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Bush and Obama Neck and Neck in Popularity

Discussion in 'Alley of Lingering Sighs' started by T2Bruno, Nov 6, 2013.

  1. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I thought this was interesting:

    Five years in, Obama and Bush poll numbers nearly identical

     
  2. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    The difference to me is that, while Bush’s low approval ratings were pretty much the result of his own actions, I suspect Obama’s ratings are more due to inaction as a result of the GOP’s determination to undermine his attempts to do anything. In a way, I think Obama is being dragged down by a totally dysfunctional Republican-dominated Congress.
     
  3. Blades of Vanatar

    Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I think the Obamacare release is a debacle and that is definitely a big part of what is driving down his ratings just as much as the GOP mess does.
     
  4. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    There is certainly a perception issue for this -- for example the odd fact that the majority of people hate Obamacare but the majority also like the Affordable Care Act ... :nuts:

    I think Obama brought most of this on himself. I have been disappointed with his leadership, in particular in his reluctance to rule his party (and yes, at times ruling with an iron fist). The Democratic party is dysfunctional -- almost as dysfunctional as the Republican party. The Republicans at least seem able to rally around a common effort while the Democratic party just seems to meander about when it comes to important issues.
     
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  5. damedog Gems: 15/31
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    I'm not sure I approve of Obama much more than Bush myself. The worst elements of Bush's presidency came to full fruition under Obama's IMO.
     
  6. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    One of the things that I find somewhat amusing is the disappointment expressed by some when Obama acts like a politician. I like to remind them that he cut his teeth on local Chicago politics, and there is probably nothing slimier than local Chicago politics.

    He's a politician through and through.
     
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  7. Gaear

    Gaear ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful

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    I'm a bit surprised he's doing that poorly.
     
  8. The Great Snook Gems: 31/31
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    Just to correct this statement, the GOP controls the House and the Dems control the Senate, so nobody is actually dominating anything.

    In my opinion Obama's numbers are about to become epically worse. The left wing controlled media is having more and more problems "cheerleading for him". Even MSNBC has been forced to report about all the people who are losing their health insurance that Obama promised them they could keep. Then he tried to spin it and said that he meant to say "only if the policy was unchanged", but the law made the insurance companies change all of the policies and therefore they are being cancelled. The stories are also starting to come out about doctors that are not accepting all of the new insurance plans so his other promise of "If you like your doctor, you can keep him" isn't holding up very well.

    Combine this with the new health insurance plans being offered by the exchanges are way more expensive then the sheep expected. They all expected that Obama was just going to magically give them free health insurance, but reality is starting to arrive.

    When people start losing their tax refunds because they aren't signing up for health insurance people are not going to be happy.

    Lastly, one of Obama's biggest group of supporters were the young. They are about to find out how badly the affordable care act is going to screw them. In order for it to work, they need a whole lot of healthy young people to sign up and pay a lot of premiums. This way all of the poor and sick people can get things for free. Young people can be a little naïve at times, but when this reality hits them, it is going to hit them hard.

    I don't remember who said it, but we are now a society that isn't stealing from the rich to give to the poor, we are a society that is stealing from the young to give to the old. If the young ever figure this out, they will not be happy.
     
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  9. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    In nearly every society the young takes care of the old ... but in the past couple of decades we've seen a trend away from this in the US (and perhaps elsewhere). As new generations are becoming more "me" oriented the government has to step in.

    Younger generations are too busy collecting things for themselves and don't want to be bothered to take care of their own aging family members. That's just a shame. So, yes, they're going to pay for it anyway.

    I'm more concerned about the debt the current generation is leaving the future generations -- but everything is interconnected.
     
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  10. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Oops. I meant House (I keep thinking Congress and House are synonymous). My point still stands, though - the GOP is hell-bent on preventing Obama from doing anything. And that is why Obanacare is getting so much focus - he hasn't been able to do anything else to take attention away from health care. I don't mean to suggest that Obamacare is without flaws (people losing their benefits is particularly disturbing), but it would be nice to be able to evaluate his performance with more than one piece of legislation.
     
  11. pplr Gems: 18/31
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    His poll numbers are dropping, I suspect it is related to Obamacare.

    I see the rollout as badly managed (the website should work).

    His fault or that of his people.

    That said there are to arguments as to why he cannot fire them-they are already somewhat aware of the problems and to get rid of them would create a greater delay as new people would have to study the website. Another is a fear that if he fired appointees the GOP would cause problems getting new ones appointed-so cannot fire people for fear of not being allowed to replace them. Not his fault.


    Stuck with bad workers?



    The loosing prior plans is a big issue for some people though one defense is that the plans were pretty bad. Plus insurance companies may be seeking to blame him for anything they want to do and think they can get away with.

    But he did say people could keep a plan and it didn't work out that way.

    Though there is the issue some plans were temporarily grandfathered.

    I think he is largely at fault for many of the problems.

    The GOP arguably sabotaged things at the state level (don't live in a state w. a state exchange but reports are they generally work) but the federal backup should serve as a backup.

    Incompetence and some dishonesty (over promise).


    That all said if the exchanges start working Obamacare may eventually be seen as a net plus.

    I'm older but *not* old. I don't mind the insurance thing because 1. young people can run into problems and 2. If the idea is a pooling it makes some sense for healthy too aid the old.


    I suspect much of the new low rankings relate to Obamacare related issues.





    So, what about everything else he (as a president) is doing?



    @Snook

    Don't forget the rich can steal from the poor (or middle) as well.


    @T2Bruno

    Like the point you made about the political parties.
     
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