Clearly voicing their discontent for George W. Bush, Americans are now reaching historic levels of undisputed antipathy for America’s 43rd President. A new poll has Bush breaking a new nadir in presidential approval ratings, beating out Harry Truman’s 22% for the lowest support among Americans in the nation’s history.
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The latest American Research Group polling of how George W. Bush is conducting himself as President, in the eyes of the America people, is an historic, if not an abysmal low, at just 19% overall. An astounding 77% of those surveyed disapprove of Bush’s job performance. A full 79% of those sampled from February 16-19, were critical of how the President was handling the retreating economy.
Until Bush dipped below the 20% mark in this latest poll by the American Research Group, it was Harry S. Truman, in a Gallup Poll taken in February 1952, who previously held the worst presidential approval rating at just 22%.
Further demonstrating the dour mood of the country, 78% of Americans, more than three-fourths of the nation, believe the economy was getting worse and 47% are confident the country is in a full-blown recession.
The near unanimity among registered voters was that Bush was not getting the job done as president. Merely 18% found him to be successful in his duties and 78% gave him a failing mark. In addition, an astonishing and historically all-time low number of registered voters, just 15%, found Bush favorable in his ability to deal with the economic woes the country is currently facing.
Even amid registered Republican voters, Bush still failed to break through to a majority of supporters with only 45% of Republicans in favor of Bush’s job performance.
Independent voters matched the sour mood of the country as a whole with only 17% finding Bush to be satisfactory in his job achievements and 75% expressed displeasure for America’s 43rd President.
Democrats, who have been sharply acrid toward Bush for some time, showed their disdain for his perceived and mounting failures, voiced their undisputed discontent for Bush with 99% finding him unsatisfactory in his job.
Interestingly, among the disparate few who found favor with Bush’s abilities, only 1% believed the economy would approve with Bush in the White House. A certain sign that even Bush’s most ardent supporters believe he is incapable of restoring the economy from its current somber state.
Finally, of the 77% of Americans who disfavor Bush’s job as president, a full 85% stated that the national economy was bad, very bad, or even “terrible.”
The only optimism shown by those polled, indicated by a margin of 42%, feel the national economy will improve a year from now – when Bush will be out of office.
Coupled together with the Federal Reserve’s latest forecast that suggests the economy may weaken further still, with even higher inflation and unemployment rates, it appears unlikely that Bush, with less than a year in office left, will stand any chance of stirring any hope of buoyancy before the next president takes office in January of 2009.
Frank J. Ranelli is an editorial writer, a research author and critic. He is also a senior editor for OpEdNews. His erudite and chic style of writing has been lauded and extensively published in a variety of news outlets and across the Internet. These include the Naples Daily News, The Online Journal, Information Clearing House, Alternet, The Smirking Chimp, and the former progressive journal of thought, Wicked Philosophy. Frank is currently working on his upcoming book, Rise of the Authoritarians, and has been invited to participate in prominent philosopher Russell Blackford's anthology project, Voices of Disbelief.
For once in his life he came in 1st at something! Sometimes I feel pitty for him, but then I see him on TV and see his arrogance and hear his outright lies.....he would of had more respect and approval and possibly saved the future of the [republican] party if he would of at least admitted to his mistakes, accepted responsibility for his failed policies and asked for forgiveness....in other words humbled himself, but apparantly even the tragic chain of events he perpetuated and the unnecessary lives lost under his watch is not enough to bring humility to this man.....the conclusion is that he is incapable of understanding the tragic results of his actions for he feels he has done nothing wrong.....maybe the case for impeachment won't stand because there will be overwhelming evidence in his defense that he is incompetent to stand trial.
by
Viki (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 38 comments)
on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 5:21:00 PM
Can we extrapolate anything from this? For example: is this just disapproval of the person: GW Bush - the court jester and public face of a whole cabal of selfish greedhead facsist wannabes?
Can this be seen as a recognition that WHAT he represents and WHO he represents can at last be labeled an utter and complete FAILURE? And then cast with disgust and distaste on the rubbish heap of history?
Has a significant % of Americans finally (finally !) recognized that the insane policies these dinosaurs have rammed down our throats have been an abject and disasterous failure, for not only the US, but for the whole world?
Probably not...
by
mrk * (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 294 comments)
on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 9:28:42 PM
You are so right. My question is, Are we talking about the cabal of neocons, or are they just the tip of the iceberg? How can people so incompetent stay so hidden? Where's Joe McCarthy when you need him?
jf
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Jay Farrington (13 articles, 2 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 118 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 9:01:38 AM
We might ponder the fact that this incompetent, ne'er do well son of a rich and powerful man served TWO TERMS. What does that say about us?
