Obama’s poll numbers will go up when unemployment goes down
WASHINGTON — If the headlines and magazine covers are any indication, President Obama hit his stride with the recently-concluded nuclear summit, attended by 46 other world leaders. Coming on the heels of his historic health care reform legislation, the summit showcased a president growing comfortable with his bully pulpit, confident on the world stage and at ease with his peers — whether Germany’s Angela Merkel or China’s Hu Jintao.
Furthermore, according to a BBC World Service poll, Obama’s presidency has helped to improve attitudes toward the United States around the world. Forty percent of those polled viewed the U.S. favorably, up from a low of 28 percent in 2007.
But for all the accolades from foreign policy analysts over the summit — and despite the huge sighs of relief among Democrats over health care reform — Obama’s poll numbers are still sagging. According to a new Quinnipiac Poll, his approval rating has dropped to 44 percent, the lowest number since his inauguration. Moreover, distrust in government is growing. Tea party types, who represent less than 20 percent of the population, don’t account for all the angst and anger.
How is it that so many political observers see a president coming into his own while so many average citizens see a leader who hasn’t done nearly enough to put the country back on the right track?
Actually, it’s no mystery: It’s the economy, stupid. While economists and deep-pocket investors see an economy staging a comeback from the most serious financial crisis since the 1930s, ordinary Americans are still struggling with unemployment, foreclosures and credit card debt. In Georgia, for example, the unemployment rate has ticked upward — to 10. 6 percent — even as the rate eased a bit nationally.
And Georgia’s official rate is undoubtedly low; it doesn’t account for those who are too frustrated to look for work any longer. Nor does it measure the underemployed: those working two part-time jobs and still earning less than they used to or those whose earnings have been reduced through furloughs or other money-saving measures.
According to The New York Times, employers reluctant to hire fulltime workers are, instead, increasingly using independent contractors and other temporary workers. “The number of people who describe themselves as self-employed but working less than 35 hours a week because they cannot find fulltime work has more than doubled since the recession began,” the Times reported Tuesday.
Nothing agitates the populace more than an economy that stubbornly refuses to put people back to work. No matter what the stock market says, no matter how many economists see a rebound, it’s the availability of jobs — the so-called lagging indicator — that’s the most salient economic trend for most Americans.
The Pew Research Center, which has recently found high levels of government distrust, confirms the link between the economy and confidence in government institutions.
“The low points in government trust over the past half-century have occurred during the nation’s economic struggles in the late 1970s, the early 1990 and over the past few years. And confidence in government recovered in the late 1980s and late 1990s, when economic growth was strong and satisfaction was high,” Pew said.
Ironically, a more robust government response to the recession would have saved more jobs. The state of Georgia, as well as cities and towns around the state, have laid off workers as tax revenues plummeted — a vicious cycle that contributes to joblessness and, therefore, lower tax revenues. If the recovery package passed last February had included more aid to cities and taxes, more of those jobs would have been saved. Even the less-robust stimulus package helped the state Legislature plug budget holes and saved thousands of jobs in Georgia, including those of teachers and police officers.
But that hasn’t been enough to lift Georgia out of the economic doldrums. Until the economy produces more jobs, it’s unlikely that average voters — unmoved by the opinions of foreign leaders or inside-the-Beltway pundits — will give Obama a confident thumbs-up.
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386 comments Add your comment
Peadawg
April 21st, 2010
8:15 am
“Until the economy produces more jobs”
I’ll add also that until the government cuts all these entitlement programs and until the government gets their nose out of our everyday lives, it’s unlikely that average voters will give Obama a thumbs-up. Until then, most people are pointing a finger in the air, but it’s “not the index or the pinky or the ring or the thumb.”
T-Town
April 21st, 2010
8:19 am
The “Yes We Can” has been replaced with “No I Can’t” find a job.
T-Town
April 21st, 2010
8:20 am
Enter your comments here
rdh
April 21st, 2010
8:23 am
The legislation that the Democrats have passed this year and last will lead to protracted high unemployment. I am willing to bet that unemployment will still be upwards of 8% in 2012. Obama has made himself into a one-timer.
