March 4, 2009

Barack Obama, more popular than ever.

Deal with it.

86 comments:

jayne_cobb said...

Clearly it's because of Michelle's toned arms.

save_the_rustbelt said...

Without giving a direct answer, Geithner yesterday sorta admitted that Obama environmental policies would likely give every American a higher electric bill, and any American who could not get with the energy conservation movement would have higher net costs.

Should be good for the poor and elderly, don't ya think?

The honeymoon will soon be over.

Anonymous said...

What can we do?

It's been 2000 years and Jesus is more popular than ever.

He has something like 2-3 billion friends on his MySpace page.

The only way Jesus 2.0 can become more popular is well....you know.

KCFleming said...

Castro, Stalin, Hitler, and Mao were quite popular, too.

Socialism always enjoys popularity, until you run out of other people's money to spend. Then Mr. Popular has to use force, then ...not so popular anymore. Then comes fear, scapegoating, jail, poverty, and violence.

Imagine Barry using force to implement his policies.
Deal with it.

section9 said...

Jesus:

Change We Can Believe In!

section9 said...

Look, he's popular because he's in his honeymoon period.

Check back in six months when the sheen wears off. The bloom is already off the rose.

TMink said...

Our President is personally popular. He is charismatic. But the poll shows that the majority of Americans think that "things are off on the wrong track." And that is from three weeks ago. That is 20% of the market ago.

So, maybe it is people without savings or retirement funds that support him. Lucky for him, that will soon be everyone.

Trey

Ben (The Tiger in Exile) said...

Obama's standing at the free throw line.

Nothing that conservatives can do but watch and see if he screws up.

Meade said...

"The positive numbers are driven largely by Democrats who cheer the president's quick embrace of some items long on the party's agenda, such as an expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program and a promise to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."

Shhh... don't wake those cheering Democrats and tell them the president has yet to establish a policy for detaining terrorists outside of Guantanamo. Look how happy they look dreaming their dreams of O. If we wake them, they might turn grumpy and not invite us to their next birthday party, the one with all the popular kids.

Tank said...

This is why voting is overrated.

AllenS said...

His popularity is killing my bottom line.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

This is irony at its highest.

Obama and his supporters rely on day to day polling of his personal popularity to govern the nation, you know the wet finger in the wind methogd, while at the same time Obama says this:

What I'm looking at is not the day-to-day gyrations of the stock market, but the long-term ability for the United States and the entire world economy to regain its footing. And, you know, the stock market is sort of like a tracking poll in politics. It bobs up and down day to day, and if you spend all your time worrying about that, then you're probably going to get the long-term strategy wrong

Right... don't pay any attention to the stock market crashing through the floor. I haven't seen a lot of bobbing UP. It's mostly down. Forget about it. The stock market isn't important. Instead.....oooooh look over here...look at my shiney poll numbers.

and this

On the other hand, what you're now seeing is profit and earning ratios are starting to get to the point where buying stocks is a potentially good deal if you've got a long-term perspective on it.

Profit and earning ratios??? This man doesn't have a freaking clue. All talk and no substance. Pretty words, ugly results.

Cramer better watch out. He's probably next on the enemy list, right after Limbaugh

Clyde said...

Obama's popularity is irrelevant; he doesn't have to run for re-election until 2012. He can do what he likes, with the only real check on his power being those Deomcrats in Congress who have to run for re-election in 2010, and whose constituents may be harmed by Obama's policies. To the extent that Obama's leftist policies endanger their re-election, those Democrats may get off the bandwagon.

Other than that, we're screwed six ways to Sunday. Republicans can talk, talk show hosts can talk, we can go out and have tea party protests, but the end result for the next two years will be no more than a dog barking at a passing car. The Democrats hold all of the levers of power. They will inflict whatever policies they choose upon our nation.

May God save the United States of America.

Clyde said...

Also, for your amusement, a comment and five predictions I made on November 5th:

Well, America, you've decided to give the keys to the liquor cabinet and the Ferrari to your teenager. Figuratively speaking, of course. I hope your insurance premiums are paid up.

