celebrated at Muammar Gaddafi's 40th Anniversary Extravaganza.

Now we know that the Obama Administration knew about the release of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi months before he was freed. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/08/29/us_warned_of_heros_welcome_for_pan_am_103_bomber/>The Boston Globe reported that there were discussions between Attorney General Eric Holder and his Scottish counterpart back in June.

Will Sen. Schumer call for sanctions against the Obama administration, should they have blessed his release?

[Extraneus]

So some senior staffer comes up with the overall outline, then farms out the individual pieces to the various interest groups, wunderkinds, etc., and somehow puts it all back together in a uniform style, making sure the same bribes aren't being paid to different people, etc.

I imagine if someone told the truth, say about "The Sausage-Making Of The Stimulus Bill," it could be fascinating reading.

[Thomas Collins]

See LUN for an excellent book on the Congressional law making process.

[Porchlight]

Well well well, speaking of 'who wrote ObamaCare,' it looks like Barry is finally going to try to sell his own version of the bill:

Ambinder: Something New On Health Care: Deal-Breakers From The President

This time, the President is going to be specific. Next week, President Obama is going to give Democrats a health care plan they can begin to sell.

He plans to list specific goals that any health insurance reform plan that arrives at his desk must achieve, according to Democratic strategists familiar with the plan. Some of these "goals" have already been agreed to, including new anti-discrimination restrictions on insurance companies. Others will be new, including the level of subsidies he expects to give the uninsured so they can buy into the system.

Obama will also specify a "pay for" mechanism he prefers, and will specify an income level below which he does not want to see taxed.

He will insist upon a mechanism to cut costs and increase competition among insurance companies -- and perhaps will even specify a percentage rate -- and he will say that his preferred mechanism remains a government-subsidized public health insurance option, but he will remain agnostic about whether the plan must include a robust public option. Officials won't say whether the president intends to endorse a specific "trigger" mechanism if the competition mechanism fails, but they say he will make it clear that the final bill must contain language that increases competition.

Coy Barry won't say anything specific about the public option. Is this really going to help him?

[fdcol63]

MM and Dave in OC,

I made the mistake of getting into a scuffle with my 1SG's driver in the hall outside the CO's office one snowy morning in Germany, just as everyone was heading to first formation. My being hung over played a very minor part, mind you. LOL

Anyway, 1SG Dudley - who was headed to retirement - had me in the front leaning rest position with my head against his door while yelling, "Son, you're lower than whale sh*&^t at the bottom of the ocean."

Stayed that way for quite a while, too. LOL

[Extraneus]

Thanks for the recommendation, TC. I wonder if much has changed in almost 25 yrs.

[Frau Roggenbrot]

I'm sure everyone has seen that our Ruler in Chief is now moving to take over America's children. Arne Duncan's office (?) has sent out lesson plans to use before, during, and after Barry's upcoming school time speech to his young community organizers.

Remember the L.A. Obama children's chorus singing "Obama's gonna change it; Obama's gonna re-arrange it..."? Soon we will hear:
Obama, give the order; We will follow you."
Onkel Adolf would be so proud.

[clarice]

It might not be a bad idea to insist one's school age chilkdren be excused from this propaganda nonsense, frau..

[Elliott]

As Tom Lehrer put it, albeit in rather a different context, "More, more, I'm still not satisfied!"

[Jane]

Hey Elliott, how was your birthday?

[royf]

fdcol63

LOL! in 1965 at MCRD San Diego Staff Sargent Olmstead who was my Platoon Commander in boot camp used those exact words. It was basically the first thing he said to us, we had just formed a Company and been moved into billets.

He just wanted us to know our worldly status and what to expect for the next 3 months. It came across very clearly.

[Elliott]

It was very nice, Jane. My father flew down for the weekend (which was a surprise to me) and I was quite delighted by all the kind wishes from my friends here at JOM. (The food coma was perhaps inadvisable, but seemed like a good idea at the time.)

[Rob Crawford]

As Obama tanks, the inevitable argument by Democrats will be that it was the Republicans' fault for running that Palin idiot in '08 and forcing all virtuous, intelligent people to vote for Obama; otherwise they'd have all voted McCain and we'd have been spared this horrific administration.

Can't possibly work, because that line can be scuttled with the utterance of a single word: Biden.

[Porchlight]

That's wonderful, Elliott. What a nice surprise for your dad to visit.

Food comas are always advisable. No regrets!

[Elliott]

Thanks, Porchlight. It certainly was nice.