Do you Approve of the Job Barack Obama is doing as President?

[MadBadger]

Poll question: Do you Approve of the Job Barack Obama is doing as President?

Little check of the approval of the President.

[shadowknows69]

1. I've always hated responses #2 and #4 on these

Aren't they pretty much the same answer? Kind of like "partly cloudy and partly sunny"

[JonLP24]

3. I'm happy with the choices

I voted somewhat approve myself. I'm glad it wasn't just a simple approve or disapprove because I wouldn't be able to view that I'm just a little happy. Somewhat approve is still generous in my view, he has been making alot of bad decisions in my view and there is a lack of response in other issues as well.

[MadBadger]

7. The best way to rate is on a 1-10 scale, but thats not how pollsters ask approval questions.

[JonLP24]

8. I agree that is the best way

If you were trying to ask the question in a similar way such as CNN/Zogy/Gallop, etc I understand. However the 1-10 scale is a good way. I would've given a 6.5 which isn't possible, lol. :D

[brendan120678]

15. And really, shouldn't they be reversed?

Doesn't "Somewhat Disapprove" mean that you "Mostly Approve"?
And doesn't "Somewhat Approve" mean that you "Mostly Disapprove"?

Going back to your weather scenario:
Cloudy = no sun
Partly Sunny = little bit of sun
Partly cloudy = little bit of clouds
Sunny = no clouds.

Therefore:
Disapprove = bad
Somewhat Approve = mostly bad, little bit of good
Somewhat Disapprove = mostly good, little bit of bad
Approve = good.

[Bonn1997]

24. That's not how Likert scales are used in the social sciences.

How the OP posted is how they're always done. If anything you could interpret "Somewhat approve" as meaning "part of me approves and the rest is undecided" rather than "part of me approves and the rest disapproves"

[madokie]

2. You durn right I am

[BuyingThyme]

4. No.

[KittyWampus]

5. Mostly, approval. However, the things that I don't approve of, it's HIGH disapproval.

[ChickenHawk]

25. I agree...the things he's done have been great, but

the things he hasn't done (Don't ask, don't tell being my current issue with him) are frustrating for me.

Mark

[zipplewrath]

6. Too soon to tell

So much of what he's "done" has been planning/speaking/authorizing etc. The real outcomes really haven't been realized yet. I'm willing to give him time to succeed, even on decisions with which I am uncomfortable. The rest is really minor stuff that won't hardly be remembered in 2 years or so. This is especially true with respect to his foreign policy.

[cboy4]

9. He needs to get moving on Don't Ask Don't Tell

What on earth is the hold up??

[Skittles]

26. there is no holdup

no action either

[Skittles]

30. here ya go, cboy4

tells us everything we need to know

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090608_ac_scotus.5e1911a8.html

[cboy4]

40. I've never seen so much ass that needs to be kicked.

Yes INDEED

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

10. i'm horrified by gitmo, the "stimulus package" and the bailouts

I appreciate he is bound by circumstances - but extremely alarmed by the gitmo flip-flop and the economic insanity of the "stimulus" and endless bailouts. The costs of these polices are immeasurable.

His honeymoon with the world will be short if the only change in US policy is a messenger with slightly better social skills.

[Greyhound]

13. Come now, his social skills are far better. n/t

:kick:

[closeupready]

17. This captures it for me, as well. I disapprove mildly with his performance so far.

I want to be optimistic that eventually, I will find things to approve of, but you know, he's had time now to give us all a sense of where he's going, and I'm not happy.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. Strongly Approve

I couldn't be happier that he is POTUS. I've got issues with a few things he's mentioned or proposed (i.e. "preventative/prolonged detentions) but I'll withhold judgement until I've seen complete proposals. Bushco has left him with a LOT of problems that will, unfortunately, not be easily undone and Bushco's torture policies have created legal and logistic nightmares that I'm thankful I don't have to try to sort out. However, I'm VERY happy that he is refusing to budge on closing Gitmo (which he could've easily done) despite NIMBY Dems in the Senate hypocritically abandoning him over the funding for closure of the facility.
I am also happy that he is sticking to his guns over allowing for a "public" health care option as part of health care reform, something that is DESPERATELY needed.

Oops! Does speaking too positively about President Obama make me a "cheerleader"? ;-)

[psychmommy]

12. i think he is doing a good job.

he had to come out the gate working hard. i find it odd that the approval rating and the tenor on du don't match. it appears that more folks are giving the guy a chance to get things done. i am glad.

[JonLP24]

14. Not sure what is suprising

He has a 64% approval rating so far and only 85 people voted. That is similar to his real life approval rating isn't it?

[MadBadger]

16. I'm just using the same format pollsters use.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. All of the above. It depends on the issue.

[ConcernedCanuk]

19. Strongly disapprove - Increase in troops to Afghanistan and $$ to the Banksters

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Increasing Western military presence in the ME is not going to solve any problems - only increase them imo

Spending taxpayers billions to feed the banksters that raped the country

same thing.

many other issues -

lack of concerted effort to supply USAmericans with universal health-care,

this border patrol thing

the "protectionist" trade thing

and so on

YES -

Barack CAN speak in whole sentences

and HAS rescinded some of the Bush/PNAC gang's polices

proof is in the pudding so we say

Have USAmerican's lives improved greatly? or at all? (banksters excluded)

Are we safer?

Are we happier?

Of course we are all glad that Bush the evil idiot is gone -

But what has changed for the better?

How is that "HOPE" thing going for us all?

