These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
30% Say Obama Is A Bipartisan President
Friday, October 9, 2009
Just 30% of U.S. voters now think President Obama is governing in a bipartisan fashion, down 12 points from late January and the lowest such finding of his presidency.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 52% believe the president is governing like a partisan Democrat. This number has stayed consistent since June, despite Obama's speech to Congress early last month that White House officials billed as an effort to get bipartisan support for his health care reform plan.
Nearly one-in-five voters (18%) are not sure how the president is governing.
Sixty-five percent (65%) say politics in Washington, D.C., will be more partisan over the next year, the second highest reading of the year and 25 points higher than the expectation in late January. The new number marks a seven-point jump from September , just after the president's speech, and comes close to matching the 67% finding as Congress began its tempestuous August recess.
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Republicans and 71% of voters not affiliated with either major party expect more partisanship, a view shared by only half (49%) of Democrats.
Seventeen percent (17%) of all voters think there will be more cooperation in Washington over the next year, and 18% aren't sure.
Still, voters give congressional Democrats their best marks of the year so far in terms of bipartisanship. Twenty-four percent (24%) now say congressional Democrats are acting on bipartisan basis, up a modest three points from last month. Prior to this, the number has fluctuated from 19% to 22%. However, 58% of voters believe they are acting like partisan Democrats, and 19% are undecided.
Republicans continue to fail to capitalize on the Democrats' low overall marks. Twenty-four percent (24%) of voters say GOP members of Congress are acting on a bipartisan basis, marking little change so far this year. Fifty-two percent (52%) say they are performing like partisan Republicans, the identical finding to late January. The GOP partisan number has fluctuated from a high of 57% in March and April to a low of 47% in June.
Similarly, 56% of voters say it is at least somewhat likely that the next president after Obama will be a Republican. Thirty-three percent (33%) say it is very likely. These numbers have been relatively consistent since April.
Thirty-one percent (31%) say it's not likely that the next president will be a Republican. The question does not specify whether the next president will be elected in 2012 or 2016.
In today's Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll , 29% of voters Strongly Approve of the way that Obama is performing, while 36% Strongly Disapprove.
Just 16% of voters give Congress good or excellent ratings for its job performance . Fifty-three (53%) percent say Congress is doing a poor job.
Even as Democrats in the Senate put the final touches on their $829-billion health care plan, most voters continue to favor middle class tax cuts over spending more money for health care reform .
Forty-six percent (46%) of all voters now favor the health care reform plan proposed by the president and congressional Democrats . That's up five points from a week earlier and, with the exception of "bounces" following a couple of nationally televised presidential appearances, is the first time support for the congressional health care effort has risen. Fifty percent (50%) are still opposed to the plan.
But only 22% of voters believe that most members of Congress will understand what is in the health care plan before they vote on it .
Eighty-three percent (83%) say legislation should be posted online in final form and available for everyone to read before Congress votes on it . Of those who favor posting congressional bills in their final form on the Internet , 64% say they should be available to the public two weeks or more before Congress votes.
Some in Congress are considering a second stimulus plan to fight the country's growing unemployment problem, but 62% of U.S. voters oppose the passage of another economic stimulus package this year .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi floated the idea of a national sales tax in a recent television interview, but 67% oppose a national sales tax on all goods and services .
Fifty-seven percent (57%) of voters have an unfavorable view of Pelosi, but that's down seven points from an all-time high in late August . Pelosi is by far the best-known of the top congressional leaders of both parties, most of whom still are unknowns to many voters.
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To view the original report, please use this link: How Partisan Is Obama?