A statistical snapshot of a peevish, worried country
Picking through a new Wall Street Journal/NBCpoll for nuggets to feed the ravenous crowd:
Americans are more pessimistic than they were over the summer, with only 36 percent saying the country is on the right track, down from 42 percent in June. But that’s a lot better than we were a year ago, when only 12 percent thought we were on the right track.
The all-time high on Americans feeling the country was on the right track? It was 72 percent, and it came in September 2001.
Barack Obama’s job approval/disapproval split is 51/42, about where it has been since summer. The same question asked about Congress produces an approval/disapproval of 24/65.
Forty-two percent have at least a somewhat positive view of the Democratic Party. Only 25 percent have a similar view of the Republicans.
Only 27 percent have at least a somewhat positive view of Sarah Palin, compared to 46 percent with a somewhat negative or worse impression. That question has been asked seven times since she burst on the national stage last fall, and they have worsened every time.
The numbers for Nancy Pelosi are similar — 26 percent at least mildly positive, 42 percent at least mildly negative.
Forty-six percent would like Democrats to control Congress, while 38 percent would prefer Republican control. Those numbers haven’t changed much since last November (48%D, 36%R).
Sixty-three percent say Obama inherited this economic mess, while 20 percent say it is largely Obama’s fault. Those numbers are gradually shifting over time; in June it was 72 percent inherited, 14 percent Obama’s fault; in February they were 82/8.
Sixty-three percent say the government has done too little or the right amount to help the economy; 30 percent say it has done too much. But in a seeming contradiction, only 31 percent say we should boost the economy and worry about the deficit later, compared to 62 percent who say we should worry first about the deficit. Go figure.
Forty-six percent say they would at least mildly favor “building a new independent political party to run a credible candidate for president.” Third party revolution, baby! But no. That number hasn’t actually changed much since it was asked in April 2006, when it drew 45 percent at least mildly favorable to a third party.
Forty-eight percent support a public option; 42 percent oppose.
Forty-seven percent would at least somewhat support additional troops for Afghanistan; 43 percent would oppose. Those numbers are actually more supportive of a surge than a month ago, when they were 44 percent for more troops, 51 percent opposed.
But the level of support changes significantly depending on the size of the troop increase.
Fifty-five percent would accept an increase of 10,000 troops, while 36 percent would not accept it. If you increase the troop number to 40,000, only 43 percent would accept it while 49 percent would not.
Forty-eight percent would support action on climate change even if it meant higher utility bills; 43 percent would not.
There’s a lot more to the poll if you want to sift it yourself. But the above should get you started.
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359 comments Add your comment
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
8:29 am
g’morning, Jay!
but-but-but … Gallup says everyone calls themselves conservative!
RW-(the original)
October 28th, 2009
8:31 am
Poll chewing again?
I guess I’ll head to the forest and hope for something interesting later.
Marsh
October 28th, 2009
8:34 am
We do have steady hands at the wheel.
Peadawg
October 28th, 2009
8:34 am
“with only 36 percent saying the country is on the right track, down from 42 percent in June.”
Looks like people are losing faith in Obama.
“But that’s a lot better than we were a year ago, when only 12 percent thought we were on the right track.”
Sugarcoat all you want….
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
October 28th, 2009
8:36 am
Well, I don’t know what this RW fellow keeps in that forest, but it must be awful good. Seems like he’s there every a.m., rain or shine.
Us rednecks don’t pay attention to no polls. We know what we want, and it ain’t this Obama and the libruls. We want God back in the schools, women locked up if they have abortions, and taxes cut some more.
It don’t matter if people say they don’t like us Conservatives, long as they vote for us.
Have a good day everybody.
jt
October 28th, 2009
8:41 am
The people who produce will be less annoyed in 2010.
Elated in 2012.
1095 days to go.
GEORGE CONSERVATIVE
October 28th, 2009
8:43 am
OBAMA IS 100% RUINING AMERICA!!!
RAMBLE ON!!!
October 28th, 2009
8:44 am
Funny, you libs can’t quit obsessing about Sarah.
To bad we can’t get you to worry about Afghanistan, runaway spending, or unemployment.
Turd Ferguson
October 28th, 2009
8:44 am
Ya…lets trash Bush in a feeble attempt to make Obobo our “knight in shining armor coming to our emotional rescue”.
