What does the economy mean for Obama in 2012?

The weak economy has voters worried, which is reflected in President Obama's approval ratings.

President Obama receives just a 37 percent approval rating for his handling of the economy in the latest CBS News Poll; his rating on this measure has been below 50 percent since late 2009. For even longer, Americans have volunteered the economy as the most important problem facing the country, and roughly four in five have said it has been in bad shape.

What might this mean for next November's presidential election?

Other presidents have also faced economic problems; some have successfully been re-elected, while others have not. President George H. W. Bush had a 41 percent approval rating on handling the economy at this point in 1991 -- but that dropped over the months to just 16 percent right before the 1992 election, and most likely cost him the outcome. In contrast, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton also faced economic challenges during their presidencies, but the economy improved during their first terms and their approval ratings on handling it rose as the election neared, and both were re-elected.

Improvement in economic approval ratings can go hand-in-hand with an increase in overall approval ratings as well; both Clinton and Reagan enjoyed an increase in their overall approval ratings as election day approached. In contrast, George H. W. Bush's approval rating continued to fall after his initial spike during the first Gulf War.

[enk888]

Where are polls comparing Republican and Democratic announced policies. What do voters think of GOP stand against taxes on rich? No health legislation vs. health care for all? Women's choice on abortion.

[pvalouch]

Health care reform is something badly needed in this country, and even though it doesn't go far enough, Obama has laid a foundation to work on.

The economic problems in this country are not Obama's fault, nor can he just snap his fingers and fix them. What about the corporations who don't want to hire people, who would rather sit on zillions of dollars to satisfy their shareholders? I say the problem is the elite upper class who donate their time and money to help elect people to Congress who will do their bidding.

Main street needs to take responsibility for who they're putting in office. If we're not willing to get off the couch and get to work, we don't have a right to complain.

[fxr60]

As Herman Cain said "I wouldn't hire Obama to run one of my pizza joints." Obama has NO business sense. I read an article in the newspaper about the USA most respected Astrologer that read Obama's chart according to his birth date and time-she said Obama IS NOT SUITED to be president, he likes to have fun and the job of the president is NOT fun and that he would be better suited for a PR job. You can tell that by his playing golf EVERY Sunday, having rock stars at the WH, Parties and trips, handing jobs off to other people that needs a presidents attention.

[mikeonthebay]

Obama has shown a disdain for wealth creation and small business. No smart businessman will hire with the spectre of Obama care looming over them. Anybody here work for a poor person, thought not.

[RobAla]

The only way you can explain the disconnect between President Obama's 37% approval on the economy and his 48% approval rate overall, is that people are slightly pleased with the smooth rhetoric coming from President Obama - but disgusted with what he is actually doing. Talk is cheap. I put more value on what a person does, and he has bad policies.

We really need to find a leader who has actual experience in turning business around, and understanding of the economy, and one who understands how to effectively deal in foreign matters. I hope that person will rise to the top by the 2012 election.

[justme2012]

Obama needs to go back to teaching like his economic team has done.

They are failures.

This is the real world, not an economic theory class.


We need a POTUS who has actually achieved something in their lives besides working as a government employee.

We need someone who has actually created jobs, balanced a real budget and made hard choices.

We need someone who knows how to lead people to solutions not bully, scold and mock them into submission.

We need someone who will uphold all the laws of the land as is their sworn duty.

Not sure who that person will be yet.

BUT IT IS NOT OBAMA

He's failed time for him to go home.

[tellingthestory]

The story CBS will not print.

Why Has Obama Ignored the Law and Failed to Send Congress a Plan to Fix Medicare's Finances?

The Medicare trust fund situation also shows how politically the Obama White House views virtually every major public policy issue. Mr. Obama apparently wants to keep Medicare as an issue to beat up Republicans in the 2012 campaign, protect congressional Democrats from tough votes in the months before the next election, and avoid injecting any controversial subjects into the mix that might harm his chances for a second term.

[wfw3536]

I think CBS knows that Obama will not get re-elected with just today another 427,000 unemployment claims filed last week, un and underemployment around 19%, and what they do not want anyone to know is that there are millions of folks unemployed who are no longer counted because they do not receive benefits. This administrations handling of the economy has been a total failure. Oh, and 2 months ago we reach a lowest level ever since data has been kept regarding new housing starts. We need someone who has some new ideas and isn't anti business.

[tellingthestory]

How convent CBS leaves out the fact that no President has ever been re-elected with more than 7.2 % unemployment. So unless Osama the worst president in history can somehow create 257,000 jobs a month every month until election I would say he is BURNT TOAST. Rightfully so he has been a disaster for America. He may be a likeable moron but he is still a moron. CBS needs to think about truth and the American people and stop making it their mission to Protect Obama.