Originally Posted By Mr X ***So it took only three years to get a Republican back in the White House.*** Well, three years and a Supreme Court decision, anyway.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***<<the lowest that has been registered by CNN since December 1998 (when the party had a 31 percent favorable rating)>> So it took only three years to get a Republican back in the White House.*** It sure is amazing what short memories people have. Even more impressive, Nixon left the White House in shame in what, 1974? The usual suspects yammered on about "the death of the party!" and "I don't know *how* they can come back from this!". A mere SIX years later, the White House was Republican again.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 From the link of the OP: <<Jeffrey Jones of Gallup explained: "The dominant political focus for Obama in the third quarter was the push for health care reform, including his nationally televised address to Congress in early September. "Obama hoped that Congress would vote on health care legislation before its August recess, but that goal was missed, and some members of Congress faced angry constituents at town hall meetings to discuss health care reform. Meanwhile, unemployment continued to climb near 10 per cent.">> Well, there we go! Obama lost popularity because he chose to be substantive and actally take on a real issue. An issue that affects a huge percentage of Americans (most of whom are not politically influential). An issue on which he was assured a tenacious fight by the huge (and presumably Republican) business interests that might be adversely affected by any deviation from the current insurance arrangement in the US. Following his election, Obama could have gone for easy, feel-good, popularity-ensuring issues. He could even have followed Bush's example and invented fake conflicts and painted himself as a national savior for fighting them. Or he could have spent all his time posing with the family dog and doing absolutely nothing of consequence -- and still come out higher than his current approval rating. Instead, Obama chose integrity and substance over PR and chose to fight for the long-term good of a huge chunk of Americans, knowing ahead of time that he might or might not succeed. I don't know which is sadder: that some Americans are so stupid as to believe that Obama could/should instantly turn around the entrenched societal/political/financial mess that was created over the past years, and are disappointed that he hasn't done so; or that Republicans actually feel justified in using this short-sighted disappointment as a meaningful indightment of a Democrat. Personally, I'm more of fan of his than ever simply because he has chosen substance and common good over self-promotion.
Originally Posted By gadzuux >> ... or that Republicans actually feel justified in using this short-sighted disappointment as a meaningful indictment of a Democrat. << Agreed. All the GOP is doing is positioning themselves as the "alternative" to Obama, and it doesn't much matter to them what arguments they use - anything close to hand will do. Which means that they have no actual interest in progressing the nation, just in opposing everything - the "party of no". Some people seem to think that's a fine idea and jump on board with both feet. They cheer at every downturn - losing the olympics, dropping polls, rising unemployment - this is all seen as good news for them. How cynical and shortsighted is that? Not surprisingly, these are the same people who will proudly tell you that they're more patriotic than thou, and publicly proclaim each other to be "great americans". Don't even try to remind these people that they're the ones who created these terrible circumstances in the first place. They either don't believe it or they don't care - see paragraph 1 - they know it to be true, but they're more consumed with opposing the government than resolving any of it. Late this week we had the appalling spectacle of Cheney accusing Obama of dithering and dawdling on Afghanistan. CHUTZBAH! What F'n crust! The man majorly responsible for creating and mismanaging our nation's longest running war in our history, now stepping up to snidely declare that Obama's taking too long. This really sickens me. And - perhaps unfairly - my revulsion bleeds over to the people who align themselves with this kind of supersized hypocrisy and flat-out GALL. Republicans can somehow excuse it and rationalize it and try and wave it away. I can't have that kind of duality in my own morality. My personal integrity and honor and decency prevent me from being anything less than an outspoken opponent of modern day republican party - who are quite possibly one of the greatest threats our nation faces today. "At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, that if it ever reach us, it must spring from amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we ourselves must be the authors and finishers. As a nation of free men, we must live through all times, or die by suicide." The Party of Lincoln has shown that they seemingly cannot live through all times, and we'd all be safer if they collapsed entirely.
