Voters will blame Republicans over Obama 48 - 34 percent if the debt limit is not raised;
• Voters say 67 - 25 percent that an agreement to raise the debt ceiling should include tax hikes for the wealthy and corporations, not just spending cuts;
• Voters say 45 - 37 percent that Obama's proposals to raise revenues are "closing loopholes," rather than "tax hikes";
• But voters say 57 - 30 percent that Obama's proposals will impact the middle class, not just the wealthy.
"The American people aren't very happy about their leaders, but President Barack Obama is viewed as the best of the worst, especially when it comes to the economy," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling institute.
"Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of President Obama's handling of the economy, but by 2-1 they pin the blame on former President George W. Bush rather than Obama, who is now more than 60 percent through his term of office."
"Given this public view, it might be reasonable to expect that the president's re-election campaign will be, as it was in 2008, running against the former president, in addition to the actual GOP nominee," said Brown. "The key voting bloc, independents, say 49 - 24 percent that Bush is more responsible for the economy than Obama."
By a 62 - 32 percent margin, American voters say it's more important to reduce unemployment than to reduce the federal budget deficit. But they say 49 - 43 percent it's more important to reduce unemployment than to reduce government spending.
While 71 percent of voters say they like the president personally, they dislike most of his policies 48 - 45 percent.
When it comes to Obama's job approval, his base remains intact. Democrats give him a thumbs up 81 - 11 percent, while disapproval is 83 - 13 percent among Republicans and 53 - 40 percent among independent voters. Obama gets a 50 - 41 percent approval rating among women, but men disapprove 51 - 43 percent.
"Obama has established a bond with the American people on a personal level. Even Republicans say 49 - 32 percent they like him personally. But his policies are another story," said Brown. "Look at independents, who like him as a person 70 - 15 percent, but dislike his policies 55 - 35 percent."
Voters say 55 - 39 percent that the U.S. should not be fighting in Afghanistan, although they approve 75 - 19 percent of Obama's decision to begin withdrawing troops. The U.S. should not be involved in Libya, voters say 56 - 32 percent.
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1295.xml?ReleaseID=1624
DO SOMETHING!
| 