Polls find rising concern with Obama on key issues

[4G63]

Polls find rising concern with Obama on key issues

By JoAnne Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama faces growing concerns among voters over government spending, the auto industry bailout and other economic policies, according to two opinion polls released on Wednesday.

Obama, who took office in January, remains popular with Americans, although his overall job approval rating slipped to 56 percent, down 5 points from April, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

But 58 percent of respondents said Obama and Congress should focus on keeping the budget deficit down, even if takes longer for the economy to recover. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the federal deficit could top $1.8 trillion this fiscal year -- by far a record.

Nearly 70 percent said they had concerns about federal intervention in the economy, including Obama's decision to take an ownership stake in General Motors and the prospect of more government involvement in healthcare. Obama has made healthcare reform a top priority of his administration.

Just 37 percent of respondents said Obama was taking on too many issues and 60 percent said he had to focus on so many things because the United States was facing so many problems.

While Republican criticism of the Democratic president's policies may be scoring points with voters, the strategy does not appear to be benefiting the party.

*-A CBS News/New York Times poll also released on Wednesday found the Republican Party viewed favorably by only 28 percent of Americans, the lowest rating ever in the poll. In contrast, 57 percent had a favorable view of the Democratic Party.

The CBS/New York Times poll also found a distinct difference in Obama's overall standing and how Americans viewed his major initiatives.

Obama's job approval rating held steady at 63 percent from the previous poll last month, but fewer than half of respondents approved of how he was handling healthcare reform and efforts to save GM and Chrysler, according to the survey. (This doesn't make sense to me, btw)

The poll also found that Americans were alarmed by the amount of money doled out to boost the economy and a majority thought the government should focus instead on reducing the federal deficit.

Both polls also found a majority of Americans opposing Obama's decision to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The NBC/Wall Street Journal survey of 1,008 adults, conducted Friday to Monday, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

The CBS/New York Times telephone poll of 895 adults was conducted Friday through Tuesday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 points.

(Reporting by Joanne Allen; Editing by Peter Cooney)

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNe...55H06I20090618


I have a feeling Galen will just focus on what I highlighted with a "*" instead of seeing the big picture....

[Galen Sevinne]

Most are beginning to recognize that Obama is singularly responsible for about 7% of the deficit. Sure he needs to reign in spending which he is talking about. I am not really concerned by it. Other than thanking "W" for wrecking the economy. Take some time to study this graph:



More important to me right now as should be for most is the tilting of things in Iran. Talk about starting a revolution without firing a bullet? The Cairo speech will gain in significance over time.

[jonboy79]

Blame Canada.... has a fun ring to it, them South Parl guys had it right...

Obama is perfect, everything he is doing will only help this great nation we all call home. Nothing left to see here, move on....

Here's a nice rhetorical question... did Obama do nothing as a Senator? Becuase if I'm not mistaken Bugets are set by the Congress...

And next up kiddies, is Obama's NEXT regressive tax... on cigarettes this time. Another 39 cents a pack, coming to a corner store near you soon...

He can't POSSIBLY be asked to spend money responsibly, that is not an option.

[4G63]

"W" didn't wreck the economy, people living beyond their means and banks/creditors willing to provide it wrecked the economy.....

[HoustonRaven]

"W" on his own didnt wreck it. That's the more accurate statement.

He had help -- the GOP congress. When you cut taxes, you MUST also cut spending. The GOP congress back then, most of which were bounced out in 2006, never saw a spending bill they didnt like. You combine that with Clinton's deregulation and forcing the banks to lend to less than qualified people and have the recipe for the mess we're in.

Obama is exactly like Bush when it comes to the economy -- he is simply spending more and willing to raise taxes.

To say Obama is only responsible for 7% of the deficit is laughable. He and Dem Congress has spent more than any previous President COMBINED (that's the CBO saying that, not little ole' me). We are teetering on the verge of a debt load that cannot be paid back ever and some on the left still think Obama can simply shit money.

There was a time when politics didnt enter into the economic side of things. Kennedy, Reagan and Clinton (to an extent) knew this.

When people on the left (San Fran Chronicle editor, Bill Maher, etc.) are taking notice of the mess Obama is creating, it will only be a matter of time the house of cards fall. And since Obama has placed the burden on the average Joe, we all pay the price. Literally.