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While the American people are still not feeling good about the state of the economy, they are feeling much better about it than they have in months, according to Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index. From Gallup:
The Gallup Economic Confidence Index has averaged -38 thus far in December, up from -45 in November — putting December on track to be the most positive month for consumer attitudes since June. However, confidence remains depressed in comparison to the already weak levels seen from January through March.
This is good news for President Obama’s political prospects. Obama’s job approval rating is highly correlated with the American people’s economic outlook. For example Obama’s job approval rating according to the Gallup tracking poll is now the highest it has been since early July, right before the economy confidence index started falling below -40. Now that the economic index is finally above -40 again, Obama’s net job approval rating is net positive for the first time in months, with 47 percent approve to 45 percent disapprove.
If the American people’s economic confidence continues to follow the upward trend it has been on for the past several months, Obama will be in strong shape come November. Of course there are plenty of potential negative events, such a worsening crisis in the Eurozone, that could easily send economic optimism plummeting again; these would drag Obama’s job approval numbers down with them.
16 Comments
“obama’s net approval rating is net-positive for the first time in months…”
Could be, but, as you note, there are some chickens yet to land, partly from his sustaining so many of Bush’s policies, as well as the likelihood of Iraq continuing to implode, that could pull that rug out from under him.
I think he’s still the lamest lame-duck preznint we’ve had in a long time.
The sheeple are responding positively to the perception management (lies). That’s NOT a good sign for anybody except the perception manager (Obama) and the 1% who own him.
I might agree. Except it appears that the Republicans took a play out of the Democratic kabuki playbook and appear to be determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Short of Romney, I can not see any of the GOP candidates winning.
Great news for Obama, not so great for the rest of us. I see BO just signed the bill allowing for the two-month extension of the very bad idea tax “cut” (notice that it’s no longer referred to as a “holiday” and any effort to allow it to revert will no doubt be tagged a tax increase). Now BO is being “forced” to make a decision on Keystone within two months. Then, when another extension is required, there will be another odious requirement attached to which BO will “acquiesce” (i.e., doing what he wanted to do but now with the cover of the evil Republicans making him do it).
The USA is now losing low paying Service Jobs
Sears and K margt are going to close up to a 120 stores
http://money.msn.com/ways-to-invest/articles.aspx?post=928527db-24b8-400d-8021-26f5a32b828c
Is the USA economy really recovering? NO
The Middle Class Jobs are leaving the USA rapidly!
According to U.S. Representative Betty Sutton, America has lost an average of 15 manufacturing facilities a day over the last 10 years. During 2010 it got even worse. Last year, an average of 23 manufacturing facilities a day shut down in the United States.
Fact 1 In all, more than 56,000 manufacturing facilities in the United States have shut down since 2001.
Fact 2 The United States has lost a staggering 32 percent of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.
Fact 3 Manufacturing employment in the U.S. computer industry was actually lower in 2010 than it was in 1975.
Fact 4 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28 percent of all U.S. economic output. In 2008, it represented only 11.5 percent.
Fact 5 The television manufacturing industry began in the United States. So how many televisions are manufactured in the United States today? According to Princeton University economist Alan S. Blinder, the grand total is zero.
I guess the top 1% thinks the USA economy is improving
I can not stop laughing…
Good point, Cwaltz. I don’t think many progressives…intellectually budgeted…for just how much the rightwing crazies would fill the political vacuum that Obama has created. In the absence of any moral leadership from Mr. Centrist, they’ve just about yowled themselves into the “mainstream” of the amurkan political spectrum.
If, after the ass-whipping that Obama laid on them (with some very important help from liberals) you had told me on election night three years ago that he was going to preside over an unbelievable rehab and resurgence of the savage idiocy of the american right that we got from George Bush & Co., I’d have told you, graciously, I think, that you were a lunatic. Of course, if you’d said that and I ran into you last week, I’d have groveled in apology.
Biggest. Sellout. Ever.
…by an american president.
“People Feeling More Confident About the Economy and Obama”
Damn! Did I end up at Obama For America 2012, again? If not, they should post this rosey spin over there too. I haven’t run into anyone who is feeling better/more confident/more trusting/or more “hope”ful for Obama’s re-election than the paid spinmasters of the Democratic Party.
“If the American people’s economic confidence continues to follow the upward trend it has been on for the past several months, Obama will be in strong shape come November.”
I am SO looking forward to four more years of the progressive policies of this true champion of THE PEOPLE. (uaagh..Barf…)
I’d add, my bet is that the “improvement” in the labor picture is mainly from more hamburger flippers and janitors being hired at near-starvation wages.
Think you’re right about Romney, too. It’s still his to lose. There IS a limit to how far the GOP will go with their flat earth bible-zombies, and the people who really run the party know that nominating one of their peckerheads is Obama’s best chance for another 4 years.
Having said that, I don’t think they’re really freaking out at the prospect of another Obama term…they’re basically a bunch of country-club republicans, looking at a bro who calls himself “democrat”.
If the shit hits the fan, they can point to the “D” and scream “librul” along with the wingers, and if he somehow manages to keep things stumbling along in this shitty status-quo, with even some progressives saying “He’s not really so bad…”, then the great corporate ethic is still intact. The repub elite are pretty much in a win-win situation, and that goes right on Obama’s bar tab.
Obama has done more for advancing Republican ideology then any of the candidates they currently have running. From social security being in crisis, to women consulting with their pastors to the Heritage health care plan…..an Obama win is a Republican win. The only ones who don’t get this are those who insist this is a political football game and insist that everyone must wear a red or blue jersey and that those jerseys delineate whose “side” you are on. Nevermind that the whole thing stinks more of a pro wrestling match where both sides take turns taking a fall for the benefit of raking in cash.
Exactly.
The Republicans in charge of the party really don’t want to win this one. For them, Obama is the gift that just keeps giving. Over and over and over.
That being said, Obama has absolutely nothing to fear from the Republican field. So when he says he has to move more to the right to win the election, it’s because he wants to, not because he has to. Remember that.
Obama has done more to advance Corporate ideology, including the promotion of Milton Friedman’s Chicago School economic policies, aka known as “Disaster Capitalism”. Fixed that for you. You may want to google Rocky Anderson who is the Presidential candidate for the newly formed Justice Party. He appears to be an advocate of the 99% and if he gains momentum will probably be disappeared by the current administration.
Anyone who’s a threat to the MICB will “disappear”. Added “B” for the banks.
Actually, the Republicans want Romney in there because he’ll finish the job of shoving Federalist Society judges onto the bench and into the Supreme Court.
Is this all you got? Is this what you think Obama and the Democrats will give you if only you knuckle under and vote for them one more time? So, no question, O has a kinder, gentler machine gun hand. But he’s still pulling the trigger and we are all going to get sprayed with his bullets. I heard Leo Gerard and Ed Schultz today railing about Whirlpool laying off workers and shipping yet more jobs overseas. Leo’s solution: vote in more Democrats! Does he have a suicidal tendency, or is he just that stupid? Or is he doing it on purpose? One thing I know, Leo somehow has not been paying attention to what has happened in the last 30 years as Jedimsnbcko19 documents so effectively above. The Democrats are as responsible for this as the Republicans and I cannot see anyway things will get better by continuing to vote for them. They offer you only a slower slide into poverty.