Some good news from the polls

[DeaconBlues]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/17/opinion/polls/main573774.shtml




NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2003



(CBS) President Bush's approval rating on handling Iraq has fallen to its lowest level ever, and his overall approval rating is the lowest it has been since the 2001 terrorist attacks, according to a CBS News poll.

The poll also finds that a declining number of Americans think the U.S. is in control of the situation in Iraq, and only 22% think the Bush administration has a clear plan for rebuilding the former dictatorship.

Americans also question whether a successful rebuilding of Iraq would ultimately pay dividends for them back at home: most do not think the United States will be any safer from terrorism even if Iraq does become a stable democracy. But many Americans do believe the rebuilding process in Iraq will force tough financial tradeoffs back at home - tradeoffs they would be unwilling to make....
(more)



I hope this isn't a dupe. I know most of us wish that Bush Inc. had imploded a little quicker, but they are getting there. Here's hoping they are in negative territory soon enough.

[Robin Hood]

1. Maybe they should have listened to all of them liburul anti war protestors

Ha!! We were right.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. And they continue to fall

His reelect are now in the forties too

[Girlfriday]

3. Ohhhh Yeahhh!

[diplomats]

4. What I want to know is why Bush's overall rating (52)

is higher than his rating on Iraq and the economy. Why the gap?

[DeaconBlues]

5. The fear factor?

People are still scared, and hope against hope that their leader is not an idiot. So they give him the benefit of the doubt even though they know deep down that he's incompetent and his policies are horrible.

[dusty64]

6. Yeah, I think the

corporate media is afraid to report the TRUE poll numbers which are below 50%.

[Booberdawg]

7. Wow there are some compelling numbers in there

"Bush's approval rating on Iraq has dropped 11 points since last month and 33 points since April, when he received his highest rating on this question"

"Not only are Americans more critical of the president's performance on Iraq today, but nearly two-thirds of them now say the Bush administration does NOT have a clear plan for rebuilding Iraq; just over one in five (22%) say it does have a plan. In April, the public was divided"

"The percentage that thinks the U.S. is in control of events in Iraq is at its lowest point since CBS News began asking the question, having dropped more than 30 percentage points :wow: since active military combat ended in April."

"Almost two-thirds think the U.S. underestimated the resistance it would face in Iraq, and only one in four believe the U.S. was correct in its estimation of Iraqi resistance."

"Americans disapprove of financial trade-offs such as increasing the U.S. federal deficit, or cutting domestic programs, in order to finance the rebuilding of Iraq. Nearly three-quarters would object to raising the deficit, and 82% would reject cuts in domestic spending"

[spooky3]

9. Thanks; these are interesting numbers.

What I don't understand is why feelings like those described in your last paragraph don't translate into "we have to kick these bums out" conclusions. There has for a long time been such a disconnect between what people say they believe about various policies, and the policies of conservative Repugs. It makes me think that people really do not know what their leaders are doing; if they were simply fearful of terrorism, it would not be reassuring to have someone known to be inept, corrupt, and totally self-centered at the helm. I can only hope that as time goes on and the consequences of Bush's disastrous policies "hit home" for more people, they will begin to connect the dots and vote in competent and caring leaders.

[Booberdawg]

10. I think it's harder for people who voted or supported bush*

to admit out loud that they were completely wrong about him, but they CAN single out particular issues that they don't approve of. Sort of a subconscious way of saving face. There is definately a big disparity between his numbers on the individual issues and his overall approval ratings.

I've been thinking about this and trying to come up with an analgy I can relate to this for myself. I came up with an example of one of my brothers. On individual issues - he's an addict, a drunk, never held a steady job (he's 42), flops with relatives, has stolen from every one of us at one time or another to get money to buy drugs, I wouldn't wish him on any woman, he's a bum. So, I'd give him pretty low ratings on a lot of individual issues. But, guess what - overall, I don't think he's a bad guy. I really don't. He's very likeable. I always look forward to seeing him.

Weird, isn't it? That's how I reconcile what is going on with dubya and his overall approval ratings.

[Booberdawg]

8. good news deserves a kick!

[Booberdawg]

11. kick for the day crew