Mike
April 21st, 2010
8:24 am
You are likely correct. Most Americans really don’t care much whether Europeans view us favorably or not (and, really, why should we?). I don’t recall reading many articles about European leaders and their poll numbers in the USA and how they are changing their policies as a result. And many, many Americans find the inside the beltway pundits to be out of touch with everyday issues.
What moves us are issues like the Federal deficit. Projections like the debt rising more in the next 10 years than it has in our country’s entire previous history combined! Those are Obama’s policies. Those are Democratic policies. Change that will lead to bankruptcy!!
Moreover, instead of actually focusing on economic issues, Obama has chosen instead to focus on..anything but the economy. He passes a stimulus package that turned out to be a gift to his fellow Democratic legislators with their pent up demand for earmarks (didn’t take long to break *that* campaign promise, did it?) and then ignores the plummeting economy. ObamaCare, Cap & Trade (about to resurface, I hear) financial “reform” (that excludes federally run Fannie & Freddie…huh?).
I don’t see a president “coming into his own”. I see a president “coming into mine” and leaving my children bankrupt with his unchecked spending.
Let’ see him balance a budget, and fight the political battles to do so. THEN I will agree that he is coming into his own. Not before. It is far too easy to give away someone else’s money. It is hard, much harder, to say “no” and to cut spending. I want to see him balance a budget.
mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack the LIAR Obama - BEND OVER, Here comes the CHANGE!
April 21st, 2010
8:26 am
As usual, you’re wrong. It’s not only the unemployment that’s dragging his numbers down. The LIAR in Chief just doesn’t get it. America doesn’t want his kind of change.
Rick in Grayson
April 21st, 2010
8:26 am
Obama has not made good on his promises to change the tax code so that it favors keeping jobs here in the US and not outsourcing them.
The current administration should have restricted legal immigration to less than 10% of its current level. The economy needs to generate 100,000 new jobs each month just to accomodate the new legal workers admitted to the US each month.
The current administration has not worked hard enough to reduce illegal immigration and has not embraced the use of E-Verify to vette employees for all US employers. They have not devised a workable system to track foreign nationals who overstay their visas.
Bayou Philosopher
April 21st, 2010
8:27 am
So you want the entitlement programs cut? — you willing to take care of your grandma and grandpa? Or is dogfood ok for them? All these Tea Party people seem to like their social security and Medicare. How ’bout veterans — you gonna cut their medical entitlements, too? Government been intruding into your life too much — what, did you get a speeding ticket lately? Crawl out of the bottom of your beer bottle friend. We live in a modern society, not a trailer park.
Mid-South Philosopher
April 21st, 2010
8:27 am
On this issue, Miss Cynthia, you and I are in full agreement. In my opinion, between one-third to just slightly less than one-half of the American people are anti-Obama…for whatever reason. Equally, I believe that between one-fourth to slightly more than one-third are pro-Obama…for whatever reason. The rest are independent…whatever that means. Come mid-term election time, the social Democrats will most certainly lose seats. The number of that loss, I believe, will be mitigated in large measure by whether or not unemployment is “truly” under 8% by that time. If it truly is…without “Wall Street accounting practices”…, the number of Democratic defeats will not be as severe. If, however, it is still hovering around 9% or higher…the outcome will be significantly different.
See you at the polls.
Bubba Bob
April 21st, 2010
8:28 am
We are up to our eyeballs in debt and we have added more with health care. It’s both sides fault. The crash wasn’t just Bush’s fault as this current mess isn’t just Obama’s fault. Both sides voted on several things that put us here.
Is Obama willing to really ‘change’ things? Is he willing to cut where we have to cut to get out of debt? I am a conservative but I’m willing to pay some higher taxes to get out of debt if we also cut at the same time. Don’t raise taxes and continue to spend like crazy.
Until then, Obama is just another politician.
Avery Bundren
April 21st, 2010
8:29 am
And, Peadawg, you might add that Neal Boortz is my favorite talk show host and Dick Cheney is my favorite ex-VP. Oh, and my favorite former governor of Alaska, Sara Palin.
