November 21, 2009
OBAMA'S JOB RATING FALLS
The “score keeper” of Congressional legislation – feared alike by Democrats, Republicans and Independents – tweaked President Barack Obama’s performance last week.
His approval rating fell below 50 percent in the highly regarded Gallup Poll Daily Tracking Survey.
Just three other, recent, U.S. presidents – Ford, Clinton and Reagan -- have suffered a job-approval rating so low so soon in their term.
According to Gallup, Mr. Obama’s slippage was due mostly to “deep division” in the country about his healthcare reform plan -- and unemployment that has risen to double-digits nationally.
Says Gallup:
“Although the current decline below 50 percent has symbolic significance, most of the recent decline in support for Obama occurred in July and August.
“He began July at 60 percent approval. The ongoing, contentious debate over national healthcare reform has likely served as a drag on his public support – as have continuing economic problems.”
HOPE ETERNAL
Thomas Mann, senior analyst at the Brookings Institution, is quoted by the Washington Times:
“Obama’s approval ratings have been stable for three months – in the low 50s. However, the latest measure of 49 percent is more symbolic than substantive.
“However, if it declines well below 50 percent, it will be a serious drag on the presidency agenda.
For now, however, Democrats realize they have no alternative but to pass the healthcare bill and hope for improved economic conditions a year from now.”
SPEND MORE TO SAVE
According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the Senate Democrats’ healthcare legislation is estimated to cost $849 billion, and to reduce the federal budget deficit by $127 billion over the next 10 years.
Also, the bill would reduce the number of uninsured people in the U.S. by 31 million people. The result would be that 94 percent of Americans would have health-insurance coverage.
Only in Congress does the assertion: “The more you spend, the more you save” seem to make sense.
SPOOKING CONGRESS
Spooking Congress is the U.S. Labor Department’s October record-rates regarding unemployment.
Joblessness rose in 29 states last month – compared with 22 in September.
Michigan had the highest jobless rate at 15.1 percent, followed by Nevada at 13 percent and Rhode Island at12.9 percent.
The unemployment rate fell in 13 states, including Massachusetts where it declined to 8.9 percent from 9.3 percent; New Hampshire with a drop to 6.8 percent from 7.2 percent; and West Virginia which fell to 8.5 percent from 8.9 percent.
At least 10 percent unemployment was held by 14 states last month, including California 12.5 percent; South Carolina, 12.1; Florida 11.2 percent and Delaware 8.7 percent. The District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) set a high of 11.9 percent.
ALL SECTORS LOSING
“Virtually every sector, aside from health care services, is losing jobs,” according to Sean Snaith, an economist at the University of Central Florida at Orlando.
“Housing has been central to Florida’s economic story throughout the entire cycle. Unfortunately, it has spread well beyond the sectors directly involved in the housing market.”
Payrolls declined last month in 21 states. New York showed the biggest drop with 15,300 jobs lost. Following were Florida with 8,500 losses, Georgia with 7,500 and Virginia with 7,100.
Over the past year, California showed the biggest job loss -- with payrolls falling by 687,700 workers.
CHILDHOOD WISDOM
President Obama appears to understand the economic problems facing the nation.
However, the problem at hand is that he -- and a majority of other, liberal, politicians -- subscribes to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous dictum. It was phrased by his closest aide, Harry Hopkins: "Tax and tax. Spend and spend. Elect and elect."
The aim was to maximize taxes from all and to spend what is collected on segments of the population where it will yield votes favorable to the ruling party.
It elected Roosevelt to an unprecedented fourth term.
In that vein, the statistics above make a good case for a big healthcare bill.
However, it also reminds us of something we learned as a child.
"When you stop believing in Santa Claus, you start getting underwear for Christmas!"
By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist
