April 6, 2009
The new New York Times/CBS poll gives me hope that the american people are getting Barack Obama. .
Obama's overall approval rating is at 66%, a new high for NYT/CBS polling, up from 64% last month. 24% disapprove. Nearly all democrats, most independents and 31% of republicans approve. That is about as good as it gets in contemporary politics.
There is a growing optimism that the country is headed in the right direction. 39% think the country is headed in the right direction now. It was at a low of 7% last October. 53% say we're on the wrong track, which has improved from the 89% in October. I can envision the economy slowly starting to turn around in these numbers since half the game is about confidence, a mind trip, the art of the possible.
67% say world leaders respect President Obama, 18% say no. In July 2006, 30% said then President Bush was respected by world leaders (if this country is ever going to garner world support for such large ideas as reduction of nuclear arms, reduction of greenhouse gases, etc, and marginalizing those countries like Iran and North Korea who continue to evade warnings.... then it stands to reason you need as much support for your agenda as you can get; so it helps if most of the world community is on the same page. And for this you need an Obama, not a Bush)
Odds and ends:
* Almost three-quarters of Americans think it is a good idea to raise taxes on people making more than $250,000 per year. In fact, two-thirds of Americans think the tax code should be changed so that middle-class Americans pay less than they do now and "upper income" people pay more.
(I'm not sure what to think of this one. If we put it to a vote, and a clear majority of american citizens wish to redistribute wealth via taxing the rich, is that fair and democratic? If the public votes for aspects of socialism, should the people's voices be heard?)
* Fifty-seven percent of Americans say they are willing to pay higher taxes in order to provide all Americans with health care coverage. While seventy three percent of Democrats favor a tax increase to fund coverage, only 29 percent of Republicans back such a move.
Poll: Obama Approval Hits New High - 66% - CBS News
The new New York Times/CBS poll gives me hope that the american people are getting Barack Obama. .
Obama's overall approval rating is at 66%, a new high for NYT/CBS polling, up from 64% last month. 24% disapprove. Nearly all democrats, most independents and 31% of republicans approve. That is about as good as it gets in contemporary politics.
There is a growing optimism that the country is headed in the right direction. 39% think the country is headed in the right direction now. It was at a low of 7% last October. 53% say we're on the wrong track, which has improved from the 89% in October. I can envision the economy slowly starting to turn around in these numbers since half the game is about confidence, a mind trip, the art of the possible.
67% say world leaders respect President Obama, 18% say no. In July 2006, 30% said then President Bush was respected by world leaders (if this country is ever going to garner world support for such large ideas as reduction of nuclear arms, reduction of greenhouse gases, etc, and marginalizing those countries like Iran and North Korea who continue to evade warnings.... then it stands to reason you need as much support for your agenda as you can get; so it helps if most of the world community is on the same page. And for this you need an Obama, not a Bush)
Odds and ends:
* Almost three-quarters of Americans think it is a good idea to raise taxes on people making more than $250,000 per year. In fact, two-thirds of Americans think the tax code should be changed so that middle-class Americans pay less than they do now and "upper income" people pay more.
(I'm not sure what to think of this one. If we put it to a vote, and a clear majority of american citizens wish to redistribute wealth via taxing the rich, is that fair and democratic? If the public votes for aspects of socialism, should the people's voices be heard?)
* Fifty-seven percent of Americans say they are willing to pay higher taxes in order to provide all Americans with health care coverage. While seventy three percent of Democrats favor a tax increase to fund coverage, only 29 percent of Republicans back such a move.
Poll: Obama Approval Hits New High - 66% - CBS News