While President Obama’s approval rating on handling the economy is still higher than it was two summers ago, the polling numbers have tanked significantly in only two months. The poll, conducted by Gallup’s Work and Education Survey, shows that only 35% of Americans approve of how the President is handling the economy:
Despite President Barack Obama’s renewed focus on the nation’s economy this summer, he scores worse with Americans on the economy than he did in June. His approval rating on the issue, now 35%, is down seven percentage points, and his ratings on taxes and the federal budget deficit are each down five points. During the same period, his overall approval rating is down three points.
In fact, out of seven issues for which Obama’s job performance was rated in the new poll and in June, only the three economy-related ones fell significantly. These are also his lowest issue approval ratings of the nine total issues measured this month. Notably, these declines somewhat parallel the slide Gallup has seen in Americans’ economic confidence over the same period, although confidence picked up slightly this past week. …
… Obama in turning to economic matters thus has his focus in the right place; but until the economy makes more impressive gains, ultimately reflected in improved economic confidence, Americans may not reward him with higher approval.
With so many individuals negatively affected by the downturn, it should come as no surprise that people are not impressed with President Obama’s handle on the economy. Pocket Full of Liberty’s Mike Peters outlined some of President Obama’s poor economic policies in our series on Obama’s failures.
Interestingly, the President’s approval rating is still 47%. Whether the approval rating comes from individuals’ prioritizing separate issues, seeing him at the best viable option for recovery, or engaging in hero worship is unknown.