Addendum:
Dont give th eknee jerk response about stolen elections because, especially after his first four years of incompetence and illegalities, the election should never have been close enough to be stolen. If Gore had run even an average campaign....or if Kerry had the spine to call liars liars.......oh well, eight years of hell and a decade or more to salvage our nation afterwards.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2388 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 6:44:19 AM
I saw your article Frank and thought to myself I wonder who are those 19% people? The only conclusion I could muster is must only be the people in his cabinet and kitchen crew who he pays. What a pitiful excuse of a President. I think he's mentally shot in the head. He doesn't know what to do. He never learned the word resign, or please Impeach me? Someone please help the guy off the stage.
by
Dom Jermano (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 40 diaries, 934 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 6:48:38 AM
My landlord is one. Retired military civil service and he sends me all these right-wing emails and you just can't believe how incredibly insane these people are, they'll believe anything if it's denigrating the left ... and talk about bigoted ...
I play the neutral card to keep from getting evicted and send him articles from time to time hoping to make a dent. The latest I sent was KilltheMessenger, Sibel Edmonds clip, and he only saw what he wanted to see. Here's his reply:
"Seems like the lady, who was employed by the FBI, was approached on a matter that she failed to report to her supervisor and action was taken against her to limit, even stop her further involvement with the FBI.
Also seems like the e-mail is an attempt to imply unacceptable behavior by our government.
I am reluctant to believe many of the e-mail’s implications, as an outsider, without realistic knowledge of what did and did not happen."
This is what I emailed back:
... was approached on a matter that she failed to report to her supervisor ..."
Edmonds did report being approached two times - to her immediate supervisor and then to his supervisor at which time she was told to basically shut-up and then she was fired ...
"Also seems like the e-mail is an attempt to imply unacceptable behavior by our government."
In no way do I see this as unacceptable behavior by our "government", but it certainly seems some "individuals" within our government need to answer some questions. I'm not worried about our government, as long as we abide by the Constitution our government will be fine, but our government is made-up of people and it's them I'm worried about. If some Senator or State Dept. official is implicated, not just in a petty crime, but in treason we should have that aired and not be silenced because it might embarrass someone. As I understand it the information Edmonds has implicates individuals in both parties going back to 1997, so this isn't a "partisan" thing - it's about possible high crimes by powerful people - what did we fight the revolution for if not to make no man above the law? Isn't that the cornerstone of the Constitution? And our Founding Fathers gave amply warnings of being aware of threats both foreign and domestic? And when they said "domestic", I don't think they were just referring to a militia, but to corrupt individuals or groups also.
So it's not our government, I have never heard Sibel Edmonds say anything but glowing things about America, but she's simply puzzled as to why, when she found a possible threat to her country, and tried to do the right thing instead has been silenced. If there is evidence of wrong doing by people that abused public trust shouldn't We the People be informed?
"I am reluctant to believe many of the e-mail’s implications, as an outsider, without realistic knowledge of what did and did not happen"
Joe, I wasn't there when Ms. Edmonds gave closed door testimony to members of Congress, either, but I know she gave it. Not once - twice. And no ones disputed anything she said. Not one person yet said that Ms. Edmonds isn't telling the truth. She's pasted lie detector tests. Her testimony is on record. She was 60 Minutes and published in Vanity Fair. There are numerous CIA, NSC, and FBI agents both former and current willing to testify on her behalf. Sibel Edmonds has been vetted from all six sides.
But this is what puzzles me most, why would a 125lb. women want to make an enemy of the United States of America? The obvious answer is she doesn't - no one in their right mind would. So why can't this women speak in public hearings? We are our government - We the People - not certain people with power, they're not the government - WE ARE - and if Sibel Edmonds has something to say and this is still America, with a First Amendment Right to Free Speech - then let Sibel Edmonds speak. Because like you Joe, all I want is "realistic knowledge", I'm a grown man, I'll be able to figure it out if perhaps there are people in office that are crooks or not - it's not like it hasn't happened before.
I haven't heard back from him in several days, he usually emails me everyday, so I might be looking for a new place to live soon. God forbid he should make a surprise visit (he lives one state away) I have about a dozen impeach dumper stickers plastered all over my truck.
by
Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 1056 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 8:58:58 AM
Com, maybe you stopped Joe in his tracks and he's so deep in his rut that he doesn't know how to answer.
We need to have compassion for those whose sense of betrayal is possibly deeper than that which we feel, because they have been deeper in denial. The truth can crush some folks, whereas we tend to expect bad things and so are not demolished when we find MORE bad...
Let your next email be one of a certain sympathy, maybe say what YOUR first eye-opener was and how bad it made you feel.
But then give him a pep talk. Tell him he is part of the Sovereign People too and can start speaking out to his friends. We can still save America! But not by caving in when really bad stuff is going down.
Thanks for sharing this email exchange.
by
Carl Weis (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 22 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 11:52:45 AM
What I don't get is all these people voting for McCain. Don't they realize he's just carbon copy of Bush? His popularity is confusing to me.
Maybe the elections are rigged. While on the subject of elections, let's get rid of all this delegate, super delegate, electoral college nonsense. The more complicated the process is the more it can be manipulated. Just do the
popular vote please.
by
Bob Gormley (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 863 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 8:01:51 AM
It is quite complex, really, and one has to see how strong FEAR is, fear that "America will be defeated" somehow in the larger world.