Nice try though! Johnny what do we have for our player? Well Bob we have an all expense paid trip to Atlanta Ga. There you will be treated to a tour of the socialist HQ of the South…thats right enjoy The AJC building, CNN World Headquarter and tour the office of the Mayor Ms Shirley “incompetence” Franklin AND Bob, a 2 months supply of Turtle Wax Car Polish. Thanks for playing!!
GoingBroke
October 28th, 2009
8:45 am
I think what people are starting to figure out is that they were “suckers” if they thought they were voting for “Change” The only realy change that we have seen is in the vocabulary and that Obama has MUCH better spin doctors than the previous administration. Must be all that practice from Chicago.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
8:45 am
“Elated in 2012″
… when Obama is reelected in a landslide because the GOP la-la-LOVES them some Bachmann nuttiness … keep reaching for the right, GOP …
Kamchak
October 28th, 2009
8:46 am
Polls, shmolls. How about a seditious video game to show how the Ron Paulers feel.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
8:47 am
Kam –
been waiting for you and Bosch to get here …
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article6893069.ece
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
8:50 am
Kam – (from your article)
“In the game’s scenario, 20 million armed American “patriots” begin seizing local and federal government offices. These are the same people whose earlier Tea Party protests had been ignored and dismissed by the mainstream media. Now, they post bounties for government employees. There’s fighting in every state. Meanwhile, Lou Dobbs has been disappeared, and Glenn Beck has been found dead of an “aspirin overdose.” Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, Sean Hannity, and Bill O’Reilly have been rounded up, and Fox News forcibly shut down. The US military refuses to come to Obama’s rescue. His loyalist forces of 40,000 end up controlling merely three counties in Virginia, while an allied force is in charge of three counties near Washington, DC. The Federal Reserve also controls two of its own counties, as does the Cong (the remnants of the Democratic Congress). A collection of pro-Obama black nationalists and Islamic fundamentalists have a hold on two counties. What can you do as a player? You can join the patriots trying to capture Obama and defeat the Cong.”
dangitall, now I can’t remember the poster who had me on the floor last week with his comment “they’re building the gulags AS. WE. SPEAK!!!”
man. this game is for him!
Mrs. Godzilla
October 28th, 2009
8:51 am
Make fun of the gulags all ya’ want…..but the food will be great.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
8:52 am
Mrs. G -
Is your gulaggy goodness going to be based on Paula Deen???
Paul
October 28th, 2009
8:54 am
Saw a couple polls the other day. Number one concern: economy (read: jobs!). Number two: the level of government spending. Number three (way down): health care.
Now there is a misleading impression when one is asked “what’s your most important concern?” Just because something comes in at three does not make it unimportant; rather, it’s lower in relation to something else. Level of concern is not addressed.
That provides insight into the above results. Go figure? on gov’t spending and fixing the economy seeming to contradict. I’ll offer people saw government intervention as necessary to prevent a bigger disaster, but many saw the stim package as larger than it needed to be. Add in the deficits and concern over new spending without the funds to pay for it, and it seems the public may be at a tipping point.
As far as support for a public option: sorry, all you “Frank Luntz is evil, Republicans are manipulators” types. Time for a new mantra. Just yesterday Spkr Pelosi announced we no longer have a public option (wasn’t it known as a government option before that?). We now have a ‘consumer option.’
Ya gotta love it -
Peadawg
October 28th, 2009
8:56 am
“… when Obama is reelected in a landslide because the GOP la-la-LOVES them some Bachmann nuttiness … keep reaching for the right, GOP …”
The way the economy’s going, Afghanistan, bailouts, job losses…I wouldn’t put too much money on that UK
jt
October 28th, 2009
8:56 am
Thanks Kam-
I got a tingling feeling up my leg.
Kamchak
October 28th, 2009
8:56 am
USinUK
Wow. I’ve seen televised UEFA games that were played in front of the press only in a near empty stadium because of the same kind of damnfoolishness by fans in Italy.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
8:57 am
Peadawg –
“The way the economy’s going, Afghanistan, bailouts, job losses…I wouldn’t put too much money on that UK”
it’s a long-long-LONG time until 2012 … ask Papa Bush, he of the 92% approval rating following Gulf War I …
Mrs. Godzilla
October 28th, 2009
8:58 am
She’ll be in the rotation.
mm
October 28th, 2009
8:58 am
Jay,
You know polls only count when they favor the wingnuts.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
8:58 am
jt –
“I got a tingling feeling up my leg.”
dude. TMI.
stands for decibels
October 28th, 2009
9:00 am
think what people are starting to figure out is that they were “suckers” if they thought they were voting for “Change”
We’ll see about 27 variations of this right wing meme before the thread is done. To put it simply, though:
The polling reflects about what you’d expect from a major party-switch headed by a President with an ambitious domestic agenda. While a decent chunk of Americans who DIDN’T vote for Obama in November were happy to tell pollsters that they were pulling for him to succeed, as the usual political-opposition games get played and tempers rise, those well-wishers dwindle. It’s the nature of things.