Peadawg
April 21st, 2010
8:29 am
Bayou Philosopher, I’m sorry you depend on the government to hold your hand everyday.
Peadawg
April 21st, 2010
8:30 am
Avery Bundren, Bush wasn’t your favorite President?
Tommy Maddox
April 21st, 2010
8:30 am
The entire premise of this submission is hysterical.
Bubba Bob
April 21st, 2010
8:31 am
Bayou,
Yes, I’m willing to take care of my grandparents and/or parents. What kind of person isn’t willing to do that?
On cuts, we can’t cut SS for everyone at once. People 50+ are counting on it. Under that age we should start cutting it or raising the age where people can get it.
If you are for not cutting it then how do we continue to pay for it and all the other things?
dawgindc
April 21st, 2010
8:31 am
The unemployment rate is not going to go down anytime soon. It will be years before we see any significant improvement. Obama has worsened the situation with his immoral bailouts and the healthcare bill..sorry cynthia, your messiah is a 1 termer…you should come to grips with it…
Reality
April 21st, 2010
8:32 am
President Obama has accomplished more in less than 1.5 years than both Bush’s did combined. No one can argue that he hasn’t moved as quickly as possibly to do what he has thought necessary for American. What has he done? Here is a short list:
1. Quickly moved to shore up the diving economy that Bush left. He passed a stimulus bill and also a jobs bill. Were they perfect? No. But, it was a sincere attempt to help the economy.
2. Passed the healthcare reform law. Healthcare reform was sorely needed. Too much of our money is spent on the system not even ranked top 10 in the world. There is too much waste and corporate greed which shouldn’t happen when it comes to our health. Is this healthcare reform bill perfect? No. But at least it is a start.
3. Closed Gitmo. This was a blight on the US. No one really thought that it was the right thing to do. It became a symbol of American unearned ego around the world.
4. Working on finance reform. Anyone read up on Goldman-Sacs lately? Even the republicans are now starting to work WITH the democrats on this one.
The only reason anyone has any real and valid reason to have a low opinion on our President cannot have anything to do with his work or his results.
He has not added to the federal debt on his own accord. The only increase has been due to programs to fix the inherited economy.
He has not ‘intruded’ in anyones daily lives. I would love for someone to explain to me how if they believe this one.
dawgindc
April 21st, 2010
8:33 am
the government cannot outspend the righteousness of God…corrpution and big government is the problem..
Peadawg
April 21st, 2010
8:33 am
“Don’t raise taxes and continue to spend like crazy.”
With Democrats controlling everything, good luck with that!
mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack the LIAR Obama - BEND OVER, Here comes the CHANGE!
April 21st, 2010
8:34 am
Bayou Philosopher – Why would granny eat dog food when she could get tv dinners for under $1. every day. That myth is a JOKE. You’re just another of the truly uninformed.
TisP'doff
April 21st, 2010
8:35 am
It’s going to take more than jobs to improve Obama’s poll numbers. His arrogant-loathing for conservatives and independants is apparent. His ego will not allow him to admit a mistake of
any of his failures and in a little over a year, there are too many to mention.
Peadawg
April 21st, 2010
8:35 am
“and also a jobs bill”
Was that the one that gave a $1000 tax credit to small business that hire a new employee? HA!
Morgan Le Fay
April 21st, 2010
8:35 am
Bubba Bob,
If you are for not cutting it then how do we continue to pay for it and all the other things?
Stop the “wars.”
Stop subsidizing the pharmaceutical industry.
Stop subsidizing industry in general.
Donn
April 21st, 2010
8:35 am
@ Mike; well put. Educated people are our only hope at this point.
Mid-South Philosopher
April 21st, 2010
8:36 am
Have I missed something?….which at my great age is quite possible….
Has Gitmo been closed?
Where are those detainees being housed now?…or have they been repatriated to Afghanistan and Pakistan?
Bubba Bob
April 21st, 2010
8:36 am
Morgan,
I agree with you. All those things are still a drop in the bucket compared to SS, Medicare, Medicaid, and interest.
