Posted on 10/08/2005 7:35:16 PM PDT by neverdem
Poll finds fears about gas prices, Iraq, the economy and disaster costs
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Evangelicals, Republican women, Southerners and other critical groups in President Bush's political coalition are worried about the direction the nation is headed and disappointed with his performance, an AP-Ipsos poll found.
That unease could be a troubling sign for a White House already struggling to keep the Republican Party base from slipping over Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, Gulf Coast spending projects, immigration and other issues.
"Politically, this is very serious for the president," said James Thurber, a political scientist at American University. "If the base of his party has lost faith, that could spell trouble for his policy agenda and for the party generally."
Sentiment about the nation's direction has sunk to new depths at a time people are anxious about Iraq, the economy, gas prices and the management of billions of dollars being spent for recovery from natural disasters.
Only 28 percent say the country is headed in the right direction while two-thirds, 66 percent, say it is on the wrong track, the poll found.
"There is a growing, deep-seated discontentment and pessimism about the direction of the country," said Republican strategist Tony Fabrizio.
Supporters uneasy
Among those most likely to have lost confidence about the nation's direction over the past year are white evangelicals, down 30 percentage points since November, Republican women, down 28 points, Southerners, down 26 points, and suburban men, down 20 points.
Bush's supporters are uneasy about issues such as federal deficits, immigration and his latest nomination for the Supreme Court. Social conservatives are concerned about his choice of Miers, a relatively unknown lawyer who has served as White House counsel.
The president's job approval is mired at the lowest level of his presidency — 39 percent. While four of five Republicans say they approve of Bush's job performance — enthusiasm has dipped over the last year.
Party backing slips
In December 2004, soon after his re-election, almost two-thirds of Republicans strongly approved of the job done by Bush. The AP-Ipsos survey found that just half in his own party feel that way now.
The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted by Ipsos, an international polling company, from Monday to Wednesday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
you make good points, but there is one i would take issue with.
" On illegal immigration, he wants illegals identified, the heck with whether they are made remain illegal or not."
If he were to effectively control the border I would buy into this more. They do want them in the system (and paying SS tax and other taxes), but they also want more of them, no matter what security risk that eventually entails.
His sticking point is granting amnesty for non-criminal illegals. Tough debate.
(I know if they are here they are criminals..but other than that).
I don't know the answer. You certainly have a valid question.
Yep, when the public starts paying less and less for gas/energy and their wages are rising while more jobs become available because we begin to deport 15M law-breakers, the GOP will be worshipped for decades to come. If only they'd grab their stones and go for it.
Yes, they do. We are at about 5% unemployment and for the US, thats about everyone working that wants too. The immigrant labor helps big business, and indeed, all business.
I do think though that security trumps everything else.
But I also realize how well the Great War on Drugs has done stopping dope from coming in. What's that cost, like a gazillion dollars?
If nothing else, the states should take responsibility and police their borders themselves. I bet you could get regional agreements for non border states to help with the costs.
Conservatives find a way to get around these roadblocks. Common sense demands it.
Heck, I don't know what to tell you. To adequately police the border would be tremendously expensive.
If you really p*ss off the druglords you could literally turn the southern border into a free fire zone.
The Mexican government is worthless, no help from that quarter at all. Matter of fact, they are so damn corrupt, they would probably be complicit.
Unfortunately, there are so many moonbats per square mile in california, they can't lead the fight either.
Right now it is damn near intractable.
I'm glad i'm not the President.
Enjoyed
Good Evening
The GOP leadership has made a mistake in trying to be too conciliatory and bipartisan on domestic issues (immigration, taxes, spending, etc.) ie any issue with a degree of ambiguity or grey area. On fundamental matters where there is only black and white, with no grey area, like the war on terror, the administration has done great... I think they just need an injection of adrenaline in their collective cahonas (sp) to turn around on domestic issues.
I'm willing to trust the President on the Miers thing. He saw his father get stabbed in the back with Justice Souter, and I don't think he'll make that same mistake.. With very little paper trail, it will keep the libs guessing till its too late...
He just needs to learn to lead in the domestic arena, not to try to please the democrats...
America has seen its greatest progress when conservative principles have been applied--Barry Goldwater, 1961.
Bush really needs to examine these polls closely. Then he needs to have a polite discussion with Harriet and then Harriet, with great dignity, needs to take a bow and bow out.
detail exactly how each five are "fallacious" or slink away.
Excuse me, the President and Congress's job are not to HANDLE THE ECONOMY.... It says nowhere in the constitution about that. At best they need to step back and take the handcuffs and shackles off of economic development that are often put on there by burecrats and special interest groups pursuing their agendas.. As for the problems right now, in a static situation with nothing done to change it, it is called the Business cycle, get used to it.. but they can take the regulatory handcuffs and shuffle them aside and make a good deal of positive change....
By not doing that, they have drug the nation down badly, but while they have the reigns on power, there is always hope, if only they would grow some hair downstairs to stand up to the liberals... We gave him a mandate, both by re-electing him and giving him a stronger Republican majority in congress. They need to stop governing like Democrats...
Bush served the meal. Blame him.
I had it correct. Btw, the issue I'm discussing is Miers nomination and only Miers.
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