9/11 is at the root of the fear. This isn't "rational," but as long as we allow the fraud of 9/11 to go unchallenged, we will see folks who don't like Bush, don't even like the war, vote for McCain because they fear what a pullout would say to the world, that the US can't finish what it starts.
Just a year ago polls taken of US military in Iraq showed that 80% believed the lie that Saddam was behind 9/11. Polls back home showed that more than 40% believed the rank lies that Iraq was behind 9/11! Not ONLY is that wrong, but 9/11 itself WAS AN INSIDE JOB!
When people like Com's landlord Joe start to realize that we have all been suckered re 9/11, THAT is when we have a real chance to get our country back!
Our best shot is to piggyback these expose efforts onto the Kucinich impeach Cheney bill (HR 333/799) which now languishes in the Judiciary Committee of the House. We need to support the Wexler call for hearings and ADD a FOURTH ARTICLE re Cheney's 9/11 treason and obstruction of justice! I will offer an article about this soon. There's still enough time and not doing it is just disaster.
by
Carl Weis (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 22 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 12:05:37 PM
They aren't "trying" to do what's right and failing. They are exactly following their own agenda for their own means. With the lack of response from the American people and NO outrage, I'd say they are right on schedule and moving along quite nicely in their bid to rule the world. Bush doesn't give two hoots about his approval rating. If he did, we wouldn't be in this mess because he'd be doing his job by working "for the people."
by
Pixie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 41 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 1:22:07 PM
The over-arching agenda - in the Middle East for example, IS to make people there hate the US so much they will "recruit themselves" to wage Jihad against the "evil satan America." The plan is to have an obvious reason for waging a non-stop continual war against a threatening enemy... But they need a visible enemy.
Since the Soviet Union collapsed and withdrew from the stage as "the evil empire" the "boogie man" and that commie threat under the bed... The Pentagon/Industrial Complex think tanks went to work and game planned methods to CREATE a NEW ENEMY. They tried out a number of scenarios and decided that the Islamo-Fascist was their best bet. However, since there were just not enough angry "Islamc Fascists" to keep their war going very long they realized they had to recruit new young men (and women) to take up arms against us and fill the role of enemy... So they have engaged in a strategy to keep the Middle East inflamed and outraged with an unending cascade of rather public atrocities: Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, extreme rendition, civil war in Iraq... ALL just parts of that program. They are doing their best to MAKE enemies so they will have a visible threat to provide a reason for 50+ years of continual warfare.
The people behind the Bush cabal _AND behind McCain_ are manufacturers of weapons. They make money by providing the tools for wholesale murder and destruction. THAT is their business, their only business and in order to continue, they NEED enemies.
It's a PROTECTION RACKET.
One part of the Pentagon/Security state (CIA-NSC et al) apparatus "fights" wars... meanwhile another part of the same structure MAKES/creates/causes reasons FOR those wars.
What "appears" on the surface to be non-stop, wrong-footed buffoonery and failure by the Bushites and the Pentagon is in reality part of their grand strategy to create chaos, dig us into a deeper hole AND to alienate and anger as much of the ME region as possible, so the citizens of that region will "recruit themselves" to the role of enemy.
by
mrk * (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 294 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 5:03:19 PM
How did they find 19% of their polling that approved of Bush? It is rather scary to even consider that that many people still think positively of this "president".
by
Hayesml47 (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 284 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 6:58:59 PM
Bush is just the poor ba.... in charge, there's plenty of probable sources for the policy and stuff that've brought all of this about, villainizing Bush doesn't answer certain questions that are still kind of hanging around out there.
On 9/11, somebody or somebodies said, 'catch me IF you can, coppa', kind of a Mob thing to do. Well, they keep talking about people getting arrested, both in the US and in other countries, with the common thread being 'the loot', money boosted out of our economy illegally, real estate shadiness, all this other stuff that's gone on, and, come right down to it, chances are it all happened because of stuff that was going on INSIDE the trade centers. Trade, that word's in there, somehow. Stock trading, import/export, the whole 9 yards, suffice it to say we left 'good faith' some time ago with a lot of countries, and public corruption is a symptom of that, if not somehow a causal factor. Come to light are things like Large Sums Of Money trading hands, a lot of de-facto indentureship, business practices that are fairly reminiscent of slavery, and the buildings getting destroyed was a Houdini to distract from what actually happened. Mobsters, tricksters, crafty people, at any rate, and seeing as how there's large sums of money involved in the whole middle east thing, oil money, yeah, they didn't like the look of George, 'cause at the end of the day he's not the sharpest tack in the box, and therefore probably pretty honest. The people working with/for him are another story. But, when you take over a crooked shop, and try to straighten it out, all sorts of interesting stuff starts happening. I still say the whole ugliness is a legacy of the oil biz, and other things, that'd gotten rotten over the years.
Looks like it's back to catburgers and morse code...how do you like your cat?
LOL
by
truthtruffle (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 91 comments)
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 11:21:27 PM
