Obama's approval rating among liberal democrats has recently climbed to 86%

[Cali_Democrat]

Well this is interesting.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/Presidential-Approval-Center.aspx

You wouldn't think this was the case reading certain message boards.

A note on communal reinforcement:

Communal reinforcement

Communal reinforcement is a social phenomenon in which a concept or idea is repeatedly asserted in a community, regardless of whether sufficient empirical evidence has been presented to support it.[1] Over time, the concept or idea is reinforced to become a strong belief in many people's minds, and may be regarded by the members of the community as fact. Often, the concept or idea may be further reinforced by publications in the mass media, books, or other means of communication. The phrase "millions of people can't all be wrong" is indicative of the common tendency to accept a communally reinforced idea without question, which often aids in the widespread acceptance of factoids. A very similar term to this term is community-reinforcement, which is a behavioral method to stop drug addiction.[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communal_reinforcement

[aquart]

1. Rush doesn't connect the dots either.

Can you?

[KittyWampus]

26. lots of what gets posted here= the left version of Rush. So how did Edward's for president pan out?

I remember when Clark was running for POTUS many DU'ers decided Milosevic got a bad rap.

[SidDithers]

2. DURec...

Sid

[Cha]

3. Yeah, and I'm not surprised.. I've learned since 2009 that it doesn't

mean shite out in America.

[Liberal Veteran]

4. I can't imagine what message board you are talking about.

[pampango]

5. "Communal reinforcement" sounds like what we see in the RW echo chamber of FOX news, Rush and the

other talking heads and the tea party mutual admiration society. It's what led them to believe that romney was actually going to win last year. If you constantly hear people agreeing with you, it must seem that you must be right.

[pnwmom]

6. But none of those liberals are real liberals

or else they wouldn't be supporting Obama.

[Liberal Veteran]

8. I think the real problem is some folks want an FDR who speaks like Mike Malloy about the right wing.

And don't seem to get the fact that there is only so much one can do with faced with a congress as obstinate as the one he has to work with with.

[leftstreet]

16. The real problem is Obama campaigned like FDR n/t

[KittyWampus]

28. No he didn't. That would have been Dean or Edwards. ---------->>>>>>>

of course neither Dean nor Edwards did… but Obama didn't either.

[MADem]

30. Ha ha ha!

This place can be a real echo chamber sometimes, and not always in a good way.

[David__77]

7. I'm one of them, but I have my criticisms too.

I'd certainly say "strongly approve," were I polled. But I have a lot of criticism. There's no contradiction. Friends need help to correct and improve. That said, that rating will plummet if Obama caves in to certain quarters and launches yet another war.

[treestar]

69. how many people are so clever as to lie to pollsters?

this one is no way out of the fact that 86% or 85.999999 percent approve.

[Mojorabbit]

82. I always say I approve

when they call me. I like the guy. I am not happy a lot of his policies but I am glad he won the last election. He has however, been a monstrous disappointment in many important areas and I talk about that here.

[David__77]

104. It's not lying.

I do strongly approve. That is a correct statement. But it does not mean that I do not strongly disagree with a number of policies.

[cantbeserious]

9. You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time,

but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

Abraham Lincoln

[JaneyVee]

10. K and R

[Dawson Leery]

11. Overall, their is approval for Obama from the base.

That does NOT mean we are ignoring the problems and mistakes he has made.
We want a successful administration as that equals a successful nation.

[n2doc]

12. This reminds me of Romney's folks saying he had a lead before the 12 election n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

81. The Romney campaign ignored the polls

Please don't make the same mistake.

I have faith in you

[Pretzel_Warrior]

13. Well deserved Rec and kick. Was a time on DU this would have over 100

Rec's. sad to see so many purists for whom progressive Obama doesn't quite cut it. Wait. I mean, he's a Big Brother war criminal who should be impeached, right?

Uh, no. This community is increasingly out of step with Democrats at large in the real world.

[truebluegreen]

14. Better than Stupidity and Bigotry Incarnate

is not really an endorsement.

[stevenleser]

84. He's not measured versus other people, its just him. nt

[Thinkingabout]

15. I agree with Obama's agenda, not saying he is perfect in everything but is step with my

Views. Yes, he would get a high score from me. He has tried to pull this nation together and perhaps some delight in the turmoil occurring but they have not totally shut him down either.

[Hekate]

17. Gosh, you mean the Dem Liberal base is not aware that he is a warcriminalcorporateshill??!!1!

Echo chambers are not solely a RW phenomenon, it seems.