Prediction #1: 2009 will be the Summer of Obummer. The term "Obummer!" will enter the national lexicon as President Obama does things that will disappoint or anger those who voted for him.

"My electric bill doubled last month after Obama signed the Cap-and-Trade Laws!"
"Obummer, man!"

"My kid has to do 100 hours of community service in the Obama Youth!"
"That's an Obummer!"

"I lost my job when Obama raised the taxes on my boss and he had to cut back on personnel."
"Wow, what an Obummer!"

"Obama said I was going to get a tax cut, but now my taxes are going up even more than under Bush!"
"Obummer!"

Prediction #2: By May Day, which will mark the end of Obama's first hundred days, his popularity will fall below 50% and will never go back over that mark for the rest of his presidency, unless there is a terrorist attack that causes the nation to rally around him temporarily.

Prediction #3: Campaign finance reform is dead. No presidential candidate will ever again take public financing.

Prediction #4: I saw Jesse Jackson crying at the Obama victory speech last night. It wasn't "smiling-through-the-tears" crying, though. He looked like his dog had just died. I think the reason why he didn't look happy was that people like him and Al Sharpton are out of a job. The era of the race huckster is over.

If a black man can be elected president in this country, then nobody can blame his or her own failure to succeed on racial discrimination. That crutch is gone for good, even though many will still bitterly cling to it.

Prediction #5: Vice President Joe Biden will be an endless source of amusement over the next four years.

Peter V. Bella said...

Yesterday the One gave a rousing speech and encouraged the American Public to buy stocks and hold on for the long run. The market clsoed down. Now, if he had said buy stocks because I invested a hundred grand of my own money...

He might be popular and likable but he does have a confidence problem when it comes to economics.

John Althouse Cohen said...

I'm looking forward to hearing Republicans complain that his popularity isn't legitimate because it's being inflated by fear of catastrophe.

Freeman Hunt said...

"I'm gonna give you... ...And I'm gonna give you... ...And I'm gonna give you... And you don't have to pay for any of it. Only those jerk rich people will be paying, and boy oh boy are we gonna make them pay. We're gonna stick it to those suckers holding you down. And it's all gonna work. It just is. Because you know they've got enough to make all of us rich, and we've just gotta take it."

Who knew that would be a winning strategy? We should be disappointed in what a shallow people we are.

AllenS said...

Don't hold your breath, JAC. I don't believe that will happen.

Anonymous said...

Oh, but his Congress and some of his policies are not so popular.

Patience, grasshopper. Or, what goes up, must come down. And other fragments of cliche, too.

Somehow, this relates to the Rush thing, how does it relate, let's see.

L: It makes O more popular.
R: No, it brings attention to policies that are not popular.

Politics, nothing stays the same for long (there, another cliche).

Unknown said...

Obama's popularity isn't inflated because of a fear of catastrophe, it's inflated because he isn't yet being blamed for it.

Chip Ahoy said...

I've seen this popularity before, in Evita.

Meade said...

Jac, I'm looking forward to catastrophe averted.

TMink said...

I have been thinking long and hard about this, and I have come to believe that his popularity isn't legitimate because it's being inflated by fear of catastrophe.

Trey - who is not a Republican but likes to help out when he can.

you can thank me later JAC 8)

Sofa King said...

I'm looking forward to hearing Republicans complain that his popularity isn't legitimate because it's being inflated by fear of catastrophe.



Why would anyone look forward to hearing others complain about something?

Big Mike said...

@JAC, you can try to preempt me but it won't work. The sad thing is that The Great Obama's popularity really is due in part to his description of the economy in apocalyptic terms, which has started what looks to be a pretty nasty feedback loop, and he's going to have a lot more trouble breaking it now than if he tried to calm things down from the start.

Does he really believe his own rhetoric? If he felt that the economy was headed for another Depression, would he have taken a 12 day Christmas vacation in Hawaii? Or would he have gathered with his economic advisors for some20 hour days? Just thought I'd ask.

Hoosier Daddy said...

I know I am very excited about the cap and trade part of his plan because I want nothing more than to pay more money to keep my house somewhat warm. Not warm like Obama's house, not warm enough to grow orchids or that Mrs. Hoosier can flaunt herself in sleeveless dresses in the winter like Michelle.

Yes that Obama is a popular fellow.

You betcha

Hoosier Daddy said...

Just keep settin up them strawmen JAC.

Whatever gets you through the day.

Unknown said...

Gee? I wonder why Obama is popular?

Could it be because the world is collapsing and Obama is actually DOING SOMETHING?

Could Republicans be unpopular, because they're only response to this catastrophe is "cut the capital gains tax" when people have enough capital losses to carry over until 2058 - and thus no hope of a capital gain for years to come????

bearbee said...

Another $410 billion stuffed roasted porky pig bill is making its way through congress.

Thats sure to add to his popularity.

In addition to BO's popularity the British ready to commit ***groan*** this....

Unknown said...

Hoosier Daddy - You are forgetting that most Americans actually believe in Global Warming.

I believe in it as well since I believe in science and the evidence for global warming is overwhelming, but I'm not a fan of the Carbon Tax, because I actually don't care if the Earth is destroyed in 100 years, because I'll be dead.

So I too want lower carbon taxes, because I don't give a flying fuck about your kids future. I only care about mine.

Palladian said...

"Hoosier Daddy - You are forgetting that most Americans actually believe in Global Warming."

Most Americans believe in God, too.

Palladian said...

"Why would anyone look forward to hearing others complain about something?"

The boy's from Madison. It's a way of life there.

Unknown said...

Ah but if you look at the poll on which the article is based you'll see that although people like Obama, they express DISLIKE for his policies as expressed generically and specifically. The majority of respondents think government is overreaching and by 41% to 44% those polled think the country is headed in the WRONG direction.

Also, only cell phone users qualified to participate in this poll; people who have landlines were rejected. Hmmmm..... Who doesn't have a landline? Ask yourself that question and put the results of the poll in that context.

Beth said...

Once the kids get an earful of Limbaugh, Obama's numbers will crash.

Palladian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Palladian said...

"Once the kids get an earful of Limbaugh, Obama's numbers will crash."

Once the kids start paying their own way in life and footing the bill for Obama's transformation of the United States into Europe 2.0, Obama's numbers will crash. But it will be too late.

Thanks, kids!

Bob From Ohio said...

He probably is very popular. Its about 45 days and people are scared. So they rally around the president.

My perspective is that he has laid so many landmines that he is going to, starting in late 2009, start repeatedly blowing off his legs. So I approve of his performance too.

jayne_cobb said...

Given that it's the WSJ I'm inclined to believe the numbers.

The only issue I have with it is that the sole factor in deciding who to poll is that they be an adult. So the numbers aren't based on actual voters or registered voters.

Either way, as others have said, there's a gap between his popularity and his policies' so this is still likely the honeymoon effect.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Gee? I wonder why Obama is popular?

Could it be because the world is collapsing and Obama is actually DOING SOMETHING?


Taking a shit is also 'doing something'.

Smilin' Jack said...

Does he really believe his own rhetoric? If he felt that the economy was headed for another Depression, would he have taken a 12 day Christmas vacation in Hawaii?

He wanted to see Hawaii one last time before he has to sell it to the Chinese to pay off our debt to them.

M.E. said...

That poll is baloney. Read this, by the Other McCain. Quote:

"What Murray doesn't tell the reader until the 15th paragraph is who was polled to get these results:

While the poll — which was conducted of 1,007 adults from Feb. 26 to March 1, and which has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points — finds Obama in a strong position after his first six weeks as president, the same isn't true for Republicans.

Random adults! Not "registered voters." Certainly not "likely voters." Just random adults. Look at the poll details (PDF): No effort was expended to determine the voting habits of the respondents. There was no screen at all. Just whatever 1,007 people answered the phone and said they were 18 or old [sic]."