It ain't workin' for me

[MadBadger]

20. Ms. South Carolina?

[quiller4]

21. It is working for me. Elimination of wait for VA treatment of

nephew, a vet of 2 tours in Afghanistan, $$ to my state for highways & mass transit already producing construction jobs, stabilizing financial sector has stopped the drop in the Dow and in the value of my Tiaa/Cref pension funds, unemployment rate actually dropping in my area and major employers have already started recalling laid-off employees.

Is there much still to be done. Yes. Am I satisfied with progress so far? Hell YES.

[Individualist]

22. ...

[HughMoran]

41. That's cool

One post and off to ignore - you're full of shit.

[ConcernedCanuk]

50. FYI - I have noone on ignore - while I disagree with some, I always listen

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The responses indicate that I am not alone in my opinion/observation.

And I suspect that many more will not publicly voice similar opinions to avoid criticism.

I merely answered the poll's question as honestly as I could.

Without differing opinions, discussion boards could not exist.

That's what we do here, discuss

Ignoring is NOT discussion.

[Kansas Wyatt]

23. What is good for Corporate America doesn't mean it's good for America.

Putting Corporate America at the top priority list above 'We The People' is still the same as 'Reaganomics,' nor does it shift policy back toward and for the the actual Citizens of this nation. Corporate America does not give a shit about 'We The People.'

[Mike 03]

27. Strongly approve, and I would give anything to have an ounce of his energy. NT

[deacon]

28. He inherited and absolute disaster. He is giving 150% doing his best

He ain't no bush.

[Badgerman]

36. You are right, he ain't no Bush...But he sure likes Bush policies!!!!!

[Toasterlad]

29. From 1 to 10, I'd Give Him a 3.

The only things he's done so far that I like are reversing the ban on stem-cell research, and his speech in Cairo. Other than that, I haven't seen anything but a slew of broken campaign promises and a vigorous massaging of corporation ball sack.

[solstice]

42. Ditto. Oh, don't forget, he reversed the gag rule...but then he nominated a judge who voted to

uphold it, so that's a wash.

I wouldn't even give him a 3. He's pretty much a total disappointment to me.

[Bonn1997]

31. I wonder what Joe Biden's approval rating here would be?

I find it funny how he gets so little attention. He probably got more attention here and from the media when he was a Senator.

[Bonn1997]

32. Question about Obama and GAY MARRIAGE

Do you think Obama REALLY is personally (or privately) anti-gay marriage, or was that position more of a painful compromise he felt he had to make to win the general election? I didn't want to start a new thread for this question but it's something I've wondered about for many months. He's a very intelligent, well-educated Democrat--I just can't imagine that he privately is anti-gay marriage.

Aside from being personally curious, I also do think the distinction matters a little. If he privately supports gay marriage, he would likely appoint Supreme Court justices who he believes or at least strongly suspects support it. He also would keep quiet (as he has done) rather than object whenever states make progress on the issue.

[hulklogan]

38. He very clearly thinks that "god is in the mix" for opposite marriages

but doesn't think the same about same-sex couples. Read into that what you will.

[solstice]

43. "God in the mix" = pandering at its finest.

[Toasterlad]

45. He Used to Be Pro-Gay Marriage, Before He Was a Presidential Candidate

He changed his stand on the issue because it was politically expedient to do so. I don't believe he is privately against same-sex marriage, but I also don't believe he cares the slightest bit about equality for gay people.

[Bonn1997]

51. Really? I didn't know that. Do you have any quotes? I'll look for them later if you don't.

[Toasterlad]

54. There Was a Post a Week or So Ago That Had a Link.

Sorry, I'm too lazy to find it. But if you google it, I'm sure you'll be able to find it.

[BlooInBloo]

33. BWAHAHAAHA!!!! Barely better than the general population!!

And the general population includes all of the republicans.

DU is becoming a very sad place.

[Bonn1997]

34. Yeah, his general population approval rating is about the same as his DU rating!

[MadBadger]

35. Only a few points better.

[WI_DEM]

37. Well, that's because DU is not a Democratic site despite its name.

[Number23]

47. Almost 70% here "approve" or "strongly approve."

I think that's just about where the general public is, isn't it??

In any case, he damn sure rates a Strongly Approve from me.

[WillieW]

39. Damn right approve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mmonk]

44. Tough one.

State secrets privilege abuse, prolonged detention, increased military spending, redrawing boundaries of towns in Iraq in order to stay longer as an occupying power, Prisoners held at Bagram which is notorious for torture, filed briefs against Joe and Valerie Plame Wilson in a civil suit, withholding of torture pictures, no prosecutions of statutory, Constitutional and international crimes,.....somewhere between the last two options I guess.

[MadBadger]

52. Pretty much what I expected.

[KillCapitalism]

46. Strongly disapprove.

Obama is not the progressive he tried to sell us during the campaign. CEO's are still making out like bandits while the middle/working class & poor are feeling major pain.

This administration is only marginally better than the Bush administration.

[lutefisk]

48. Just because he's not as bad as Junior doesn't mean I have to approve of his performance

Arnie Duncan? Weak (really weak) health care? Military-industrial complex friendly policies? much more...

Excuse my language, but fuck that shit! And the bad news is- this is our best hope...damn!

[Rex]

49. He is doing good and bad, but we must all remember that under Bush/Cheney

it was just bad and worse. Still, I think following in the footsteps of Dubya in this bailout strategy is pure folly. Would I vote for him again, over John and Sarah? Is that even a question?

[Vidar]

53. He's a wonderful, magnetic politician, but he's doing very little worthwhile with his popularity.