[Amonester]

79. No, it's more like they KNOW he arrived in Washington with very good intentions...

and was greated welcome by the elitist assholes.

They KNOW he can't do anything against them.

The sharks out-number him.

[Amonester]

80. And in that *already toxic* surroundings...

They KNOW he at least did accomplish many great things.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

18. Republicans had just lied the country into a war and crashed the economy and he was told,...

....by the Villagers that his job was to meet them halfway.

[leftstreet]

19. Are these 'liberal Democrats' the same who stayed home 2012?

Must be different Democrats

[winter is coming]

20. How does that convert into quatloos? n/t

[hobbit709]

21. Lozo, is that you?

[KittyWampus]

23. IndianaGreen, is that you? Someone posted Wes Clark talking about PNAC

so I searched back in old DU archives.

Most of the "true Left" that posts here now hated Wes Clark's guts.

They KNEW Howard Dean was going to win Iowa.

And Edwards was such a great guy.

LOL!

[KittyWampus]

22. Everyone I know voted for McGovern.

[Recursion]

76. My grandmother of blessed memory met McGovern once

She was a Republican, but very polite. She said "why Senator McGovern, how nice to meet you. You know, my son voted for you here in Mississippi."

He smiled at her and said, "Oh, that's who it was!"

[bitchkitty]

77. LOL! Quick.

It might be that he had that line in reserve, waiting for a chance to use it. But that made me smile!

[Demo_Chris]

24. Liberals definately support...

Insurance Mandates
Chained CPI
TPP and other FTAs
Domestic Spying
Militant action against Medical Marjuana users
Continuing the Drug War
Aggressive prosecution of Whistleblowers
Drone Wars
Tax cuts for the wealthy
Etc

Or maybe, just maybe, the people who define themselves as Liberal Democrats are getting their idea of what Liberal means from the conservative media...

[progressoid]

52. +1

[Celefin]

105. +1

[raouldukelives]

121. Nailed it. If the definition doesn't fit, they just change the definition. nt

[Progressive dog]

122. Maybe people who try to define what liberals are,

are very confused about how our government works, or don't care to know.

[Demo_Chris]

123. MY principles are not determined by "How things currently work"...

Words have meanings, and you cannot simply change the definition to support whatever feels good at the time. You CANNOT call yourself a liberal if you endorse or accept the things I listed in my original post on this topic. You cannot say you are a liberal who is indifferent to civil rights and liberties, or uncaring about labor or the poor. If you support indefinite detention and warrant less surveillance you are not a liberal, you are a fascist in drag.

[Progressive dog]

124. My definition of liberal assumes a democratic system,

not a utopia which never has not and never can exist.

This is the definition from wikipedia

Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally they support ideas such as free and fair elections, civil rights, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, free trade, and private property.[4][5][6][7][8]

"Words do have meanings, and you cannot simply change the definition to support whatever makes you fell good at the time."

[Demo_Chris]

125. By your standard a "liberal" in 1950 could have comfortably defended jim Crow...

I understand the motivation. I am well aware how wonderful it feels to proudly proclaim oneself a Liberal. Some, however, want to call themselves Liberals while rejecting as impractical everything Liberals believe, and that's simply not going to fly. If you reject the list that I provided you are not a Liberal, you're just a Democrat -- and a fairly right wing Democrat at that.

[Progressive dog]

126. By dictionary definition you are wrong

about what a Liberal is., You are also wrong about defending Jim Crow. As far as my motivation, it is accuracy in language. Your views are not all liberal views. Some are just attacks on anyone who is willing to compromise or to give our Democratic President any benefit of the doubt.
Apparently you still have not bothered to find out what the word Liberal means.

[blackspade]

25. I makes me wonder who are calling themselves liberal democrats.

It sounds like a lot of people don't understand what liberal means.

[stevenleser]

85. Ah yes, the "No true Scotsman" retort. (thanks Recursion) nt

[blackspade]

86. ? I don't get the reference.

[stevenleser]

87. Link...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman

[blackspade]

94. OK, and that has something to do with my post how?

[Hekate]

98. Well spotted, sir. nt

[bowens43]

27. bullshit

[Cali_Democrat]

74. It's true

See the link.

[Cha]

102. They can't hear it or see it. The little voice in their

collective head says "it's not true.. it can't be true!" "I get on DU every day and hate on the President.. how can anyone like him?!111?"

[Fearless]

29. Lol

[MADem]

31. And it's GALLUP--they always screw the Dems, so it's probably closer to 90 percent! nt

[HooptieWagon]

32. This liberal Democrat

Is proud to be the "14%"...

