Biden's approval ratings continue to plunge amid crisis over inflation

[turbinetree]

Aides to Joe Biden took to the political talk shows on Sunday in a bid to talk up the US economic recovery despite confidence in the president continuing to plunge amid a crisis over inflation and supply chain problems.

In alarming news for the White House, only 41% of voters approved of Biden in a Washington Post/ABC survey published on Sunday, continuing a steady downward trend in the president’s ratings.

The new numbers, which come despite a victory lap over the passing of a $1.2tn infrastructure package and growing confidence over the prospects for a $1.75tn social spending bill, are a growing worry for Democrats with less than a year to the midterm elections.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/nov/14/biden-approval-ratings-plunge-inflation-crisis

Dear media, you want to know who really is causing this inflation.....if you had any common sense you would be laying that headline at the feet of the "guy" that stood on a stage and told people to inject themselves with bleach, and then lied that a virus that has killed over 750,000 Americans is some how was a fake new items, and it should in reality be linked to his homicidal acts and what is occurring today....This is not Joe Bidens faults....get your messaging correct and your headlines and really seriously think of what caused this shit...Biden is trying to fix the last a**holes fascist supporting fuck ups.....

[LonePirate]

1. Maybe Americans really do want an authoritarian in charge if they want prices controlled.

[Drunken Irishman]

2. It doesn't matter who caused it. It only matters what's being done to fix it.

Until it's fixed, Biden is going to have awful numbers. If it's not fixed by next November, the Democrats will see one of the worst midterms ever.

Blaming Trump isn't going to solve the issue, unfortunately.

[lame54]

3. Kiss up to Mister Bone Saw

[Raine]

7. Exactly. nt

[treestar]

17. We should campaign against the media

people should make up their own minds, not just go along with the media.

And then why should we have a bad midterm when the Republicans are much worse? And it is the Republicans' fault? I recall Reagan campaigning to complainers of his base that it was the fault of the Democratic Congress. We should campaign that it's the fault of Republicans in the Senate and the filibuster.

[durablend]

21. They can make up their own minds

Every time they go to the store, fill up the car or get their heating bill.

And going "Nuh uh, not happening, it's not that bad" isn't going to make the perception go away. If anything it'll make us look tone deaf.

[treestar]

28. The issue is who to blame

why do they mindlessly blame the POTUS because the media does? I was suggesting ways to argue it, and you are cutting that down. Any better ideas so they will blame the Republicans? Or are you trying to sow hopelessness?

[MichMan]

54. Reagan had a Democratic House all 8 years he was in office.

Democrats blaming Congress while they are in charge of it doesn't seem to be a winning strategy to me.

The average voter doesn't pay any attention to the filibuster or other minutiae.

Of course people blame the party in charge; it's just how it is.

[treestar]

57. It worked for Reagan

The average voter needs to be taught more. Self government means we take the time to understand what is going on. Maybe that can be the message.

[AZProgressive]

20. Inflation is up worldwide

This isn’t unique to the US.

[Drunken Irishman]

26. So? When the economy crashed in 2008, that wasn't just unique to the US.

We still threw out the party in power, though. Americans don't care why it's happening - just that it is and they'll blame the party in power because of it.

Obama didn't cause the 2008 recession but the slow recovery in 09 and 2010 were a big reason the Democrats got their butt kicked.

[treestar]

33. So how do we counter that?

We are so bad at messaging, maybe we can try to improve on that?

Also who knows what will be happening a year from now.

We were going to lose because of Afghanistan. Now that is never mentioned.

This may all be over a year from now.

[Drunken Irishman]

36. You can't.

This isn't a messaging issue. It either gets corrected or we sink with it. Those are the only two options. Americans aren't going to care who is to blame - they want something to be done to fix the issue. If it isn't done, they'll happily throw out the party in power. When you're dealing with voters, logic doesn't work. Voters never vote on logic. They almost always vote on emotion. It's a big reason we got Trump in the first place and it's a big reason he lost last year because Americans tired of his leadership - it's also a big reason, despite a pretty strong economy, Democrats took back the House in 2018.

