Marble Composition

It Takes Some Time

I'm often frustrated by how willfully ignorant the American public is of current affairs, especially of items that directly effect their safety and well being, but I also recognize that social currents work at their own pace. That may be another way of saying way too slowly for me, but hey, people have lots of things to worry about and deal with. What gives me hope is the enduring American tradition of being able to stroll by a pile of poopy, one of the things we deal with here at MC, and say, "wow, that really smells like crap". After five years of Bush administration policies, Americans seem to be getting quite a whiff of where Richard Cheney intends to lead this nation:

President Bush's 61 to 37 percent negative rating on the handling of Iraq is a decline from the 56 to 42 percent negative rating in March. By way of comparison, two years ago the president had a 63 to 36positive rating.

That last blurb was from a Harris poll, this one is from an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll:

Overall, according to the NBC/Journal poll, 52 percent believe the nation is headed in the wrong direction, while 35 percent think it’s on the right track.

I'm no poll guru, but eight points higher on the wrong track side, and five lower on the right track, and we're in very dangerous territory for the Grand Old Party (that would be Republicans). PEW Research has more out today:

5/11-15. MoE 4%. (March '05 results)

Bush approval ratings

Approve 43 (49)
Disapprove 50 (46)

Congressional Republicans

Approve 35 (39)
Disapprove 50 (44)

Congressional Democrats

Approve 39 (37)
Disapprove 41 (44)

Those poll ratings stink. And believe me, Republican Representatives and Senators who have to run for re-election next year know it. They're worried, and they should be. Much to their peril, Americans view politics as a sideshow, akin to some Entertainment Tonight Brad& Jen sling fest, but eventually events carry weight, and things do sink in. I believe these poll numbers show just that. It's been over five years since the Supreme Court appointed America's "Compassionate Conservative" president, and Americans are finally realizing just what him and his rhetoric wreak of: PooPoo.

posted by FuzzFinger @ 5/18/2005 07:49:00 PM