Obama isn't a Liberal, and the only thing democratic about him is the D after his name. He is bought by Wall St, and represents their interests. Third Way Dems can go fuck themselves, they ain't nothing but a Trojan Horse.

[azbillyboy]

35. Thanks!

I was trying to figure out how to say it and be concise. You did it for me!

[kath]

41. +1000. Also proud to be the "14%"

And proud to be a real liberal.
I freakin' hate the Trojan Horses that have infiltrated the Dem party, from the top down.

[bhikkhu]

42. I'd like to see a poll about how many people know what a "third way" Democrat is

I hear it all the time, but it means nothing to me. The president is responsible for so many aspects of how the country operates, I think any Democrat that actually wins office and has to do the job would get labelled "third way".

However much of the US economic output and employment is represented by US corporations (and it is over 50%), that's a segment that must be worked with.

[HooptieWagon]

49. "Third Way" = Corporatist Dems.

The kind of Dems who coddle Wall St, even bringing Wall St criminals into Cabinet. The kind of Dems who sell out Americans to give Corporations a TPP agreement that sends more jobs overseas and dismantles enviromental and worker protections. The kind of Dem who proposes cuts to SS, and outsources government functions like education to private contractors for profit. The kind of Dem that doubles down on a police surveillence state, hiding behind secret laws and courts.

[michigandem58]

46. That would be the 14% that never gets things done

but complaining.

[HooptieWagon]

47. Progressive Caucus is the biggest in Congress...

in spite of limited support from DNC for progressive candidates. When (not if) the progressives split from the Third Way Dem Party, Dems will lose half their votes, all their Union support, grassroots donations, and boots on the ground. All that will be left is Corporate support and Astroturf.... at that point Dem Party might as well merge with Teabaggers. And there will be synchophants defending it.

[michigandem58]

50. Don't confuse the Progressive Caucus with the 14%

They generally approve of President Obama. And they aren't leaving the party.

[HooptieWagon]

54. Only because there isn't a separate Progressive Party....

....yet. Keep pissing on progressives though, and the Dem Party will no longer find loyal support. That moment is growing nearer.... many Dems will no longer support a corporatist just because they have a D after their name. That number will grow.

[michigandem58]

58. There are third parties to the left of the Democratic party, few are interested

The only real impact ever felt was the Green Party winning the election for Bush. A lot of folks learned something from that and the interest in third parties has all but evaporated.

[HooptieWagon]

61. Just wait.

Theres a whole lot of unhappiness with GOP-lite. And repeated insults will def drive us away for good.

[michigandem58]

62. You're the one waiting, but in vain

It's a fantasy.

[Kolesar]

70. You're going away for good?

[brooklynite]

88. Please provide an example of "limited support from DNC for progressive candidates"

Hint: You can't, because DNC has no roll in electing House and Senate candidates.

Now as far as the DSCC and DCCC (who I deal with personally, so I know how they make their decisions), they were happy to support people like Elizabeth Warren and Alan Grayson. But perhaps they don't meet your exacting standards for "progressive"?

Or perhaps you're unhappy that they won't invest in progressive candidates running in moderate or conservative districts? Doesn't bother me, because the Party's goal isn't to make progressives feel good, it's to get the most Democrats elected, and since money isn't infinite, it goes where it can be most effective.

[HooptieWagon]

89. Wasserman-Shultz endorsed GOP incumbents....

who had progressive Dems running against them. Fla Dem Party very hostile towards progressive candidates, even solicits rethugs to switch and run in primaries against progressives. DCCC flat out refused to help. The few progressives elected in FL did it on their own.
Although Dems outnumber GOP by 750,000+ in Fl, part of reason GOP controls Tallahassee is Dems are discouraged by only corporatist candidates to vote for. Its so bad, a previous State Party chair was a GOP lobbyist.

[Mojorabbit]

119. Come here to Florida and there will be several examples. nt

[PowerToThePeople]

93. I am

[geek tragedy]

113. This liberal democrat is glad no one cares what the 14%ers think. nt

[Cryptoad]

33. Reality is a biatch, heh? nt

[mick063]

34. Can't wait for primary season

I'm so ready for it.

[sheshe2]

36. K&R!

Thanks Cali-Dem...

[BumRushDaShow]

37. K&R

Quinnipiac had him at 84% total Democratic approval.

[Tikki]

38. I am a Liberal Democrat and I approve of how President Obama is handling his job...

add me to the 86%.