Host with the Most said...

Well Shit My Pants!

If this here Howdy Doody Obama and his Friends the Deem-o-crats are in such great shape, why do any of them give a rat's ass about what them partisan Republicans and their fine leader Rush Limbaugh think?

What the Fuck-in-Rachel-Maddow do they have to be worried about?

Why are they worried?

Seems like they are really In-SEE-Kur!

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

TMink said: So, maybe it is people without savings or retirement funds that support him. Lucky for him, that will soon be everyone.

Most of these folks would be school teachers and government workers. They have guaranteed retirement health insurance and pensions. If their pension plans lose money, they will just raise taxes to fix it. It's those of us that pay for these benefits that are screwed.

KCFleming said...

That other Wall Street poll, the Dow, ain't been terribly happy with him.

I like to call Barry Mr. 5000. I hope he's not Mr. 4000, though.

Jon said...

Unfortunately, it appears that gullible Althouse has fallen for the transparently dishonest NBC spin on their poll, which is to trumpet Obama's virtually meaningless "favorability" rating, while burying his job approval rating (although the former is actually down too, in the average of all polls).

The real news from this poll is that Obama's job approval rating is only 60% (matching the pollster.com average).

That's surprisingly low for a president still near the height of his honeymoon period. Bush had higher job approval ratings at this point in 2001.

In fact, if you look at the trendline, Obama's job approval has fallen almost 10 points during the 4 weeks he's been in office.

http://www.pollster.com/polls/us/jobapproval-obama.php

Synova said...

I sometimes think that's the difference between liberals and conservatives (of any political persuasion.)

Liberals are happy when government does something.

Conservatives prefer that government does something that works.

TitushadadreamaboutWhiteLillies said...

Personally I am furious that he is popular.

This will not last. Look how popular Bush was after 9/11.

Obama's downfall will be great and everlasting. I can't wait for that day to come. I for one will be cheering from the highest mountain top. The clock is ticking and I am outraged. Outraged by how stupid my fellow Americans are.

AlphaLiberal said...

Pogo cranks on:
Castro, Stalin, Hitler, and Mao were quite popular, too.

Socialism always enjoys popularity,...


Why did you guys stop calling us liberals but now call us "Socialists"?

Is it because the "liberal" label is no longer a liability?

Or because you just love a good Red Scare?

It sounds real histrionic and dumb. Just thought you should know.

Freeman Hunt said...

Why did you guys stop calling us liberals but now call us "Socialists"?

Some of us have always called you both.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Liberals are happy when government does something.

Conservatives prefer that government does something that works.


Synova wins.

Smilin' Jack said...

AlphaLiberal said...
Why did you guys stop calling us liberals but now call us "Socialists"?


Shut up, you bleeding-heart pinko comsymp.

dreams said...

Oh, we're going to have to deal with it.

LutherM said...

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public - Mencken

Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad - Euripides

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, and them's pretty good odds - Runyon

There's a sucker born every minute - Barnum

KCFleming said...

"Why did you guys stop calling us liberals but now call us "Socialists"? "

If the red diapers fit, wear 'em.

Beth said...

Is it because the "liberal" label is no longer a liability?

Bingo!

The kids that aren't tuning into to Limbaugh are likewise too young to remember Reagan turning "liberal" into a dirty word.

After eight years of Bush-led spending and big government, the right has to pretend they have something resembling an objection to spending and big government, so they pull out the commie pinko fag routine.

Beth said...

Is it because the "liberal" label is no longer a liability?

Bingo!

The kids that aren't tuning into to Limbaugh are likewise too young to remember Reagan turning "liberal" into a dirty word.

After eight years of Bush-led spending and big government, the right has to pretend they have something resembling an objection to spending and big government, so they pull out the commie pinko fag routine.

Meade said...

I don't think Reagan turned "liberal" into a dirty word. Liberals turned it into a dirty word long before Reagan.... just as big government high taxing Republicans have now turned "republican" into a dirty word.

