For what it's worth... which to some I know is "nada." ======================= AP Poll: Bush Gets Good Marks for Economy 54 minutes ago By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) is getting good marks on the economy from a clear majority of the public at a time when consumer confidence has risen to its highest levels since early 2002, an Associated Press poll finds. AP Photo People are increasingly optimistic about the economy in the next six months and feeling more secure about their jobs, according to the poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs. The uptick in Bush's rating comes on an issue certain to be central to the 2004 presidential campaign. In all, 55 percent of registered voters said they approve of Bush's handling of the economy and 43 percent disapproved, according to the survey. That is Bush's best number on this measure in Ipsos polls since the third quarter of 2002, though he briefly came close to this level — at 52 percent — last July. A month ago, 46 percent approved and 51 percent disapproved of Bush on the economy. In the new survey, 23 percent said they strongly approve of Bush's handling of the economy, 19 percent said they somewhat approve and 13 percent initially reported mixed feelings but leaned toward approval. The public's overall feelings on the economy have risen steadily over the past few months. "Confidence has improved sharply since the spring, when we were all worried about the war with Iraq (news - web sites)," said Mark Zandi, chief economist with Economy.com. The economy, primed by low interest rates and tax cuts, is showing mixed signs of recovery. There are projections of rapid growth for 2004, signs of an improving job picture and a rebound in the stock market. But the nation has lost more than 2 million jobs, economists are uncertain about the turnaround in employment and states are reeling from revenue losses. The AP-Ipsos index of consumer attitudes, a composite measure of opinions about the economy generally and consumers' own personal finances, reached 100 in December. That is the same level as the baseline number at the start of 2002, when Ipsos' index of consumer attitudes and spending by household, known as the CASH index, was set up. It stayed close to that level through May 2002. At that time, the economy was starting to bounce back from the shock of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. In the months preceding the attacks, the economy was faltering and other surveys found that consumer confidence was down, too. According to the Ipsos consumer index, confidence dipped sharply into the 60s in early 2003 leading up to the Iraq war and rallied in April during the war. Since October, consumers have grown increasingly optimistic. They are more upbeat about their local economy in the next six months, more comfortable making a major purchase and more confident about their job security, according to the poll. "There is a general sense that some of the geopolitical uncertainties in the world are abating," Zandi said. "Those concerns are not as much on our minds as a year ago." Groups that have shifted toward approval of Bush on the economy in the past month in the poll are less-educated women, suburbanites, swing voters and Republicans. Bush's overall job approval rating was 59 percent, boosted by the rising confidence and the capture of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) on Dec. 13. "I'm optimistic, things are starting to turn around a little bit," said Jan Polendey, a mother of four from Canby, Ore. "Gas prices have gone down a little bit." While some people are gaining confidence the economy will grow stronger, many are not convinced. Nearly four in 10 respondents, or 37 percent, said they expect their local economy to get stronger in the next six months. But half, 51 percent, said they think it will stay the same. "Here in this part of the state of Kentucky, the economy's about the same as it was," said Steve Abner, an electronics plant worker who lives in Annville in the southern part of the state. "But as a whole, I think the economy might be coming around." The AP-Ipsos poll of 1,001 adults was taken Dec. 15-17. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, slightly larger for subgroups like registered voters. link
Here's a break down of the poll... ========================= Method Used for Poll on Bush Mon Dec 22, 1:28 AM ET By The Associated Press The Associated Press-Ipsos poll on the economy and President Bush (news - web sites) is based on telephone interviews with 1,001 randomly selected adults, including 756 registered voters, from all states except Alaska and Hawaii. The interviews were conducted Dec. 15-17 by Ipsos-Public Affairs. The results were weighted to represent the population by demographic factors such as age, sex, region and education. No more than one time in 20 should chance variations in the sample cause the results to vary by more than 3 percentage points from the answers that would be obtained if all Americans were polled. The margin of sampling error for registered voters is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points This margin of sampling error is larger for responses of subgroups, such as income categories. There are other sources of potential error in polls, including the wording and order of questions. _Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president? (asked of registered voters) _Approve,59 percent _Disapprove, 39 percent _Don't know-mixed, 2 percent _And when it comes to the economy, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue? (asked of registered voters) _Approve, 55 percent _Disapprove, 43 percent _Don't know-mixed, 