I’ll cut those with you. Now what cuts that matter are you willing to do?
ctucker
April 21st, 2010
8:36 am
Actually, Mike, I have to disagree with you about voters concerns about the deficit. If that were true, voters would have been more concerned about the growing deficit under George W. Bush.
mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack the LIAR Obama - BEND OVER, Here comes the CHANGE!
April 21st, 2010
8:37 am
Reality – You need a reality check. So here it goes again:
BROKEN campaign promises and bringing change to Washington
• Rarely does a politician get caught in such a blatant break of a campaign promise as President Obama did with his “I’ll put health care negotiations on C-SPAN” pledge. Obama had promised at least eight times during his run for presidency that he would do so
• Nearly $6 million in stimulus money was paid to two firms run by Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton’s pollster in 2008. Federal records show that $5.97 million from the $787 billion stimulus helped preserve THREE (3) jobs at Burson-Marsteller, the global public-relations/communications firm headed by Penn.
• Obama entered office, vowing he would do what George W. Bush had not: lead the world to a global climate accord.
• Pass the stimulus bill and unemployment won’t go above 9.2%, it’s now 10.2%
• Recipients of federal stimulus dollars have overstated the number of jobs created or saved in GA by more than 1,500, according to an AJC analysis of public records
• Quote: “I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war….You can take that to the bank!”
• Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac need $30 BILLION more taxpayer dollars
• Health Care reform by Labor Day, Oct, Christmas, end of the year, NOT
• the White House is NOT for sale
• Transparency
• bipartisan support
• close Gitmo
• Timmy the TAX CHEAT Geitner
• ACORN
• find Osama bin Laden
• NO lobbyist on the White House staff
• all bills put on line so the public can read them first
• no tax increase for anyone making less than $250K
• and on, and on, and on……let’s say it again, mmm, mmm, mmm Barack the LIAR Obama
Scout
April 21st, 2010
8:37 am
THE BACKLASH IS COMING !
Donn
April 21st, 2010
8:37 am
@ Reality: Are you really Cynthia?
Thank God! Europe approves of us Again!
April 21st, 2010
8:38 am
CT – Here’s an idea you can’t seem to grasp…the “political observers” as you call them are called “elitists” by the average American. They’ve never had to make a payroll or be accountable for their budgets. They have no idea how the economy works and live their lives in the self-congratulatory political bubble of their nations’ capitols where they walk around congratulating each other about how wonderful they are.
However, that political class is dying – thankfully – which means our country may live yet again because the real class division is no longer black/white or republican/democrat, it is the politically elite and the average american at whom they sneer down their noses. Once the american people have thrown out those bums – republican and democrats – and replaced them with people that understand limited government and economics, American will grow strong again.
Until then, these politicians, their staff and hacks like you in the mainstream media should understand that you’re being laughed at by average american every time you guys regurgitate the same tired lines being handed down by Obama and his administration. No one believes you anymore…get used to it.
dougmo2
April 21st, 2010
8:38 am
Cynthia, to quote Aerosmith,” Dream on, dream on, dream until your dreams come true.”
Bubba Bob
April 21st, 2010
8:39 am
ctucker,
I was very concerned about the deficits under Bush. I admit that many weren’t but there was a very loud group of us screaming it the whole time.
Also, I was anti-Iraq from the begininng and anti-Gitmo from the beginning. I’m a conservative but I’m not a cool-aid drinker. There’s lots more of us out here than people realize.
Jerry
April 21st, 2010
8:43 am
Tucker, just keep drinking the cool-aide! I know you are hoping for Obama’s number to go up but it will not happen… He is leading us into huge debt that will affect generations! He is expanding government control over everyday lives in a way never seen before. If you love this so much, you need to move to Europe and stop trying to build Obama-topia here! The people will speak and you will be disappointed in November… Your one term messiah will have a tougher time after that!