There is no messaging that will make inflation just go away or gas prices decline. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter what we say or how much we push the blame to the last guy, or blame the pandemic, it will kill the party. The only way to resolve this is to have lower gas prices. Even just lower gas prices right now would likely boost his approval by 10 points.

But he really isn't in control of that, unfortunately. The problem is, Americans don't care if the president is in control of it or not - they'll still always blame the sitting president when things are not going well ... regardless if he was the reason behind it or not.

[Claustrum]

38. Exactly. And you can bet the republicans will block any bills that will help the matter.

[treestar]

41. So how do we win the House and win the Senate better?

Are you saying it is impossible?

Again, how about the fact no one will remember this because other things will become the media's new shiny toy, several things, between now and then?

If the party in power always gets thrown out, then it happens to them too. So then nothing matters. Just sit back and expect the Rs to get Congress in 2022. Is that what you're saying?

[AZProgressive]

39. I'm not sure what he can do to fix a worldwide problem

Same thing with the Coronavirus. As long as it is spreading worldwide and in red states it won’t go away anytime soon and measures to control it are unpopular with the public.

[Drunken Irishman]

40. Well that's what happens, sadly.

H.W. Bush wasn't responsible for the recession in the early 90s and yet he got kicked to the curb. It doesn't matter if there's nothing he can do - people aren't rational when they vote. They vote entirely on emotion.

[BlackSkimmer]

34. Yes, so right. nt

[Act_of_Reparation]

60. It's amazing people here still don't seem to understand that.

The public isn't rational. The public doesn't follow politics. And yet public opinion still matters.

The reality of how we got to a certain place in time is irrelevant to most people; they observe the situation and who is in power, and uncritically correlate the two. They don't want a history lesson. They won't want their erroneous conceptions correct. They want the problem fixed.

This is the game we gotta play, whether we like it or not.

[unblock]

4. You'd never know from the media the economy is growing at double the rate it did under Donnie

There are a number of reasons for the current inflation, but prime among them is the massive growth in the economy. You just don't see a staggering 6+% growth rate without inflation.

If a Republican were president all you'd hear about was the booming economy and they'd dismiss anyone talking about inflation as going out of their way to criticize a president who is managing the economy well.

But a democrat is in charge, so the media has to trash him.

[treestar]

15. +1

It's ridiculous. When there is high unemployment, the economy is bad. Now we had jobs and an employment market favorable to workers. But that's a bad economy too.

I wish people would quit letting the media make up their minds for them!

[Drunken Irishman]

27. It's not the media.

What good is a booming economy if you can't afford gas or food? Until either come down, Biden's booming economy isn't going to be effective. Hell, I think he could see a huge surge in support even if gas prices were to come down.

[unblock]

37. Please, thr coverageveould be completely different if a Republican were president

I'm not saying inflation doesn't exist and I'm not saying it isn't a problem.

But I am saying the media is talking about it as if the booming corporate profits didn't exist, as if gdp wasn't skyrocketing, as if rich people weren't getting much richer much faster.


Does this stuff help the little guy? Aside from spotty improvement in the labor market, no, not much and not anytime soon. And yes. For the rest of us the inflation hurts us more than a rising stock market helps us.

But at a minimum, the media should put all this in context.

They don't.

[Drunken Irishman]

43. If this were happening under Trump, it would not be any different.

The media likes a crisis, no matter who is president. They'd be playing it up regardless because it gets clicks and creates stories.

[unblock]

48. Yes they would cover; no, not the same way at all

There's *no way* they're not also talking about boom times for the stock market and gdp and businesses and profits.

No way.

[Drunken Irishman]

53. Believe what you want - they absolutely would be.

There are no boom times. They don't exist. Americans can't be experiencing a boom when they can't afford to feed their families and drive their cars. All these jobs numbers are irrelevant when it's costing an arm and a leg to do things that were reasonably priced a year ago.

