Why is President Obama's approval so low?
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  Why is President Obama's approval so low?
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Author Topic: Why is President Obama's approval so low?  (Read 5133 times)
Blue3
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« on: July 28, 2014, 01:46:38 PM »

The economy is doing much better now than it has since a year or more before the Recession struck. Stock market is high, unemployment is down around 6% and dropping.

So why exactly is President Obama's approval so low, only around 40% or slightly above?

Is it concern for the rest of the world? That would mean they want the President and the United States to get more involved, but public opinion seems to show the majority wanting us to be less involved.

So what is it?
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pbrower2a
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« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2014, 01:50:57 PM »

We Americans are more fussy about political life than we have been in a long time. We let Dubya get away with far more than we let Obama get away with.

Just look at how low the approval levels are for Congress and many sitting Governors.  Congress about in the same level of approval as rattlesnake bites.
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King
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« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2014, 01:55:54 PM »

Lack of promotion, general disapproval with the government.
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Antonio the Sixth
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« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2014, 02:58:36 PM »

Voter fatigue.

Still, he's popular enough to avoid the "6-year curse". Thin of where LBJ, Nixon, Dubya or even Reagan were at that point in time.
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afleitch
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« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2014, 03:19:22 PM »

He's black.
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Yank2133
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« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2014, 03:26:41 PM »
« Edited: July 28, 2014, 03:49:09 PM by Yank2133 »

Lack of promotion, general disapproval with the government.

This, Obama and the Democrats for that matter have been pretty bad at promoting their own successes. ACA is something they should be boasting about non-stop, but they seem to always be on the defense.
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AggregateDemand
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« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2014, 03:46:30 PM »

This, Obama and the Democrats for that matter have been pretty bad at promoted their own success. ACA is something they should be boasting about non-stop, but they seem to always be on the defense .

They aren't boasting because ACA is a terrible bill. Republicans didn't run on Medicare Part D, either.
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King
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« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2014, 05:22:27 PM »

I don't think it has anything to do with the Democrats either. Oddly the Democratic generic congressional ballot is running ahead of Obama's approvals right now plus Clinton is running double digits ahead of Obama's approvals in 2016 matchups.

People are kind of just forgetting about him and he's not really doing anything to be noticed.
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« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2014, 05:31:58 PM »


This and

Lack of promotion, general disapproval with the government.

this.
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Phony Moderate
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« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2014, 06:47:06 PM »

The internet deserves some blame/thanks. A conservative in Utah can chat with ten conservatives in the South at the click of a button (on Free Republic or whatever), thus creating a tribe/echo chamber mentality. The 'left' is just as guilty of this with sites such as Democratic Underground.
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pbrower2a
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« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2014, 08:19:37 PM »

He has promoted his policies instead of himself. He has sacrificed immediate popularity to get results. The House has consistently offered him no help in achieving any big legislation. He has a cacophonous opposition that has given him no break since he was first elected.

He is an excellent campaigner, but he has not done any campaigning since 2012. He must campaign to get approval near 50%. He is obviously running for nothing.  

Let us remember, though -- Americans generally have shown lesser support for elected officials than at any time in years, and this has nothing to do with scandals, military or diplomatic debacles, or an economic collapse. Congress is now about as popular as vitriol enemas. Oddly, President Obama has yet to campaign against Congress.  
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Warren 4 Secretary of Everything
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« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2014, 10:11:04 PM »

The fact that he's not attempting to get positive media exposure through campaigning as well as general voter fatigue. Edward Snowden's leaks and the Obamcare Debacle didn't help either.
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Person Man
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« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2014, 10:29:23 PM »

The fact that he's not attempting to get positive media exposure through campaigning as well as general voter fatigue. Edward Snowden's leaks and the Obamcare Debacle didn't help either.

I'll go with this. ACA wasn't Obama's Katrina, it was Edward Snowden. Though he intended to be a patriot, he has conducted himself a spy against us. Many probably wonder what a Republican would have done with him. Bush or any possible 2016 Republican with the exception of Rand Paul could have tried to kidnap or assassinate him for all we know.  This all makes me believe that Obama has discredited himself equally among the very liberal who will still vote for his supporters and potential successor (or simply become the "missing voters" that allow the Republicans to become the "establishment machine") and the conservative-leaning "median" voters, who voted for him, but voted for Bush and may vote Republican in 2014 and 2016.