Derek
April 21st, 2010
8:45 am
Tucker; We don’t need you to tell us why Obama’s Poll numbers are down, And WHERE in the constitution does it say the FEDERAL government should take everyones money and give it to citys? or RAISE taxes (in a recession? how bout reduce spending, balance the budget) YOU can’t spend your way out of a recession IDIOTS, spending your way out leads to inflation, devalued currency, exploding interest rates. The world and business won’t invest in US or US Products anymore. TAKE SIMPLE ECONOMICS classes!!!! Cities are at fault for overspending money they don’t have (if it wasn’t for Atlanta’s Cash Cow , Hartsfield, and itts getting weaker,and is actually mostly in Clayton County, a lawsuit brewing for control, maybe state run!) Atlanta would have been bankrupt years ago! The Cities use their jobs for votes, promise outlandish benefits and retirements and build huge deficits and since they can only tax, chase businesses and tax base to the suburbs! Since the City can’t print money like the Fed’s the bond ratings drop, it vomits more and more cash out and takes less and less in. Just take a drive through Detroit and see whats in the future if cities don’t cut spending and entitlement programs. The States aren’t in much better shape, it’s not the Fed’s or State’s responsibitlity to fund cities more than rural areas, no longer do citites provide the jobs or businesses, it’s outlying areas like Westpoint in GA and Tuscaloosa , Al etc Where Businesses go, lower costs, lower taxes, cheaper labor, no unions and more production. GET INFORMED Ms. Tucker, Maybe your old liberal economic classes has passes you by and before you say that the free market was what caused this, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government controlled enities and had far more debt than private industries!
Mike
April 21st, 2010
8:45 am
Let’s hope that Czar Obama just goes away!
T-Town
April 21st, 2010
8:45 am
If you want to see the faces of America, take a trip down to your local mission. Many have taken on new occupants that lost their employment a while back, lost their homes recently, broke up their families to stay with relatives, and are beginning to lose hope. They care not about healthcare or Wall Street, they only worry about a roof over their heads and where their next meal will come from. Jobs Mr. President, Jobs.
RogersParkRob
April 21st, 2010
8:46 am
So what your saying Cindy is OBama is god at having meetings.
FYI, people distrust the “headlines and magazine covers” just as much our government.
Donna P.
April 21st, 2010
8:47 am
Obama and the Democrats are just trying to get votes for November that is why they are “focusing’ on Wall Street/Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs gave the Obama presidential campaign over $900,000 in contributions, I wonder if he will talk about that at one of his weekly speeches. The November elections will tell a lot about what people really think of Obama and the Dems. I don’t think it will be pretty for them or the entitlement class of people.
TJ
April 21st, 2010
8:47 am
Your article should say poll numbers will go up *if* unemployment goes down. With the latest round of tax increases, look for unemployment to go up!
Mid-South Philosopher
April 21st, 2010
8:50 am
Well, I would love to stay and play, but somebody has to earn the money on which to pay the taxes to keep all the programs afloat at least for a day or two longer, and, in my case, mine and three other households are just thankful that I am employed. A bunch of good folks that I know are not! Inasmuch as I am not all that good at “multi-tasking”, I must turn my attentions to something more profitable. I trust all of you will continue with the discussion in the intellectual and civil fashion to which we are all accustomed!
Granny Godzilla
April 21st, 2010
8:51 am
The stimulus was back loaded.
President Obama plays chess…..GOP plays Candyland.
Morrus
April 21st, 2010
8:52 am
Vote out the incumbents and start over
JB
April 21st, 2010
8:53 am
The guy is simply over his head…….And he can’t hide his ideology that is way out of step with the people THAT PAY THE BILLS IN THIS COUNTRY. He’s not a bad guy, it’s not his color, he’s looks like a great father and family man……..but…….He has a very strong view of how this country ought to be run…..and how we ought to have our role in the world played, and it’s not in lock step with about 65-70% of the people in this country. I think the way Obama care was ” forced” on us ( note, we ALL want REFORM, not Obamacare) when a majority of the American people didn’t like the bill….or how it was passed, speaks volumes.
Republicans have their own warts. I’m looking for total change, by people who love this country, and good or bad, the things that made her the best country in the world. 20 years of Obama, and the whole country would look like Detroit.