Tikki

[bhikkhu]

39. "Communal reinforcement" works in all sorts of groups

In my area, for instance, lots of people listen to nothing but hate radio and watch fox news, and only talk to each other. After the last election it was like "shock and awe" around here, they just couldn't believe that romney and a bunch of others from that party had actually lost. Conspiracy theories were the only thing that explained it - how the whole thing had been rigged.

Same on DU sometimes. If I say I support and trust the president on an issue its like saying I believe the earth is flat - how could anyone think that?!?

[Bolo Boffin]

40. With Obama having this kind of approval rating, who's really the Third Way here?

Who are the real outliers?

[whatchamacallit]

44. Lame

even for you.

[Bolo Boffin]

45. Thank you for your concern. n/t

[Tarheel_Dem]

55. +1

[Kolesar]

71. They are nihilists who never worked for a Democratic candidate

...or donated, for that matter. I bet they tell their friends that they "stayed home on election day".

[Cha]

103. rofl.. that "3rd way" shite. It's makes them feel

better about themselves.

[spin]

43. Obama is a very charismatic speaker with great ideas. ...

But I wonder if he is far more of an great idea man than a great leader. Our nation has had a good number of Presidents but only a few were great leaders.

[davidn3600]

48. Democrats support him because he has a "D" and that's all

If you are happy with someone who has changed absolutely nothing about Washington, has protected the 1% more than Bush could have done himself, started the drum beat to war again, has vastly expanded the surveillance and police state... then yeah, go ahead and approve of the president's job performance.

[HooptieWagon]

57. Yes, the corporatist Dems would support Bush if he had a D. nt

[Amonester]

78. Even Elizabeth Warren wouldn't be able to change Washington.

Stop dreaming.

[orpupilofnature57]

51. Bullshit, since the signing of the NDAA in 2011 it hasn't been 65% . n/t

[progressoid]

53. 43% of liberal Democrats have forgotten what liberalism is.

[HoneychildMooseMoss]

117. What passes for "liberalism" today does seem a far cry

from its heyday of the '60s and '70s.

[progressoid]

127. Yep. That's why these numbers are so high.

People have forgotten what it means to be a liberal.

Corporate centrism is the new liberal.

[Art_from_Ark]

128. There are relatively few people today who remember the days before Reagan

when we had truly liberal politicians.

How would a good liberal Democrat like Mike Mansfield or Frank Church or Stewart Udall be labeled today? I get the feeling that Nelson Rockefeller would be considered a "liberal Democrat" by today's standards, and Barry Goldwater would be considered a "moderate Democrat".

[99Forever]

56. Any actual LIBERAL Democrats here ever...

... get "polled" for this propaganda attempt?

[HooptieWagon]

59. No. And the poll is probably all Dems...

...including Liberals. I suspect its being misrepresented for propaganda purposes.

[99Forever]

64. I have doubts there was even an actual poll taken.

I know LOTS of real world Democrats. The Great Capitulater wouldn't likely get approval from 42% of them.

[HooptieWagon]

67. A Cass Sunstein poll.

[geek tragedy]

114. The closed mind rejects facts that challenge its assumptions. nt

[99Forever]

118. Yes...

.. but I try not to hold that against the easily fooled True Believers in the Cult of Personality.

Have anice day.

[Lifelong Dem]

60. +1

What scandals?

[GoneFishin]

63. Pfftst.

[KoKo]

65. I've seen it posted as 86% for awhile here on Du...Just last week.

I think that's true. If I got a phone call from a Poll Service asking if I approved of Obama as President I would answer "YES" also.

The "Devil is in the Details" of what the rest of the questions are to understand if there's been any change.

Obama was re-elected overwhelmingly for his Second Term and his First. The choices were so dreadful...that any thinking person given the two choices would Approve of Obama.

But, as I said...the "Devil is in the Details" about his performance. 86% is good that he has that approval.

So what's the big deal.. Of course he has that.

[Douglas Carpenter]

66. I don't doubt the figure at all. I just don't think it is good for the progressive cause

As David From infamously says, "The Republican Party fears its base. The Democratic Party loathes its base."

The Republican Party knows that if they don't march to the right-wing agenda - the base right-wing base will rise up against them and throw them out. The Democratic Party knows that come hell or high water as long as they can make the argument the Republicans are a lot worse - the poor demoralized and leaderless liberal base will stick with them no matter how much the Party leadership ignores them and goes against their beliefs.