Further, with Israel becoming a greater liability and many Middle East dictatorships becoming failed states, it appears that Obama is neither too dovish or too hawkish but whose Government lacks the social skills to come to a reasonable way forward. This works against Democrats but makes people wary of much more hawkish Republicans. Then again, maybe this creates an opening for a "more competent" Democrat the way it almost did for McCain until the double wammy of Palin and the Lehman Brothers.
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Reaganfan
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« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2014, 03:02:02 AM »

I think it is a number of factors.

The obvious factor is the six year curse. By 1998, Clinton (love him or hate him) was thrown into a sex scandal and impeached. In 2006, Bush was so unpopular that his Iraq policies had a profound effect on the ballot that year from Gubernatorial elections to state and local issues. Now in 2014, Obama's problems are creating the same environment.

One thing I think Obama does wrong is that anytime a crisis or a scandal or an issue arises, he addresses it as if he's the micro-manager who is working for the man. "We are looking into it..." ect ect. The problem is, Barack Obama is the man. He's not a newbie. He's been President of the United States since January 2009. He acts as though he works for the boss when in actuality he is the boss. The fact that he acts like he has no play with Congress and the way he lets them hold his collar to try and run his clock out is ridiculous. I thought after he was elected in 2008 that he would be a Reagan-style Teflon President whom America loved but the opposing political party despised. Truth is, he hasn't been that popular. The only time I was actually openly supportive of him was in May 2011 when he ordered the Bin laden raid, and even then his approval rating barely ticked up for a week in part because liberals who had approved of his job were angry that he carried out a Bush-era style assassination raid in a sovereign country without permission.

Another reason Obama is unpopular is because of ACA. Despite the futile attempts by our liberal friends to try and highlight the occasionally rosy poll showing weak and fruitless support for the bill, by and large it remains unpopular with the American people.

Then you have this swarm of illegals coming across our border. The reaction from everyone I've spoken to is, "Send them packin'!" But then the President is silent. I've heard people recently asking, "Why won't the President do something!?!" I think the reason he won't address the problem, is because to him, innocent illegal Mexicans spilling into our country isn't a problem. It's the disconnect that even many Democrats have been speaking about in recent weeks.

In other words, he's losing what made him beat Romney in 2012. The idea that he cared about the issues important to the people.

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HagridOfTheDeep
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« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2014, 03:14:12 AM »

I think it's because Americans don't feel like Obama's in charge. The country hated Bush because he was decidedly in charge in no one liked what he was doing.

Obama has a few accomplishments under his belt and could be owning them and reaping the rewards, but he lets events tug him this way and that and never really seems to be in control of any given situation. It's mostly the fact that he doesn't know how to communicate. He can push the broad themes really well when he's appealing to voters as a candidate, but he has always been bad at explaining why things matter or leveling with voters as president. He's not Bill Clinton.
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Joe Republic
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« Reply #15 on: July 29, 2014, 04:05:25 AM »




And for a nice demonstration of my point:

Then you have this swarm of illegals coming across our border. The reaction from everyone I've spoken to is, "Send them packin'!" But then the President is silent. I've heard people recently asking, "Why won't the President do something!?!" I think the reason he won't address the problem, is because to him, innocent illegal Mexicans spilling into our country isn't a problem. It's the disconnect that even many Democrats have been speaking about in recent weeks.

Please pay closer attention, Low-Information-VoterTM.  Obama already announced they're being deported over a week ago.
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« Reply #16 on: July 29, 2014, 05:09:09 AM »

A combination of the entire right-wing noise machine directed and him and his moderate heroism turning off liberals.
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swl
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« Reply #17 on: July 29, 2014, 08:10:00 AM »
« Edited: July 29, 2014, 08:24:44 AM by swl »

Obama has a few accomplishments under his belt and could be owning them and reaping the rewards, but he lets events tug him this way and that and never really seems to be in control of any given situation. It's mostly the fact that he doesn't know how to communicate.
Does he even care anymore about that? Maybe he considers that there is no point in wasting time on communication right now while there is so much to do.
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Grumpier Than Uncle Joe
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« Reply #18 on: July 29, 2014, 08:18:45 AM »


An uppity one.
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stepney
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« Reply #19 on: July 29, 2014, 08:35:46 AM »

Obama has a few accomplishments under his belt and could be owning them and reaping the rewards, but he lets events tug him this way and that and never really seems to be in control of any given situation. It's mostly the fact that he doesn't know how to communicate.
Does he even care anymore about that? Maybe he considers that there is no point in wasting time on communication right now while there is so much to do.

