The Give-a-Damn Index reaches new high

The American Thinker Blog ^ | August 30, 2009 | C. Edmund Wright

[Scanian]

Scott Rasmussen's Daily Presidential Tracking Poll gets a lot of national attention -- as it should -- with the index balancing the strongly approve numbers versus the strongly disapprove numbers. Taken with the three day rolling average concept, an argument could be made that Rasmussen's poll and his index is the best snap shot of informed and engaged Americans at any given time.

Certainly the fact that sometime around July 4th this poll crossed into negative territory and has stayed there is significant. Also important and telling is the fact that the strongly disapprove numbers have hovered around 40% for awhile. This makes sense based on other polls showing that some 40% of Americans are very or somewhat conservative.

The unspoken number however could the "Give-a-Damn index." To me, that is the total of folks who have a strong opinion one way or the other. Today that number would be an astounding 74%. See excerpts from Rasmussen today:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 32% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove. That's the highest level of Strong Disapproval yet recorded for this President and it gives Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -10.

The "Give a Damn" Index is up some 10% from several weeks ago, as more people start to tie Obama to his policies -- which have never been popular -- and the reactionary liberal base starts to support their man due to attacks on him from the right. If you see the chart below, you can see clearly that both positives and negatives are rising and have been for a couple months.

The Democrat Congress is not holding up well either. From Rasmussen:

If Americans could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress,57% would throw out all the legislators and start over again. Just 25% would vote to keep the Congress. Just 25% would vote to keep the Congress.

And in the softer measure of Presidential approval ratings, Rasmussen has this to say:

Overall, 47% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That matches the lowest total approval yet measured for Obama. Fifty-two percent (52%) now disapprove.

Translation: most of the folks who disapprove do so STRONGLY. Approximately 81%. Of those who approved, only some 61% feel strongly about it. This could be part B of the Give a Damn Index. A negative 20.

So today's Give A Damn Metric is this: Part A 74%. Part B: Minus 20%.

[abb]

The absolute worst thing for the Political Class is for the electorate to pay attention to what they are doing.

[numberonepal]

EXACTAMUNDO!

[Caipirabob]

Part of these numbers were assessed via direct polling while the other part was assessed by ammo sales.

[bicyclerepair]

I feel the stirrings of conservatism. Jenna and Laura on book tours (what role models for young ladies, you gotta love Mrs. Bush), people waking up, could there be hope for our beloved America?

Please let it be.

[Nosterrex]

I happened to turn on Glen Beck today, it was probably a repeat since it was on Sunday, he I had to laugh to keep from crying. He was talking about Congress and he divided it into two parts: The evil and corrupt on one side, and the stupid and lazy on the other. He was spot on. It is sad to think that the best we have going for us are the “stupid and lazy.”

[GOPJ]

Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove. That's the highest level of Strong Disapproval yet recorded for this President and it gives Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -10.

Telling.