JKL2
April 21st, 2010
8:53 am
Reality(or lack there of)
1. We haven’t spent the stimulus money from what Bush passed so we added another $1T to the deficit for pork projects with 2 more bills. Still hasn’t added a job but I guess that’s OK for you.
2. Our top 5 hospitals do more research than Canada, France, and Britain combined. Good thing we are getting rid of that. We are the fattest, laziest country in the world. Sorry but the greatest medicine in the world doesn’t work as well when you are using it on an inferior product (us).
3. Gitmo closed? I must have missed that. Sticking NY with the bill for terrorist(sorry but I forget what the Dems have us call them now) is a great idea. Paying off his pals in IL to house the detainees was another brilliant plan. (yes, we did buy that now vacant prison from the state for $229 million)
4. Finance reform is the latest joke. Goldman-Sacs is in the Dems pocket (follow the money if you don’t believe it). Nothing will ever come out of this except Obama’s next attempt to take over the banking industry. Socialist countries own the banks so this is one of the next steps comrade.
Derek
April 21st, 2010
8:54 am
Isn’t it about time for you to RETIRE and move to some liberal corner of the world.
Some Guy
April 21st, 2010
8:54 am
Who cares what the rest of the world thinks! The Nuclear Summit was a bust since N. Korea, Iran, etc. was no where to be found. Plus the press was displeased at the lack of access they had. Obama is controlling the spin. Just like the White House press core is frustrated with Obama and the lack of access.
Obama is focused on what he calls his “Agenda of Prosperity”. Finance Reform, Cap and Trade, etc. he states he is focused on jobs put talk is cheap. Obama cares about Obama and his legacy. The polls show the people are waking up and these are the only polls that count.
Obama is Jimmy Carter Version 2.0. A one term loser President that left devastation in his wake for a decade after he left the political stage.
Barry Osborne
April 21st, 2010
8:54 am
And they wouldn’t be giving John McCain, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Hillary Clinton, or anybody else a thumbs up either. I think it’s important to note that.
TINSTAAFL
April 21st, 2010
8:54 am
-Increasing the money supply by trillions of dollars
-An ever increasing national debt, resulting in higher interest rates once the fed inevitably raises them
-The fact that businesses will have to insure all of their employees if they have 50+ employees in 2014. This invariably leads to businesss across the country doing everything they can not to pass 49 employees.
-The Dodd bill looks to institutionalize bail outs. Heads I win, tails I get bailed out. Gives a horribly unfair advantge to invest in large, ‘too big to fail’ companies. You can’t lose.
-Ever extending unemployment payouts disincentivize looking for jobs. The studies support this conclusion.
It’s not a question of when unemployment goes down, it’s IF. There are plenty of things on that list that could keep us at a healthy, Europesqe 10% unemployment for time to come. And if it does go down? What if the economy ‘gets better’? What kind of foundation is it laid upon? You can’t increase the money supply, and have such artificially low interest rates for so long without any consequences. When people pull their money out of hiding and start spending and investing again, look for the inflation bug to bite us in the butt.
Robert
April 21st, 2010
8:55 am
Obamas numbers will trade tightly in the low end of the range of approval. Here is why. He is a leader of a “unique” group of people that constantly talk (or write) for days putting together different thoughts in an attempt to wear out the listener for purposes of proving the moon is made of cheese. This group of people will always chastise others into doing more work to provide the money and other resources to sustain this country while they continue to “talk a good game”. This group lives for opinions to be heard, but only if they agree with the opinion. This group cries and screams foul whenever their feeling or leaders are “hurt” or challenged, but laugh and cheer when the same happens to those that they don’t agree with. This group hates categories like wall street, big business, the super wealthy, but consistently turn a blind eye that the previous three groups are large contributors to their cause and, in fact, are their leaders. Lastly, this is a group that does very little to help their fellow man or woman but loves to tell you that you should do more. No, this President is a multi millionaire who gives little of his immense wealth, but loves put on 3000 dollar suits, fly around, and tell you what you are not doing well and how this country and therefore its people are pathetic. No- this man will go the way of Gore and Bush and the silent majority will once again claim its stake on this wonderful, diverse, free country.