Poll: Approval ratings for Obama, Congress dip
Forty-six percent of Americans approve of how President Obama is handling his job, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, while nearly the same percentage - 45 percent - disapprove.
Mr. Obama's disapproval rating has risen four points since March and six points since January, and now matches where it stood in October 2010, shortly before the Republican-dominated midterm elections. His approval rating has dropped three percentage points since last month, though that drop is within the poll's three-point margin of error.
Congress, meanwhile, remains exceedingly unpopular, with just 16 percent approving of the job Congress is doing. That roughly matches where Congress' job approval rating stood last May, before the midterm elections. Last month, Congress' approval rating was at 21 percent.
Seventy-five percent of Americans - three in four - say they disapprove of the job Congress is doing. That's up from 66 percent last month.
CBS
House Speaker John Boehner fares slightly better than Congress overall, but he's not exactly beloved. Thirty-two percent of Americans approve of his performance on the job, compared with 41 percent who disapprove - including 22 percent of Republicans. Twenty-seven percent say they don't know.
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Mr. Obama remains popular with Democrats, with 79 percent approving and 16 percent disapproving of his job performance. But just 9 percent of Republicans approve - compared to 85 percent who disapprove.
Independents are split on the president, with 43 percent approving and 45 percent disapproving of his performance. His disapproval rating has risen six points from last month.
When it comes to the issues, Mr. Obama has a 39 percent approval rating on his handling of foreign policy (down from 47 percent last month), a 39 percent approval rating on his handling of Libya (down from 50 percent last month), a 38 percent approval rating on handling the economy and a 33 percent approval rating on handling the budget deficit.
Seventy percent of Americans say the country is on the wrong track -- the highest percentage since Mr. Obama first took office. Just 26 percent say it is headed in the right direction. Only 19 percent say the economy is in good condition, while 80 percent say it is in bad condition.
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The battle over the budget:
While Mr. Obama has a paltry 33 percent approval rating on his handling of the budget deficit, Republicans in Congress fare even worse, with a 27 percent approval rating.
Most Americans say neither the president nor congressional Republicans share their priorities. Forty-three percent say Mr. Obama shares they priorities (compared to 53 percent who say he does not), and just 32 percent say congressional Republicans share their priorities (compared to 60 percent who say they do not.)
Most Republicans - including most Tea Party supporters - say Republicans in Congress share their priorities, while most Democrats say Mr. Obama shares their priorities.
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Asked who showed stronger leadership in the recent budget negotiations that almost led to a government shutdown, Americans were divided. Thirty-nine percent said Republicans in Congress, while 37 percent said Mr. Obama.
Forty-one percent said Republicans compromised too little in the negotiations, while 35 percent said Mr. Obama compromised too little. Roughly one in five Americans said each compromised too much.
Americans trust Republicans in Congress more than Mr. Obama to make the right decisions about reducing the deficit, by a 44 percent to 39 percent margin. But they trust Mr. Obama more on Medicare and Social Security, by a 45 percent to 40 percent margin.
Forty-one percent blame the George W. Bush administration for the deficit. Eighteen percent blame Congress, while 14 percent blame the Obama administration.
CBS
A majority - 55 percent - say higher taxes are not necessary to lower the deficit. Forty-one percent say tax increases are necessary.
President Obama has called for an end to the Bush-era tax cuts, which would mean higher taxes for individuals making more than $200,000 per year and families making more than $250,000 per year. The budget plan passed by the House GOP would eventually reduce the corporate tax rate and the top tax rate for the wealthiest Americans from 35 percent to 25 percent.
Seventy-two percent of Americans said in the poll that they support increasing federal taxes starting in 2013 for households earning $250,000 a year or more in order to lower the deficit. Just 24 percent opposed such an increase.
Generally, Americans favor smaller government (55 percent) over more services (33 percent). Republicans overwhelmingly support smaller government - with 85 percent preferring to move in that direction - while nearly half of Democrats would prefer more services.
The economy and jobs remain by far the most important issue to Americans, with 39 percent citing it as the most important problem facing the country. But the budget deficit is a growing concern, with 15 percent citing it as the most serious problem facing the country. That's up from 7 percent last month.