Freeman Hunt said...

After eight years of Bush-led spending and big government...

Which we were bitching about at the time...

I hate how conservatives and libertarians spent the Bush time griping about too much spending, and now the liberals try to paint us as in favor of it because Bush did it. No. That was bad. This is even worse.

BJM said...

An old joke that illustrates the situation in which successful Americans now find themselves:

A man stops to ask directions from a farmer sitting on his porch and is amazed to see a three-legged pig sitting at the farmer's feet. "That's a weird-looking pig," the man says. The farmer is furious. "Don't you ever say anything bad about this pig!" he says. "Just last week my wife and I were sleeping, and a fire broke out. This pig dragged us both to safety. Last month a robber broke into the house. The pig knocked him down, dialed 911 with his snout and sat on him until the police arrived. So don't ever say anything bad about him."

"I'm sorry," the man says. "But what's the deal with the three legs?"

"Mister," the farmer says, "a pig like this you don't eat all at once."

Synova said...

After eight years of Bush-led spending and big government, the right has to pretend they have something resembling an objection to spending and big government,

Oh, I think that there was always an objection to the spending and objection to big government. Bush didn't campaign against Gore as any sort of hyper-conservative anything after all. While it's true that "liberal" might not be a bad word so much anymore, it's also true that Bush wasn't very conservative. His hyper-conservatism is up there with the impending Theocracy as having been created out of whole cloth in order to have something to attack. Make "conservative" mean gay hating racist theocrats and then stick the label on whoever needs to be destroyed.

And then say that conservatives, who viewed Bush as firmly moderate when he was elected, are defined by the hyper-conservative Bush, big government and big spending... why should anyone accept that?

The "narrative" had little to do with reality. In 2004 the common thing to hear was that "I voted for Bush while I held my nose" and yet... and yet conservatives agreed with him about everything? We never questioned Dear Leader? Ring kissing? Some Authority or Father Figure fetish?

The objections were always there and it's not pretending to have objections to big government and spending *now*.

Hoosier Daddy said...

I hate how conservatives and libertarians spent the Bush time griping about too much spending, and now the liberals try to paint us as in favor of it because Bush did it. No. That was bad. This is even worse.

No kidding. The reason the GOP is in the position its in today is because they abandoned the conservative princple of fiscal responsibility. Beth's and other's argument that Bush spent like a drunken sailor so now Obama and Co. can too sounds a lot like an excuse 5th graders give.

And Obama needs to give up the 'we inherited this mess' bullshit. You actively campaigned to take this mess over. You bought it, you fix it. But quit pissing down my back and tell me its raining.

Shmuck.

Anonymous said...

"And Obama needs to give up the 'we inherited this mess' bullshit."

He didn't inherit it. He bought it for two trillion dollars. It's his, lock, stock, and barrel.

veni vidi vici said...

I like to tell people that say, "the Republicans did it too!" that that is not an argument, it's a concession.

As to Barry's popularity, men of action are always popular in times like these. However, within a reasonable time (and the populace will know when it has elapsed), if the action has not delivered the promised results, he will suffer grave damage to his popularity.

Consider Bush's Iraq war as a comparo: at the time of its debate, authorization and commencement, it was highly popular in the United States, if the polls and Congressional votes are any indicia. However, when the promised WMD, "liberator-greetings" and other elements of the sale either failed to, or took too long to, materialize, Bush's popularity took it in the keister and not even a 14,000 DJIA and 4.5% unemployment (yeah, that "horrible" Bush economy) could buy him the favor of the populace.

There are parallels there, regardless of how one feels about the respective policies.

Synova said...

He didn't inherit it. He bought it...

Oh!

Revenant said...

Could someone explain to me how this poll justifies a claim that Obama is "more popular than ever"? His approval rating (as reported in this poll) appears to be substantially lower than it was when he took office. What statistic are they referring to?

Daniel12 said...

Why are people bitching about the adult v. registered/likely voter thing?

This is not an election year. What matters is the support of the American people -- not the support of those who may go to the polls.

bearbee said...

