Republicans are quick to point out President Obama’s falling approval ratings as a sign that Obama’s policies themselves are failing. In reality, however, a polling decline similar to Obama’s isn’t atypical for a first term president. Compare President Obama’s approval ratings through the first 1.5 years in office with those of President Reagan, for example:
The similarity between the poll numbers for the two ideological opposites is uncanny. Both began with an approval rating of about 68% and had an approval rating of about 50% 1.5 years later. Both took office when the economy was struggling, and by each president’s first midterm election, growth in real disposable personal income was anemic (almost 0% for both). Unemployment under Reagan after 1.5 years was 9.7%. Under Obama it is currently 9.5%. Both presidents had to deal with a tax increase in their second year in office. Reagan signed into law the Economic Recovery Tax Act in 1981 which dramatically cut taxes, but the following year Reagan realized he had cut too much revenue and he signed into law the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act in 1982 which repealed much of the 1981 tax cuts and raised some new taxes, including cigarette taxes. President Obama isn’t proposing a new tax increase, but the tax cuts passed under Bush have a sunset provision and will automatically be repealed at the end of the year unless Congress passes legislation extending the cuts.
Of course, on top of the issues listed above, President Obama is also leading the US through two concurrent unpopular wars and an enormous oil cleanup effort in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a bit surprising his numbers haven’t fallen further than Reagan’s did given the difficult issues Obama has had to deal with on top of the poor economy.
Low poll numbers and a poor economy hurt Republicans in Reagan’s first midterm. In the 1982 midterms, Republicans lost 26 seats in the House. In 2010, Democrats can afford to lose 39 seats in the House without losing control of the chamber.
Just a bit of context for polling numbers that, while bad, are also not atypical, particularly during a serious recession.
[...] Publius at the Fourth Branch puts Obama’s falling approval ratings in historical context. Share and Enjoy [...]
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I disagree. You stated “President Obama is also leading the US through two concurrent unpopular wars and an enormous oil cleanup effort in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a bit surprising his numbers haven’t fallen further than Reagan’s did given the difficult issues Obama has had to deal with on top of the poor economy. “This statement of yours is very bias and misleading. Reagan was also leading us thou a unpopular and difficult war. Did you forget the Cold War? Did you forget Honduras, Granada, and the Iran conta affair with Oliver North?
Reagan’s poll number was low because of the constant attacks by the media and the liberal elite. Did you forget the cries that Reagan was going to cause World war 3 and kill us all with his military buildup?
I think the real story here is the fact that our opinion of Obama is so low, despite all the favorable news coverage and the lack of harsh criticism in the American media’s coverage.
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I so wish the repubs would a) learn history B) learn to think for themselves, and c) learn that 8 years of Bush and Cheney just about KILLED this country. It isnt going to take 2 years, or 3 years. Maybe 8 or 10 to undo the basterdisation of selfishness, lying, and cheating that was done in the name of the Presidency. A more stupid President and a more cynister vice president has not be presidented. The ecomomy crashed because we have sent EVERYTHING we do overseas to do for a penny less. We are screwed until we figure out how to release the monies of banks and corportations holding on to it, and jobs to move us forward.
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