Crossposted from the PeoplesView
According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, Democrats are seen as much stronger than Republicans, thanks to Republicans' gifts that keeps on poring -- the Ryan plan and the debt ceiling -- that Democrats are brilliantly using to their advantage.
A poll conducted via a telephone between July 14-17, 2011, among a random national sample of 1,001 adults has this summary on the Numbers.
While the number of people approving/disapproving the way President Barack Obama is handling his job as president is at a 47/48 split according to the poll, there are a number of things that shows the President is seen as "protecting the economic interests of the middle class" and as having "a decisive advantage over congressional Republicans". Add to that that the President is also considered to be "caring more about people’s own family financial interests" and has an advantage on the GOP on helping small businesses.
...and mind you, this is all despite President Obama's overall approval rating 47 percent which is near the lowest of his presidency. The lowest being on September 2010 at 46 percent.
When asked about the economy, considering the obstructionism of the Republican Party from moving the peoples' agenda to creating more jobs and stimulating the economy, the House has hijacked any chance of moving the economy in the right direction, and the poll is showing the effect as the President's handling of the economy at a 39 to 57 percent disadvantage. But, wait until you see what the Republican Congress is perceived by the American People when asked the same question. When asked about who can handle the economy over the the Republicans in Congress, President Obama over Republicans and has a clear advantage with their dismal 28% to 67% disapproval.
Not surprisingly, President Obama's position on taxes, which is to increasing tax rates on the rich to the level they were during the Clinton years, seem to tick Republicans as the poll shows a 9% increase in disapproval since the April of 2009 poll taken. Today, his tax policy is seen with a 45 percent approval to 47 percent disapproval.
But pitted against the GOP, the president benefits from a widespread perception that the Republicans in Congress are particularly in sync with the economic interests of Wall Street financial institutions and large business corporations.
Asked who cares more about the financial concerns of middle-class Americans, Obama has a big advantage, 53 percent to 35 percent, over the Republicans in Congress. He’s up 47 percent to 37 percent when poll respondents were asked about themselves and their families. On protecting the interests of small businesses, 48 percent of Americans say Obama cares more; 39 percent say so of the GOP.
Majorities across party lines see the GOP as caring more than Obama about Wall Street and big business.
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Poll respondents were quite pleased with President Obama's ability to handle the issue of reducing the federal budget deficit and increasing the government’s debt compared to the Republican Congress with a 48% to 39% advantage.
When asked about whether the leadership of the Republican Party been too willing or not willing enough to compromise with President Obama on the budget deficit, poll respondents has a 77% to 14% view of unwillingness by the Republican party to compromise with President Obama. When asked the same question about the Democratic party, respondents show a 56% to 30% view of unwillingness, while 26% more people think the Democratic Party is more compromising compared to the Republican party.
On the subject of the debt ceiling, when asked if the government cannot borrow more money after August second to fund its operations and pay its debts, 82% of poll respondent think it would cause serious harm to the Economy, 77% think the reputation of the United States as a safe place to invest would be compromised and seriously harmed and 60% of respondents think their own personal financial situation will be seriously be harmed.
Jon Cohen's article at the Washington Post notes:
Obama’s overall approval rating is a shade below where presidents Bill Clinton (51 percent) and Ronald Reagan (52 percent) were at this stage in their first terms in Post-ABC polling.
...but President Obama has accomplished more compared to both combined at this time of his Presidency.
That is why I think what you do has nothing to do with the polling result we see. It is all about perception. The Republicans have been good in creating the perception that they care for American people while taking away from the working class in taxes while protecting the rich. They have been good in creating this notion that they care for seniors. They have been good in creating this perception that not increasing the debt ceiling is about fiscal responsibility. Well, the American people are waking up and seeing the Republican party for what they are -- a party of disgrace and obstructionism who would do anything to drag anything President Obama is trying to do, to make him a failure. Well, President Obama is fighting back in exposing these fools and educating Americans to create the necessary perception to win the battle.
Are we going to allow the party of NO to continue their obstructionist perceptions? Hell no, we must continue exposing these motherfuckers for what they are. We must continue to work hard to electing more and better Democrats so that we can move forward.