Deficits and Fiscal Credibility

After voting for Porkosaurus - the porkyest pig of them all, it looks like someone in congress FINALLY woke up.

His crowing about balancing his state's budget as governor during the period of 1989-1997 when revenues were exploding is a tad disingenuous.

Revenant said...

This is not an election year. What matters is the support of the American people -- not the support of those who may go to the polls.

The only Americans whose support matters are the ones who go to the polls. It doesn't matter if you think the President is doing an absolutely horrible job or a spectacularly wonderful job. What matters is whether or not you vote for him and for other Democrats, or for the Republican opposition.

Popular support is nice. But politically speaking it doesn't mean much of anything.

Jon said...

Revenant said: "Could someone explain to me how this poll justifies a claim that Obama is "more popular than ever"?

The article bases that claim on his meaningless personal favorability rating (which is up 2 points from their last poll, in early January). Not what matters: His job approval rating. See my post upthread.

Big Mike said...

@Beth, it wasn't Reagan that made "liberal" a dirty word. It was a House of Representatives led by Tip O'Neill, a Senate lead by Robert Byrd, and, especially, a President named Jimmy Carter.

May I take it that you're too young to remember the misery of the late 1970's? 16% mortgages? Gas lines? 10% inflation? Americans as the world's clay pigeons?

Never fear. You'll have your opportunity to experience them all too soon.

Eli Blake said...

Paranoia on display.

Castro, Stalin, Hitler and Mao (as per pogo)

Idiot.

I'm surprised you didn't include Lucifer on your list.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

After eight years of Bush-led spending and big government, the right has to pretend they have something resembling an objection to spending and big government, so they pull out the commie pinko fag routine.

God, you would think that those on the left that keep parroting this bullshit would actually think about what they are saying. Only a third grader would accept this as an argument.

Revenant said...

The article bases that claim on his meaningless personal favorability rating (which is up 2 points from their last poll, in early January).

Thanks, Jon.

So Americans like him more and more as a person, but less and less as a leader? Doesn't really sound like cause for celebration to me.

Unknown said...

Sure, his supporter are giving him a chance to succeed. I hope I'm wrong that his spending will be disastrous.

And I don't really care about popularity polls anyway. They go up and down with events. But this article fails to note the rise in unfavorables, which are supposedly going up.

John Stodder said...

Internet appearances to the contrary, most people are unideological. Obama's popularity ratings are high because he's our fresh new president and cuts an attractive figure on TV. His popularity at this point is not a weather vane of where the public wants public policy to go. They're baffled. Obama's got a confident rap, so they're following him. But no matter how often he says "it took a long time to get into this problem, which I inherited, so it will take a long time to get out," if there aren't signs of progress quite soon, some of Obama's support will disappear, and soon after that, his ability to influence events will be diminished.

The Republicans are as tired, stale and moldy as an old candy bar that fell under your car seat six months ago. No one is really listening to them now. But that's another element of today's politics that can change rapidly. If they figure out something worth saying, they'll get a hearing.

To me, Obama's big and perhaps fatal mistake is taking his eye off the ball. In far less perilous times, Bill Clinton said he was "focusing like a laser beam" on the economy. Obama seems to think he can address the financial meltdown on a part-time basis, and that his campaign agenda on issues like health care and energy deserve equal time. That's a political and leadership disaster in the making.

Obama is under the illusion that presidents get to control events. That's really not true. The presidency is mostly a reactive position. It's how he handles his in-box -- that's how a president is judged. Lincoln didn't get elected to fight a civil war or to emancipate the slaves. As late as 1940, FDR didn't think his signal achievement would be the defeat of fascism. LBJ had no personal investment in waging war on behalf of South Vietnam. Bush mocked the "failed state" policies of his predecessor, until 9/11 induced him to carry out Clinton's policy to its logical conclusion with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. I doubt Nixon knew in 1968 that he would normalize relations with China.