[Kolesar]

68. You are quoting a conservative twerp who is bashing the Democratic Party

I am not "poor demoralized and leaderless"

[Douglas Carpenter]

96. a conservative twerp who was obseving the obvious - in this case anyway

If one views politics as careerism or a sport where rooting for their team to win - then the status quo is just fine. But if one actually did view politics as a matter of serious conviction? What if they really did want to move the country forward and seek a newer world? What if they really did want to bring an end to poverty and war and injustice? There was a time in which that vision fueled and drove the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

[Kolesar]

106. I'd reckon that you don't even know what the dashboard is. eom

[Douglas Carpenter]

107. I believe in liberal and progressive values. I support Obama because the alternative is worse

I am not however going to engage in self-deception.

[Kolesar]

109. What candidates have you contributed to or worked for? eom

[Douglas Carpenter]

110. Obama both in 2008 and 2012 - I maxed donation for Kerry in 2004

and registered dozens of overseas voters.

I have of course supported my local Democratic representative in Congress and contributed also

I bet I was campaigning for Democrats before you were born

[Kolesar]

112. All that $$$$ and you are not aware of what the President has accomplished

"the Party leadership ignores them and goes against their beliefs"

[Douglas Carpenter]

115. of for goodness sakes.. If you you really are satisfied with the status quo and think this is

all fine the way things are and represents liberal and progressive values you are living in a world of utter denial and ignorance. Sorry, but I just can't even conceive of being that clueless. Or perhaps you are just too young.

[Kolesar]

120. Real Democrats I know are satisified with President Obama

By "real", I mean people that I have worked with on issues and with candidates for the last decade. By "real", that excludes a number of virtual, cyber Democrats, of course.

For that matter, my family members and woeful coworkers are satisfied with President Obama. It's Governor Kasich that we are "dissatisfied with".
**
I am a skeptic and I abandoned Catholicism, too, which is my way of circumscribing your vague "liberal and progressive" orthodoxy that you cite but don't define.

[Fumesucker]

72. Well, that settles it

I'm voting for Obama in 2016.

[rhett o rick]

73. I am surprised that the conservatives here care what the liberals think.

[JI7]

75. true liberals who are actually out there trying to get things done

i never meet among those who do actual work in getting support for causes and candidates certain types who claim to be liberal on the internet. the ones who only complain and claim to be liberal on the internet are more conspiracy theory types or actually ron paul type people.

but i guess these numbers are one reason they feel the need to come on and spread some of the bs which is mostly conspiracy crap.

[stevenleser]

83. Ah. Now I know what prompted that other crazy thread...

Good OP. thanks!

[JI7]

90. which thread is that ?

[stevenleser]

91. This one...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3532917

[scarletwoman]

92. I have some questions.

I'm on dialup, and the page at your link simply will not load for me.

Does poll define the modifier "liberal" in any way? If this is a poll taken of democratic voters only, are there different categories of democratic voters being polled? Is there one category defined as "liberal" democrats, and other categories defined as "moderate" democrats or "conservative" democrats? That is, does it offer the respondents a choice of calling themselves anything other than "liberal"? If not, is the appellation "liberal democrat" simply being applied to all democrats as an assumption? (As in, if you identify as a democrat, you are therefore a priori a "liberal".)

To my mind, if the pollster is simply referring to everyone who identifies as a democrat as a "liberal democrat", then the appellation "liberal" in this context means nothing at all.

[blackspade]

95. Correct since only 19% of Americans identified themselves as liberals in 2011.

[cherokeeprogressive]

97. So am I to understand it's your turn at "communal reinforcement" today?

After all, I don't see many polls here touting President Obama's tailspinning poll numbers (not that there are any), yet you seem to be trying your damnedest to contradict something that doesn't really exist.

It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it, right? And if you keep on doing it, sooner or later the masses will believe it?

Don't try so hard; We voted for Him, twice. We're here. It's over. You're micromanaging. President Obama's yearly/monthly/weekly/daily/hourly poll numbers mean exactly SHIT.

You need to stop focusing on Him, and looking forward to 2014 and 2016. Really. The future becomes less about Him each and every single day.

I can't decide whether it's funny, or sad.

[Kolesar]

108. Cheering for "Obama's tailspinning poll numbers", very nice

[freshwest]

99. I can live with that. Let's see if they GOTV in 2014.

[adirondacker]

100. I guess if you like liberal banking, capitalistic support, spying and war it doesn't get any better

for the Democrats. Maybe I'm just too conservative to be content.

[defacto7]

101. and people are still listening to Gallup?

Pew and Gallup be gone!

[leftyladyfrommo]

111. I'm pretty liberal and I like Obama, too. n/t

[Progressive dog]

116. Thanks for a morning dose of reality. nt