Obama Economy Poll

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I just wanted to bring this Yahoo poll to everyone's attention. It's straightforward, doesn't seem biassed, and only one question.

Now, I don't think anyone will begin to argue this is a scientific poll (just to test it, I voted twice in a row from the same computer, without even signing off the link page!), but it is interesting. As of when I did it, only about 2M had voted (and again, no clue how many repeats, but anyone can repeat), but the results were pretty staggering.

No, this isn't a 'criticize Obama' thread (or at least I don't want it to be), but I'm curious about your reactions. Do you think it's a mostly accurate measure? Do you think it's skewed? Do you think it's a fraud? Do you agree with the results?

 

I disagree with the poll results. When Obama took over, the job markets were falling to pcs and the financial sector was spiralling down to oblivion. Anyone who thinks that it can turn around in less than one year is a fool. Unemployment is slowing, money has been given to the banks to sure up stability and we are pulling out of Iraq. "Not well at all"? Doesn't make sense. That many people out there think so? Doubt it. Something is awful fishy about the poll???

 

Judging solely on the extreme nature of the results, it's obviously bs. Or rather, it is a legitimate question that has been linked to by conservative blogs telling them to vote 'no,' so it can be used as evidence of Obama's failure. It is in no way an accurate sample of public opinion. But therein lies the fatal flaw of easily-exploited online polls.

I chose the second option, "Faily well, but there's a long way to go" because that's the one that best reflects the reality so far, in my view. We're already seeing modest results from the stimulus and other programs, but I think considering the public confusion surrounding the healthcare issue (which has an impact on the economy) they could be doing a lot better. By and large, it's far too early to make an accurate judgment of the overall success of Obama's economic policies. I fail to see how anyone could make a compelling case for "hurting" at this point, since it defies all available evidence.

 

IMO, Obama's done very well on the economy. I have to say I'm very pleased, especially with the stock market. Since the 7500 mark, I've done very well doing a bit of trading. I figured that would happen. I'm really just an ameteur and I don't pretend to be an expert by any means. But I ignored the big rush into savings that gripped much of middle America after the meltdown, and began picking up stocks, based upon exactly that sudden rush into savings. I knew that the big money institutions would be taking that money from "savings" (which they were paying almost next to nothing on) and investing it in stocks, since there were many good deals to be had in the market.

Now that the market is up 2000 points, and everyone is starting to think about getting back in again, which means that the big institutions will probably start pulling back a bit and taking some profits, leaving the "average Joe" stuck again, I'm doing the same thing and I'm figuring the market will drop about 20 percent in the next several months. If I'm wrong and it continues to go up I may jump back in again, if I can find the right stocks, but for now, I'm taking some profits, before the big dogs sell out. If it drops a bit, I will get back in and start to pick up some more deals.,,,

 

Especially since the economy at this point is doing better (by every measure except unemployment) than when Obama took office. But I agree with you - this poll is bs. There's no way you can get 80% of the public to agree on anything. Even when nearly everyone was ready to ride Bush out of town on a rail when the stock market was plummeting and banks were in danger of crashing without the government shoveling money at them throughout his last few weeks in office, Bush's disapproval rating never exceeded 70%.

So this poll is saying that Obama, in trying to fix the problem caused by the last administration is doing a worse job that those responsible for the problem in the first place? It's absurd by that measure alone.

 

Aldeth, the question is whether you believe the economy is improving because of Obama, or in spite of him. Look at what has actually been done by the government, in other words, and ask how much it's helped things.

 

I missed that - in that case the quesiton itself is meaningless. The president always takes the hit (deservedly or not) when the economy tanks, and always gets the credit (deservedly or not) when the economy is booming. Don't take my word for it - just look at presidential elections and how the economy was doing at the time of the elections. The only stronger indicator than the economy of whether the party in power stays in power than the economy is if we happen to be at war.

If 80% of people think the economy is improving but this is in spite of Obama, then I have to go Edwin in this: "Can my opinion of this poll get any lower? Evidently so."

 

Incidentally, this is the gist of what I believe Republicans will be saying if and when the economy finally starts looking good. This or "It's MIRACULOUS the economy managed to recover despite Obama throwing everything he had at it!"

 

Yes, while if the economy does not improve it will be all his fault.

Quick. What was the unemployment rate in the middle of the Ronald years?

 

No, they'll say "Bush's and the GOP-led congress's wise economic policy decisions are finally kicking in. This was set in motion before Obama took office!" They said the same thing during the boom of the Clinton years; that it was Reagan's doing. When Bush was in power and things went wrong, it was "Clinton's chickens coming home to roost." Just watch.

War. War never changes.