W has a 47% Rasmussen Approval the last day of 2005

[Erika]

At www.Rasmussenreports.com. 52% disapprove.

[EST]

1. Interesting

27% strongly approve
36% strongly disapprove
Kinda selective on their headlines

[Lexingtonian]

2. which is too simple

The composite polling picture is Bush at 39-40% approval, 51% disapproval, and 9-10% undecided/very soft Bush supporters. Rasmussen always gets these folks other pollsters find Undecided to call their view approval.

In the six or so categories in which things seem to work, in ethics/governance, social policy, economic policy, foreign diplomacy, and military policy (Iraq) he's at 38% support, on 'handling terrorism' (which is also 'strong leader', fear of foreigners and Modernity, and other complicated ratings) he's at 49%. So 49% is his polling ceiling, 38% his floor.

There's a 1% per month phenomenon of loss of real faith in the fellow and national Republicans (they tie together in the public mind) since December 2000.

There's also trouble brewing in several areas, where moderate Republicans look to come apart from the hardliners in the next few months. It's in the ethics/governance ratings (DeLay getting convicted and the whole Texas Republican mafia thing unravelling), social policy ratings (the new laws about illegals), economic policy ratings (always about taxes- in 2006 the AMT abolition vs adjustment), foreign diplomacy ratings (the Coalition coming apart, Britain being the key loss), and Iraq (the constitutional democracy thing going bust from within). The 'handling terrorism' rating falls whenever Al Qaeda attacks successfully in the West.

The Republican situation is a hell of a lot more frail and overleveraged than either Party thinks at the moment. There's simply a moment/time of relief being felt on the conservative side of the spectrum at the official Republican line shift of November 30. They've internally lowered the bar from achieving domination of their opponents (Democrats and foreign foes) to holding their present ground- in power, majorities, voters, money- and hoping to outlast the challenges as a kind of status quo party based in providing 'national security'. The Democratic leadership is obviously having problems countering this retrenchment- the Party is too full of timid and narrow defensive people for the aggressive, broad, courageous policy stances the new situation requires.

A year from now the GOP will be a spent, dying, Party.

[sandnsea]

3. And 74% will pray at midnight

While only 43% will have a drink. Yeah right. Just who the hell are they polling???

[rzemanfl]

4. I think there is a definite, but unmeasured and to my knowledge

unreckognized, bias in these polls based on who answers their phones. People who answer their phones when pollsters call are more likely to be the people who watch Faux news and televangelists. People who train for marathons are less likely to answer these polls because they are out running, people who have two or three jobs in order to get by in the BushCo economy don't answer because they are at work. People like me, who have dial up and one phone line don't answer because they are on the internet trying to separate the truth from all the lies we are fed.

These polls are bullshit.

[meti57b]

5. Pollkatz

[Vogon_Glory]

6. Historical Speculation, What Would The 1944 French Approvals Have Been?

Looking back at history, I wonder what the approval ratings for France's Nazi collaborationist Vichy regime would have been circa May, 1944.

If an honest poll could have been taken, how many French voters would have voted in the follwoing way?

Marshal Petain: strongly approve

Marchal Petain: somewhat approve

Marshal Petain: somewhat disapprove

Marshal Petain: strongly disapprove

For those who don't remember their history, France was liberated after the June, 1944 D-Day landings and the Vichy government was routed by August of that year.

[OzarkDem]

7. Trending in low 40% range

up until just before Christmas. I'm sure the holidays make opinions seem nicer, but its a temporary blip.

http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm