It would help if he actually followed up his pretty words (4.00 / 6)

with actual tangible action, like pressuring congress to put some decent bills on his desk ASAP, and taking the lead on some of these issues, like HCR and financial regulation. The public isn't fooled by sternly-worded and/or inspirational speeches at this point. It wants action and results, and sees through the bloviation. Only Obama and his Gang Of Four inner circle doesn't seem to get that--or, perhaps, prefers to pretend not to get that, as he keeps ducking his responsibilities and avoiding fulfilling on his many promises and kids himself that words equal action. Sure, the miserable economy isn't helping things, but a lot of his sinking numbers are due to his own actions--or lack thereof. If he doesn't know that, and doesn't intend to do something about it, then he's a fool

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything...Mankind are forever destined to be the dupes of bold & cunning imposture" -- Alexander Hamilton

---

by: kovie @ Fri Feb 12, 2010 at 20:38:39 PM UTC

I don't believe the economy would be so miserable if (4.00 / 3)

his economic policy was more progressive.  

My blog  

---

by: Dameocrat @ Fri Feb 12, 2010 at 23:24:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Indeed. The economic situation isn't an external problem. (4.00 / 2)

And the employment outlook could be much better if Obama would have pushed Congress for creating a stronger  stimulus bill, with more money being used and with a bigger emphasis on direct job creating by the government. Obama failed to make that stand, so he shares the blame for the weak economy now.

---

by: Gray @ Sat Feb 13, 2010 at 00:09:51 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think it bought him a little time, (4.00 / 1)

but that doesn't necessarily translate into approval. He told us to still expect change. For some of the base, that probably got him some more patience. Real change in approval will come when and if he follows up by getting shit done. IOW, when he switches from "bipartisan" to "by hook or by crook".

---

by: DaveW @ Fri Feb 12, 2010 at 21:02:31 PM UTC

They do reveal several we-told-you-so trends. (4.00 / 2)

Looking at the preceding months data, both polls do show that in spite of multiple efforts to push bi-partisanship, the numbers of those who've disapproved of Obama in the past continue to grow, not decrease, and the numbers of those who once approved of him - that'd be us - continue to decline.

I'd say that proves both opponents constituents want to quit this pussy-footin' around have a showdown, once and for all. The best man wins the pot - and the respect of most voters.

Feb. 25th may be his High-Noon.

Nationalism is not the same thing as terrorism, and an adversary is not the same thing as an enemy.

---

by: worldlymother @ Fri Feb 12, 2010 at 21:06:25 PM UTC

Hey, Chris... (0.00 / 0)

...how come dailyKos always shows Obama's approval rating at 5 or 6 points higher than the pollster.com average? This has been going on for at least three or four months now. Are they padding Obama's numbers?

---

by: NealB2 @ Fri Feb 12, 2010 at 22:34:14 PM UTC

Kos doesn't track job approval... (4.00 / 2)

Just "favorables".

---

by: leshrac55 @ Fri Feb 12, 2010 at 22:48:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not like he used the momentum from it... (4.00 / 2)

To do anything... He did have a nice size bounce and probably could've just used his immediate momentum to do... SOMETHING, but he instead did nothing.  Just a "Senate, do something".

---

by: leshrac55 @ Fri Feb 12, 2010 at 22:47:33 PM UTC

Not like he used the momentum from it... (0.00 / 0)

To do anything... He did have a nice size bounce and probably could've just used his immediate momentum to do... SOMETHING, but he instead did nothing.  Just a "Senate, do something".

---

by: leshrac55 @ Fri Feb 12, 2010 at 22:47:35 PM UTC

Public Opinion isn't the issue (0.00 / 0)

Apart from getting prime-time space for politics on network television, it kind of makes you wonder why the State of the Union has become such a major event.

Your closing here, I think, is based on a false assumption - that public opinion usually determines significance.  But generally speaking, public opinion does not matter. Public opinion alone can't pressure the government into doing anything. Many things are of major concern to the public that our politics ignores - on the other hand, the Village takes many things very seriously that the public is unconcerned with. The state of the union's significance derives from elite political dynamics, not from public opinion dynamics.

(I am not saying that public opinion is never important - just that it isn't necessarily so. It matters when it is mobilized. I am also not saying that it shouldn't be important - I am making an empirical claim, not a normative one.)

Politics is the art of the possible, but that means you have to think about changing what is possible, not that you have to accept it in perpetuity.

---

by: David Kaib @ Sat Feb 13, 2010 at 15:24:16 PM UTC