Well now - 'there's so much [for Obama] to do' - this raises a rather interesting point. Read this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2707864/Barack-Obama-checks-job-years-early-The-US-president-played-81-rounds-golf-election-house-hunting-California-tackling-issues-say-critics.html

(and yes, British commenters, I know it's the Mail)

Genuine question from this side of the world; is the argument in this article gaining traction in the US and hitting Obama’s approval? Does anyone there think he’s ‘checked out’ already?
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Gass3268
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« Reply #20 on: July 29, 2014, 08:50:29 AM »

Then you have this swarm of illegals coming across our border. The reaction from everyone I've spoken to is, "Send them packin'!" But then the President is silent. I've heard people recently asking, "Why won't the President do something!?!" I think the reason he won't address the problem, is because to him, innocent illegal Mexicans spilling into our country isn't a problem. It's the disconnect that even many Democrats have been speaking about in recent weeks.

This may be one of the most racist and stupid things I've ever read on the forum.
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Beet
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« Reply #21 on: July 29, 2014, 09:49:09 AM »

Is it concern for the rest of the world? That would mean they want the President and the United States to get more involved, but public opinion seems to show the majority wanting us to be less involved.

People claim they want us to be less involved, but what they really mean is they don't want the mealy-mouthed 'send in a few peacekeepers and take attrition' route. Give the people a nice decisive military victory (e.g., decapitation of the NK regime after a legitimate provocation) and Obama's approval would skyrocket, I guarantee you.
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Grumpier Than Uncle Joe
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« Reply #22 on: July 29, 2014, 11:15:27 AM »

Then you have this swarm of illegals coming across our border. The reaction from everyone I've spoken to is, "Send them packin'!" But then the President is silent. I've heard people recently asking, "Why won't the President do something!?!" I think the reason he won't address the problem, is because to him, innocent illegal Mexicans spilling into our country isn't a problem. It's the disconnect that even many Democrats have been speaking about in recent weeks.

This may be one of the most racist and stupid things I've ever read on the forum.

Mike doesn't post a lot but they are doozies. 
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Simfan34
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« Reply #23 on: July 29, 2014, 11:23:35 AM »

The economy is doing much better now than it has since a year or more before the Recession struck. Stock market is high, unemployment is down around 6% and dropping.

The economy consists of more than the stock market and the reported unemployment rate. Most Americans continue to face shrinking real household incomes, and the working share of the adult population is stagnant at well below its pre-recession level, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that our bleak collective view of the economy persists.

Interesting. What explains the 15-point jump in the participation rate? Women entering the workforce, I'm guessing? Also, I'd feel the data from two term presidents is small enough... as to be statistically meaningless. But it's interesting. A lot of people here are being ridiculous, though. I get the distinct sense that the country seems to be on autopilot, and talking to a range of people (also statistically meaningless, but whatever), a lot of people seem to wonder what exactly is the value-added of having Obama as opposed to... not having him. He doesn't seem to be affecting events, either positively or negatively.
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pbrower2a
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« Reply #24 on: July 29, 2014, 01:43:52 PM »




And for a nice demonstration of my point:

Then you have this swarm of illegals coming across our border. The reaction from everyone I've spoken to is, "Send them packin'!" But then the President is silent. I've heard people recently asking, "Why won't the President do something!?!" I think the reason he won't address the problem, is because to him, innocent illegal Mexicans spilling into our country isn't a problem. It's the disconnect that even many Democrats have been speaking about in recent weeks.

Please pay closer attention, Low-Information-VoterTM.  Obama already announced they're being deported over a week ago.

When FoX Propaganda Channel has nothing to gain from criticizing Barack Obama, his approval ratings will be in the 50s. Count on it.
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