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PDF: Read the complete poll results
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,224 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone April 15-20, 2011. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. An oversample of Republicans was also conducted for this poll, for a total of 543 interviews among this group. The results were then weighted in proportion to the average party distributions in previous 2011 CBS News and CBS News/New York Times Polls and in the random sample in this poll. The margin of error for Republicans is plus or minus four percentage points.
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The Washington Post and ABC News have published their latest poll, and try as they might, they still have bad news for Barack Obama. The President has lost seven points off of their poorly-sampled approval rating from January with the latest even-more-poorly-sampled survey today. Despite giving Obama a ten-point advantage, he drops to 47% approval and hits new lows on the economy:
Deepening economic pessimism has pushed down President Obama's approval rating to a near record low, but he holds an early advantage over prospective 2012 rivals in part because of widespread dissatisfaction with Republican candidates, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
In the survey, 47 percent approve of the job Obama is doing, down seven points since January. Half of all Americans disapprove of his job performance, with 37 percent saying they "strongly disapprove," nearly matching the worst level of his presidency.
Driving the downward movement in Obama's standing are renewed concerns about the economy and fresh worry about rising prices, particularly for gasoline. Despite signs of economic growth, 44 percent of Americans see the economy as getting worse, the highest percentage to say so in more than two years.
The toll on Obama is direct: 57 percent disapprove of the job the president is doing dealing with the economy, tying his highest negative rating when it comes to the issue. And the president is doing a bit worse among politically important independents.
Let's take a look at the sample, shall we? In January, when the WaPo/ABC survey gave Obama a 54% approval rating, it came from a sample with a 10-point edge for Democrats, with a D/R/I of 33/23/38. Their pollster apparently never bothered to pay attention to Gallup or Rasmussen on party affiliation, both of whom show dead heats between the two parties, with Rasmussen showing a slight edge to Democrats this month, 35.3% to 34.0%. Today's WaPo/ABC sample is just as ludicrous as last December at 32/22/41, which I'd remind people is three points wider than Barack Obama's popular-vote margin of victory in 2008 - and that included independents and crossover Republicans.
Spotting Obama ten points doesn't do him much good, however. His 50% disapproval is his highest level since September among general-population adults (he got a 52% disapproval among likely voters in the poll before the midterms in October). Similarly, his 57% disapproval on the economy ties his worst performance in September, and the number strongly disapproving on the economy (46%) is not just his worst ever but approaching a majority. That's not terribly surprising, however, since 44% now believe the economy is getting worse instead of better or staying the same (28% each), the worst result since March 2009 and a ten-point jump in pessimism since the midterms. Another near-majority (43%) say that increasing gasoline prices have been a "serious" hardship.
The ten-point lead doesn't help much on Obama's re-elect chances, either. Only 28% are firm in backing a second term, while 45% are firm in opposing Obama. That doesn't leave much room for error, and a properly balanced sample might have shown a majority already opposed. Since the sampling imbalance directly impacts the head-to-head matches, the results there are mostly useless, but even the Republican/GOP leaner question of which candidate gets the most support looks like an outlier. This poll has Mitt Romney (16%) doubled up on Donald Trump (8%), almost tripled up on Mike Huckabee (6%) and more than tripled up on Sarah Palin (5%). I'm not familiar with any other national poll that has anything close to those characteristics.
As badly as this poll's sample skews to Democrats, one might expect Obama to have done much better. Perhaps WaPo/ABC might consider using an honest sample next time out. I doubt Obama could do much worse.
I just say the name of this seriously biased poster and knew that all the long blowhard crap above would say is "Obama bad".
Do you know that nothing you say matters Rick? The people that buy what you are selling already agree with you and the people that know you are lying have your number. Number is zero... (on the credibility scale)
Capitalism has done more to lift people out of poverty and improve their standard of living than ANYTHING else in the history of the world.
I bet that thats not what you wanted to hear but its the TRUTH.
Your talk about "sweeping away the legacy of the past" and "focus on the needs of the people" are just lying words that are used by Leftists and Marxists.
One Question WHERE has that system EVER worked to better the lives of ANYONE other than those at the top???
Thought so................