And contrary to what they say, those of us who actually VOTED for the guy are pretty happy with what we’ve seen; obviously we all have our beefs, and we knew that going in.
But you wingers go on clinging to your notions of Obama voters fitting some clueless composite you have in your mind. It’s what you do.
And Jay, seriously, is this really “peevish?” It’s just the kind of muddled range of opinions one would expect at this stage, when so much is still up in the air.
Oh, another thing…
it’s a long-long-LONG time until 2012 … ask Papa Bush, he of the 92% approval rating following Gulf War I …
Ask, as well, the ghost of Ronald Reagan, whose first term polling bottomed out in the low 40s/high 30s as he coped with double-digit unemployment in late ‘82. As I’m fond of reminding people, his re-election turned out passably well, he didn’t actually win ALL 50 states though.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
9:00 am
Kam –
“Wow. I’ve seen televised UEFA games that were played in front of the press only in a near empty stadium because of the same kind of damnfoolishness by fans in Italy.”
it’s appalling. and it’s the reason the mister and I don’t go to football matches – taze the lot of ‘em, I say.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
9:01 am
dB –
your 9:00 is yet another reason I’m so crushing on you!
Wyld Byll Hyltnyr
October 28th, 2009
9:02 am
No wonder Obama can’t make a decision, the polls haven’t told his telepromter which way the wind is blowing. Obama is stuck in neutral while the nation meltsdown.
Palin/Liz Cheney 2012 – No more smoking in the boys room
Mrs. Godzilla
October 28th, 2009
9:04 am
dB
You said it all and very well.
Now can we get back to the stolen clown cars?
kayaker 71
October 28th, 2009
9:08 am
The most significant poll lately was taken about 2 weeks ago…. saw it on CNN and Fox. Stated that 66% of independents either dissaprove or strongly dissaprove of where Bozo is taking this country. All of these upset people will certainly not end up in the Democratic column but will either not vote in the 2010 elections or will change their party affiliation. These are the people who win elections and they ain’t too happy. Stay tuned.
Marsh
October 28th, 2009
9:11 am
Making the decision to send troops to war is not like deciding what to have for breakfast. Not if you value human life.
AmVet
October 28th, 2009
9:12 am
“Ya…lets trash Bush in a feeble attempt…”
Turd, you dyslexic!
It should read, “Ya…lets Bush trash in a feeble attempt…”
Almost no one of any standing even bothers to deny it anymore; that he was sheer garbage as prez and left US, as in virtually all of US, in the greatest cesspool in American history…
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
October 28th, 2009
9:13 am
Well, I’m with Mrs. G. It’s just a danged shame a 50 year old banker can’t dress up and wear a pot hat and buzz up a street in a little purple car that sort of looks like something you’d give a kid for Christmas. Without getting robbed by the Criminal Element. Mark my words. Next thing you know those cars will show up as ATVs on dirt roads thru woods. We need Law and Order!
stands for decibels
October 28th, 2009
9:15 am
I’m so crushing on you!
Well, you’re not too shabby yerself.
(Mister UK isn’t going to sic his lager louts on me for typing that, is he?)
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
9:16 am
wow … mm says “You know polls only count when they favor the wingnuts.”
then kayaker, right on cue, chimes in with “The most significant poll lately was taken about 2 weeks ago…. saw it on CNN and Fox. Stated that 66% of independents either dissaprove or strongly dissaprove of where Bozo is taking this country”
huzzah!!! thanks for the chuckle, kayaker
Mrs. Godzilla
October 28th, 2009
9:17 am
Convert
seems the perps went back to the get the last three…..the law enforcement community had the storage center staked out…..the perps
got away again
is it a rival gang of clowns? the elks? the moose?
kids loved those silly grown ups in silly cars in parades…..
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
9:18 am
dB –
“(Mister UK isn’t going to sic his lager louts on me for typing that, is he?)”
hahaha … yeah, bruv, they’re hard men they are, innit …
norman ravitch
October 28th, 2009
9:18 am
Are we on the right track? Right track to what?
