Obama's Approval Rating On Health Care Falls Below 50 Percent: WashPost/ABC Poll

Washington Post:

Heading into a critical period in the debate over health-care reform, public approval of President Obama's stewardship on the issue has dropped below the 50 percent threshold for the first time, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[coachc]

The media thrive on this pseudo drama. We've been hearing Obama's approval ratings have been dipping since February ... even as the the ratings dropped in small increments. The corporate media create the story hoping it takes on a life of its own. Now it seems they have what they want ... their corporate masters must be pleased. The status quo is must be maintained.

The public has some culpability here as well. We are a 'fast food nation' ... pull up to the drive thru, put in the order and drive away fat and happy. That's not the way fundamental problems are solved. The nation gave Bush 8 years to devastate the country. Obama will need much more than six months to undue the severe damage of those years.

He'll need the patience of his supporters and his Democratic allies in Congress will have to show some guts ... not their strong suit.

[TrueThis]

Because you have these spineless blue dog Democratic who rather support their lobbyist rather than trying to figure out a health plan for all americans. Some are so afraid of change but they better worry about if any of us real democratics vote there behinds back in office or not.

[spinns17]

the repugs took 8 years to destroy the world econonmy.at least give him a year to fix it.

[bilmardre]

Why do we need health insurance companies?

[LeLoup]

We don't, but the politicians do...such a great source of money.

[boogiewoman]

President Obama has alot to clean up since the MSM looked the other way for 8 years, and the polls said everyone was for the war in 2003. I don't think anyone I knew was counted back then. Bush did what he wanted and when he wanted, as long as everyone had as much credit as possible Nobody gave a rats arse what Bush/Cheney were doing for all those years and now the cluster f@$# is left up to President Obama to fix everthing that the rethugs touched or just let sit there for the last 30 years.

[trinidadgirl]

The whole problem with the US of A and polls etc is the MEDIA.....the msm, and their continued exploitation of the process...much to Prez O's detriment.

[TrueThis]

Okay...did you hear Mika this morning with her air brain and sarcastic comments about the Health Form and how Obama needs to work on the economy first but we know that if we don't get Health care pass this year it will never be done. Period.

[blah2 0]

Its the 24-hour news cycle. The Media hates Obama about as much as the Republicans hate him. They give platforms for Republicans to spew the most outrageous stuff and now I think everyone sees how Bush was given free reign which resulted in the disastrous 8yrs. So much for the Liberal Media. It was because of the Right-Wing MSM that blogs became sort of a haven for liberal and progressive ideas.

"Don't Bet Against Us"- President Barack Obama

[brault sauce]

lol, these are the most delusional comments I've read to date on huffpo.. bush given a past? really?.. I needed a good monday laugh.. oh geez and O is hated by the media.. do some research..

[Samalabear]

I really hope this is the case. Obama has totally ignored the people when it comes to health care. This health bill, if people have been reading it, is basically the Massachusetts plan, with a very weak public option, which isn't even set to go into effect until 2013. The insurance companies are kept 100% in the loop front and center. What people wanted was a strong single-payer public option to run alongside the insurance companies called Medicare for All. Any business and any individual could have joined. Just, that would have been competition with the private insurers.

Massachusetts is having a whole host of problems. Last week they made plans to drop all of their legal immigrants off the rolls. This morning I heard on NPR that Anthem Blue Cross in Connecticut is asking for a 30% rate hike. They have also been attempting to get universal health coverage with a weak public option and it's been bad, to say the least.

I will leave this link here for people to peruse. I found it interesting and I've met few people who watch this issue closely who disagree.

http://www.blackagendareport.com/?q=content/obama%E2%80%99s-health-care-charade

And before the attacks start, I voted for the guy. But I am independent progressive and Obama is not progressive or bold by any stretch of the imagination.

[banja]

weak kneed bluedogs will destroy the Presidents agenda. Ofcourse he will take a beating in the polls because he is making very tough decisions. The dems have to toughen up, this is no the time to retreat.

[escobar]

Let's put it this way.
I wish Obama could do as he pleases with the full support of his party.
Unfortunately, there are some men getting a lot of money from corporations to maintain the status quo.
Would I vote for him again??
I would try to vote for him ten times.
I wouldn't underestimate Obama.
He asks for patience. Given the economic ruin, war machine, and entrenched power he has to deal with, I think he deserves some loyalty.
Thank God for Obama.

[Samalabear]

Go research Obama's donors. The numbers are all there. He's right up there with the rest of them and works very hard to satisfy his corporate handlers.

[NeoStar9]

If his approval numbers are dropping on certain issues it is because democratic weakness is showing once again. The his notion of "bipartisanship" is simply a cover of no one side willing to step up and actually lead but want to not rock the boat to much so as they don't take all the blame and can keep their "careers". As a result nothing gets down meanwhile the other side can demonize all they want.

Bipartisanship doesn't exist when the other side clearly is going to go against anything you suggest unless it's exactly what they want. Democrats are spineless push overs and everyone knows it. It's not because Republicans say so but because of how Democrats act and don't act when they should. As a result it wouldn't be surprising if President Obama's number go down. He trust this party to do the right thing and they clearly haven't. He should have been out in front from the start not trusting of his party. He's a rarity in the party and not the norm. I'm glad he's go out in force now. If you want something done right you have to do it yourself. The democratic party in the Congress are simply pathetic.

[1088]

Oh please! Here come the co called poll numbers about everything now, because the media has been bought and paid for by Insurance Company. Sorry, I don't buy it! Everybody I know is behind the President.

[dclobbyist]

But you don't know everybody. Take a minute to figure that out.

[Christopher in NYC]

No deep analysis required to break this down...OF COURSE his approval ratings are gonna' drop.... with unemployment above 10% in some states, what do you expect.....?

Then as the economy improves, so do the approval ratings... question is, when?

[aramos]

Just coming back down to reality.

[wintoday]

A total of 1,001 randomly selected adults afflicted with ADD were interviewed for this poll.......ADULT ADD SYMPTOMS .................Now let’s take a look at the symptoms or traits characteristic of adults who have ADD. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical.

* Fail to give close attention to details.
* Don’t appear to listen when spoken to directly .
* Rush to supply answers before questions are completed.
* Become distracted easily.
* Tend to be impatient.
* Are forgetful with regards to everyday activities.
* Interrupt frequently or intrude upon others.

End of story.....

[mitsie]

Very few minorities. I haven't been called has any of you? Besides this, the MSM has that drum beat daily, this President is doing this or that wrong. They never can be positive. They never ever would have done this to Bush. Maybe they need to stop doing polls so often, they were just reporting last week he had dropped below 60 with Independants. Give us a freaking break, MSM.

[escobar]

His populatriy isn't going down because people agree with the GOP about anything.
It is going down because courtesy of his Clinton era advisors he has watered down the words that got him elected.
This doesn't mean people think a Romney or McCain would do better, it reflects impatience and diisapointment.
If people wanted more Clinton, Hillary would be President.

[mitsie]

I disagree because President Clinton's approval rating when he left office was 60%. It is the MSM and their negative reporting that's done it.