Rick proves he is not a very smart right wing sycophant!
and wow... 75% are disappointed with Congress. kind of surprising; usually its more 'idk' then 'hate.'
i think America is screwed up, honestly. we have the lowest tax rates in years, we have the highest deficit in years, and noones willing to pay for the infrastructure and healthcare and pensions.
Lets go slowly so that we do not lose you along the way. First like most polls conducted by the Mainstream Media this one over samples Democrats. Look at this link posted above to see that ABC/Washington Post included 10% more Demo than anyone really thinks exist outside of San FranSicko and Massachusetts.
So any "results" are dubious at best. These type of tactics are reminiscent of Saddam Hussein or Kim Jung Il. Don't have the State Run Media report news shape opinions and lie to the Great Unwashed.
So now that we know we are dealing with a stacked deck lets move to your Leftist views.
Corporation do not pay taxes they pass them along just like any business does. Most people have that one figured out. The exception are Marxists like Obama. Then we can move to the WHOPPER LIE told this week by Obama. Obama actually went further than your lie of "The lowest tax rates in years." He said went he to Facebook that taxes were higher under Reagan and under Bush then they are now.
Under Reagan the TOP tax rate was 28%. Today it is 36% and the Marxist wants to raise it to 39.6%. Those lower tax rates created the largest peace time boom to the economy in the countries history. 16 Million new jobs created during Reagan's 2 terms. And back then no one in the Liberal Media would have allowed the intellectually dishonest term of "created or saved".
When will the Liberal "Mainstream" Media EVER start to call this guy on his weekly lies? Every speech is loaded with Lies, Straw man arguments and half truths.
On to your final statement. Who created this financial mess? Liberals collapsed the housing market starting with Clinton who put the Community Re-Investment Act on Steroids. Then Senators Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and later EVEN the Anointed One said that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should make 50% of their loans to people with bad credit or undocumented income. POOF instant housing boom as Liberal housing policies took place. Starting in 2004 Conservatives had Congressional hearings (video below) showing Liberals were creating a house of cards. Obama,Reid and Pelosi rushed in to defend their Leftist ideas. They threatened a Senate Filibuster to stop it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxMInSfanqg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63siCHvuGFg
Bush warned Congress 17 times about the housing regulations (google it)
Liberals created the Massive world record deficits a fact of year in and year out Trillion and a half dollar deficits. The "investmetns that you Liberals cry out for in infrastructure are really just gifts to the overpaid union thugs who keep re-electing Dems.
Finally the unsustainable pensions to publics sector unions are again just a money laundering operation. Dems have always rewarded FAT public works projects to the unions overflowing with overpriced salaries and benefits packages. The unions then donate all those hundreds of millions of dollars back to Dems. Obama in 2008 received 380 Million dollars from public sector and union bosses. Tell me he is not beholden to them.
Why should the American taxpayer continue to pay more money to union thugs than what the exact same job pays in the private sector? Then we add in the comfort of virtual lifetime employment sucking off the Taxpayers largess and then the unions demand a pension!!!?? I Don't have a pension why should I pay for yours?
Go out and do what I did start a company or 2 and then see what you can create. All Liberals want is for someone else to pay for their policies which have failed EVERY time they have been implemented. Obama is just the latest. Hopefully he will be the last for a LONG LONG TIME.
Several others say raising taxes is the best way to balance the budget.
I just can't imagine how this came about.
Next question: Considering that no pledge has been made to use the policy of tax increases to pay down anything, what is the real reason that certain folks are demanding tax increases 'on the wealthy'? Answer: because the Obama admin wants all that new spending propagated in the past 2 years to be baseline(i.e. untouchable in future budget negotiations) spending. Additionally: why would anyone give more money to a politician with the expectation that by giving a greater amt. in taxes will actually reduce debt or deficits? Politicians want to use our tax money to perpetuate their days in office. Give them more of your tax dollars, and they will do exactly that.
Blame it on The Democrats !
Hey YOU RE-CONS have had Plenty of Time
WHERE are The Jobs You Promised ?
Have You 'Wrong-WingNUTS ' Even brought up JOBS ?
Get REAL,...The Party of ' NO " is NOT getting Anything Done !!!!!!!!