Patrick support plummets, poll finds

[ccharles000]

Governor Deval Patrick, fresh off signing a major tax increase and still battling through a historic budget crisis, has seen a huge drop in his standing among Massachusetts voters and faces a tough road to a second term, according to a new Boston Globe poll.

The survey, taken 16 months before the election, shows that the public has lost faith in Patrick’s ability to handle the state’s fiscal problems or bring reform to Beacon Hill, as he had promised. He is either losing or running neck-and-neck in matchups with prospective rivals, according to the poll, conducted for the Globe by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

Patrick’s favorability rating has dropped sharply over the past seven months, with just 36 percent of respondents holding a favorable opinion of him, and 52 percent viewing him unfavorably. As recently as December, 64 percent of voters viewed him favorably.

The governor’s job-approval rating, sampled after Patrick scored several major legislative victories but also approved $1 billion in new taxes, is even worse, with just 35 percent of respondents approving and 56 per cent disapproving of his performance. Just as ominously, 61 percent said the state is on the wrong track, compared with 31 percent who said it was headed in the right direction, down from 44 percent in December - numbers reminiscent of voters’ mood before Patrick captured the corner office from Republicans in 2006.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/07/26/globe_poll_shows_patricks_approval_rating_falling/

[Yavin4]

1. Polls Taken 16 Months Away FromThe Election Are Worthless

I would not take this poll very seriously.

[Forkboy]

2. Lose-lose situation for Patrick.

Residents want fire and police and public services, but when Patrick does something to keep them they get upset. Do people think all this can be done with a major deficit and no money for cities and towns? It looks that way.

I wonder how much money casinos would have brought in.

[Arkana]

3. Welcome to Massachusetts

State Motto: Where The Legislature Neuters Governors For Shits And Giggles

[Forkboy]

5. You got that right.

[Arkana]

6. The sick irony is that the Democrats in the legislature are dirtier

and more corrupt than the Republicans.

The Speaker job must come with the proviso that you must be a corrupt ass who antagonizes the Governor, even when he's in your party.

[Davis_X_Machina]

4. Incumbent governors...

...regardless of party, are going to get slaughtered in '10.

[4lbs]

7. It always astounds me the lack of thought of average American people.

As stated, they want all these government services, yet when pressed for an increase in taxes to pay for them, they don't want that.

So.... How are they going to be paid for? Or should the police and fire department just work for free?

If you want better schools, more police, more fire department, more emergency medical services, the money has to come from somewhere to pay for all that.

If not through more taxes, then what?