2 percent _Looking ahead six months from now, do you expect the economy in your local area to be stronger, about the same or weaker than it is now? (economy questions asked of all adults) _Stronger, 37 percent _About the same, 51 percent _Weaker, 10 percent _Don't know-refused, 2 percent _Looking ahead six months from now, do you expect your personal financial situation to be stronger, about the same or weaker than it is now? _Stronger, 43 percent _About the same, 51 percent _Weaker, 6 percent _Compared to six months ago, are you now more or less comfortable making a major purchase like a home or a car? _More comfortable, 38 percent _Less comfortable, 42 percent _No change, 19 percent _Don't know-refused, 1 percent _Compared to six months ago, are you now more or less comfortable making other household purchases? _More comfortable, 46 percent _Less comfortable, 36 percent _No change, 17 percent _Don't know-refused, 1 percent _Compared to six months ago, are you now more or less confident about job security for yourself, your family and other people you know personally? _More confident, 44 percent _Less confident, 42 percent _No change, 13 percent _Don't know-refused, 1 percent _Compared to six months ago, are you now more or less confident of your ability to invest in the future, including your ability to save money for your retirement or your children's education? _More confident, 48 percent _Less confident, 38 percent _No change, 11 percent _Don't know-refused, 3 percent link
Does anybody else agree with me in thinking that these polls are irresponsible in that they perpetuate the myth that the President "handles" the economy? I mean, I disagree with the president's tax and fiscal policies for sure, in part because of their negative long term economic effects....but that's not really "handling" the economy as far as I know.
i totally agree with you...we heard throughout the clinton administration how great bill clinton was for the economy...that's a load of crap. the president simply does not control the economy like that...he just doesn't. but they've been doing this for years... the practical reality, though, is that if you get fortunate enough to be in office during an upswing in the cycle, you get re-elected. arbitrary..but true.
I know, how dare people demand that the attorney general of the United States actually follow the law?
Federal deficits. They exhibit some control. The way I see it is that they take the credit for when things go well (Bush and the third quarter 2003) so they might as well take the blame when things don't (2.5 million were lost during their tenure).
yeah but clinton had no control over the stock market which went irresponsibly crazy. neither did he create the internet boom which drove the economy of the 90's. not trying to debate a presidents worth with respect to the economy, but i go crazy when i hear about how clinton was amazing in the 90's for the economy when in reality he presided over one of the most out of control economic times in american history as can be seen from the crash of the market and from the numerous scandals that are coming from it. it drives me crazy like how cubs fans want to blame losing that game 6 on that guy when in reality alex gonzalez blew it when he booted a perfect double play ball. no one brings that up.
Yeah I forgot to mention: Clinton, what a guy! He was responsible for all that was bad in the longest peace time economic expansion. Damn near ruined this country!
That whole thing is so messed up. I think the ATF jumped on its own accord against the Branch Davidians and violated the Posse Comitatus act; after David Koresh (this part was never really shared with us by the media) actually invited the ATF and FBI to come into the compound to check whatever weapons he was carrying. The whole thing is made worse when the media is used to put out a cover story of Koresh as a violent paranoid pedophile starting his own doomsday cult. He wasn't a saint, but what happened at Waco was a tragic joke made worse by the rookie Attorney General Reno (and, dare I say it, a rookie President). Waco inspired Tim McVeigh (who, by the way, did not act alone) when he bombed the FBI office in the bombing at OKC on the 2nd anniversary of Waco. Now, lest I lose my card-carrying liberal card, I will say that John Ashcroft and George Bush, believing themselves appointed by God, probably have no problem wiping their asses with the Constitution when they are following the Bible----the Good Book!----in their Crusade against the Heathen. Reno did admit her mistake years later, albeit in bureaucratic mishmash ("I really screwed the pooch!" is not a part of a bureaucrat's vocab).
this is so partisan it's silly...giving credit to a president for the economy, particularly while he's in office, is a load of crap.
Well my tongue was firmly in my cheek when I wrote the above. I was responding to robbie380 who seemed to think that Clinton was somehow responsible for the "evils" of the runaway stock market of the late 1990s. I found this remarkably silly, so I posted a similarly silly reply.
How can you anyone say that the President has no control over the economy? Just the budget alone has a major impact on the economy, where the OMB distributes over a Trillion dollars annually. This is just where it begins. International policy, tax law, emission standards all affect the economy. Don’t you think that removing tariffs on steel a few weeks ago is going to affect the economy? I will agree that some economic anomalies like the Tech boom of the 90's will make a President look good, but to make the blanket statement that his office and his actions have no affect is just ignorant.