Reagan at first blush appears to be the exception, but the fact is, Carter/Volcker started putting the screws to inflation before Reagan was elected, and presumably that would've continued if the election had turned out differently. Maybe Carter wouldn't have cut taxes so much, but then keep in mind that after Reagan cut taxes, he re-raised them a year later, so the size of his tax cut was less than advertised. His dream to overturn communism and destroy the Soviet Union as a political entity was fulfilled, but conditions had to be ripe for him to be able to take that opportunity. He wouldn't have gotten anywhere with that if he'd been elected the first time he ran for president in 1968.

Obama's legacy will be how he got us out of this deep economic hole and financial panic. Or how he failed to do so. History won't care about whether he gets his carbon cap or reforms health care. If he revives the economy, he's a great president. If he fails to do so, he's a failure. By allowing himself to be distracted by his "agenda," he's heading down the second path.

JAL said...

I'm surprised you didn't include Lucifer on your list.

No need to. Alinsky dedicated his Rules to him.

Roberto said...

Bushman of the Kohlrabi "God, you would think that those on the left that keep parroting this bullshit would actually think about what they are saying. Only a third grader would accept this as an argument."

And your counter argument would be?

DUH.

Roberto said...

LarsPorsena said..."And Obama needs to give up the 'we inherited this mess' bullshit."

Right. You and about 14% of the American public (the moron clan) believe that.

WSJ/NBC Poll: When Will it be Obama’s Economy?

The vast majority of Americans, 84%, think the current economic conditions were inherited and not caused by President Barack Obama, according to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll

Roberto said...

Freeman Hunt said..."After eight years of Bush-led spending and big government...Which we were bitching about at the time..."

Yeah, and does that include the 1 trillion spent in Iraq?

Bullshit and you know it.

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John Althouse Cohen said...

Interesting sequence of comments:

John Althouse Cohen said...
I'm looking forward to hearing Republicans complain that his popularity isn't legitimate because it's being inflated by fear of catastrophe.

8:52 AM


Big Mike said...
@JAC, you can try to preempt me but it won't work. The sad thing is that The Great Obama's popularity really is due in part to his description of the economy in apocalyptic terms, which has started what looks to be a pretty nasty feedback loop, and he's going to have a lot more trouble breaking it now than if he tried to calm things down from the start.

Does he really believe his own rhetoric? ...

9:09 AM



Hoosier Daddy said...
Just keep settin up them strawmen JAC.

Whatever gets you through the day.

9:15 AM



If people are actually saying it, it's not a "straw man."

Note: I'm actually not sure I disagree with this critique of Obama. It's a reasonable argument. But to the extent it's made by Republicans, I think it's interesting to consider how they probably reacted to criticisms of Bush as someone who was using fear of catastrophe (terrorism, WMD attacks) to maintain his popularity.

Big Mike said...

@JAC: What Bush popularity?

Revenant said...

I think it's interesting to consider how they probably reacted to criticisms of Bush as someone who was using fear of catastrophe (terrorism, WMD attacks) to maintain his popularity.

Bush is an example of someone who sacrificed his popularity in order to actually do something about terrorism and WMD attacks.

veni vidi vici said...

To summarize Big Mike and Revenant, above:

JAC is an ass.


I'd love it if Obama were to show himself to be half the leader Bush was, i.e. to do the right thing for the nation's health and take all the arrows for it. Instead, he's got the smugfuck Gibbs and half his cabinet out there haranguing on about the comments of an AM radio talk show host. This is pathetic in 72 point type.

Anonymous said...

@downtownlad: "Could Republicans be unpopular, because they're only response to this catastrophe is "cut the capital gains tax" when people have enough capital losses to carry over until 2058 - and thus no hope of a capital gain for years to come????"

You're right. They should also be proposing cuts in corporate taxes, estate taxes, and payroll taxes, with matching cuts in government spending across the board.

Unknown said...

The solution to all the problems is Bush comming back again, he is the light and the salvation. Bush has put us into this global and terrible situation and now Obama has to solve all problems in 2 days: hypocriticals!!!!!!!!!