This country is divided into a lower class which looks like the show Wife Swap and a middle class which looks like Desperate Housewives. Decadent, ignorant, uneducated, bigoted, and fat.
Paul
October 28th, 2009
9:19 am
kayaker 71
To tag onto your comment: there’s another cause for concern for Democrats in 2010, let alone 2012. As the Virginia governor’s race shows, areas that had a large voter turnout in the Presidential election – large for the Democrat – aren’t seeing that level of expected voter turnout. Will there be a surge? Who knows. But if there isn’t, and those disaffected vote Republican… well, the ‘it’s not so bad’ spin has already begun.
Marsh
October 28th, 2009
9:19 am
However bad other former Presidents may be considered, they do not touch Shrub for all round ineptitude.
You just can’t give a really stupid guy the hardest job in the world and expect him to shine.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
9:20 am
Mrs. G -
“kids loved those silly grown ups in silly cars in parades…..”
manymanymany moons ago, back when I had housemates instead of a hubster, one of my roommies lost her grandfather and told me about all his fellow Shriners that turned up at the funeral … it was all I could do not to ask “was the hearse one of those little cars???”
Turd Ferguson
October 28th, 2009
9:21 am
Well as unemployment continues to increase, jobs continue to decrease, home values plunge, waffling with regard to Afghan/Iraq the Obobo voters will remain in denial. Obobo could well find himself with much worse approval/disapproval numbers etc than Pres Bush. Oh its a long run till we get there, however, quite in the realm of possibilty.
Gonna get worse before it gets better…Usher in the Anti-Christ!
Paul
October 28th, 2009
9:21 am
Marsh
[[Making the decision to send troops to war is not like deciding what to have for breakfast. ]]
If it took that long to decide what to have for breakfast, people would starve to death.
Kamchak
October 28th, 2009
9:22 am
USinUK
Another reason to stay off the pitch. eewwww.
david wayne osedach
October 28th, 2009
9:24 am
What I find very surprising is the marginal support Americans have for the Afghanistan war. Slightly more in favor than against.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
9:27 am
Usher is the Anti-Christ??? I know they played that awful “Yeah” was played ad nauseum, but the anti-christ??? I still think that’s Celine Deon …
“Well as unemployment continues to increase, jobs continue to decrease, home values plunge, waffling with regard to Afghan/Iraq the Obobo voters will remain in denial”
unemployment is set to increase until early next year, when it will start to fall … home values have actually been rising for the last 3 months … as I said earlier, Obama is getting conflicting advice from people in the field in Afghanistan, so I’d rather he be deliberative than change his mind every 5 minutes, thankyewverymuch …
German Shepherd Dawg
October 28th, 2009
9:27 am
dB -
Sorry to spoil the love fest, but memes are a myth created by Richard Dawkins because he peevishly insists there is no God.
As far as those of you who voted for Obama being happy with what you got, you must be speaking for the die-hard liberal Democrat contingent. The few Obama voters I know (and am related to in fact) have expressed some serious buyer’s remorse.
A final thought before leaving – polls are worthless except on the day of election, my favorites (Rasmussen and Zogby) included. The way questions are shaped plays significant impact on the result. Rasmussen has 40 percent of the population describing themselves as “conservative”, 20 percent say they are “liberal” and about 35 percent say they are moderate. There is no way on earth Obama can paint himself as a moderate in 2012, but he could still win.
The telling thing will be how significant the 2010 elections turn Congress. If both houses go Republican, Obama actually stands a better chance because people like split power in government, to render them less effective.
That might be the only reason I’d ever vote for him…
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
October 28th, 2009
9:27 am
Well, the cops may be able to spot somebody buzzing along a innerstate in one of them clown cars. But maybe not. There’s lots of weird cars out there. The other day I seen a open top jeep with a machine gun mounted on it and the driver dressed in a fake army uniform. It’s kind of hard to pick out a clown car in that kind of crowd and besides they can hide between the big pickups and SUVs that clog the roads.
But I sure would of liked to hear them stakeout cops explaining to the chief how the thiefs broke in and took the other cars right under their nose.
Doggone/GA
October 28th, 2009
9:28 am
“If it took that long to decide what to have for breakfast, people would starve to death”
Only if breakfast was their only meal of the day.
USinUK
October 28th, 2009
9:28 am
Kam –
it’s not the spit, it’s the snot-rockets … ew. ew. ew. EW!!