Americans have always led with their pocketbook and it's clearly not representing the idea that the economy is booming. When you have a family to feed and it costs an extra dollar per gallon than it did a year ago in gas and you're now spending an extra $50+ total in groceries for the same food and supplies you bought last year - you're not going to care about what the stock market is doing or what the latest jobs report shows.

The media could disappear tomorrow and Americans would still look at Biden's economic agenda as a failure because to them the economy is their quality of life and right now, it's clearly hurting for a lot of Americans.

[treestar]

42. If you can't afford gas or food, then the economy is not a good economy

But it's not that people can't afford it, other than the very poor.

[Drunken Irishman]

44. Then the economy is not a good economy.

So, let's stop saying it's a good economy.

[treestar]

58. I don't think people can't afford it

or at least that has not been established. Right wingers want to complain about it.

[Drunken Irishman]

65. I think people clearly feel they can't continue to afford the high prices.

And we're seeing this by their approval of Biden.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Plunges?

They've been trumpeting his ratings being in the low 40s for a few weeks.
How can a rating in the low 40s, PLUNGE to the low 40s?

[treestar]

18. I've been saying for years

how overdramatic language has become standard. Nothing increases or decreases. Things "skyrocket" and "plunge." They are not even listening to themselves any more.

[Justice matters.]

19. Well, they need the click bait headline for money.

Money.

More money.

For themselves.

Never have enough.

Always want more.

Adicted to more money.

If they don't do it, their competitors will.

[former9thward]

25. The Waashington Post poll has him at 38%.

The 41% is of "all adults" which for political purposes is meaningless. Its 38% for registered voters.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/123AzF_nPabL77PSLl7TY4r43PiCnI10dJ9NIuobYTF8/edit#gid=0

[ProfessorGAC]

30. The Article Used The 41% Figure

Your reply is disconnected to what I actually stated.

[Drunken Irishman]

32. It's still lower than their last poll - though not significantly so.

Their last poll had Biden's approval at 44-51. Not great but a seven-point margin between approved/disapproved compared to 12 now.

[uponit7771]

55. +1

[Raine]

6. Trump's fault but it's now Biden's problem to fix, that's the way voters see it.🤔 nt

[Klaralven]

8. The good thing about inflation is that managers can cut employees pay

When there is no inflation, managers are reluctant to actually cut employees pay. It causes all sorts of morale problems.

When there is inflation, managers get a cost of living raise budget that is pretty significant. But the managers do not have to spread it around evenly. They now have more flexibility to give high raises to valued employees and small raises to unproductive employees. Small raises which are less than cost of living are in fact pay cuts.

[andym]

9. An opportunity to claim the "Biden economic miracle" later when inflation decreases

Before he became known for his "economic miracle," Ronnie Reagan's polling was dropping during his first 2-3 years or so, because of inflation and a weak economy. It was only when Fed Charmian Paul Volcker's, originally appointed by Jimmy Carter, drastic measures to tame stagflation by contracting the money supply finally began to work that Reagan rose in the polls and became popular.

This time, the economy itself is growing-- when the supply issues due to C9 decline, inflation should decline as well. Then it is time to claim "Biden's economic miracle.":

[dsc]

22. The 82 mid term was dreadful for the GOP

so not sure we want to use that as a marker. We won 1 Senate seat, 7 governorships, and 26 house seats. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_United_States_elections

[andym]

46. Timing is everything.

The problem that Reagan and Carter faced was far worse and it required drastic economic medicine and more time to fix. In 1982, things looked grim economically and Democrats were very hopeful that their nominee in 1984 would do well. Our inflation problems are due to supply issues and to high oil prices due to modest supply levels. Both should resolve by next summer-- we will see.

[ripcord]

10. People here are being naive

The majority of Americans judge how well the President is doing by how well they personally are doing, this isn't anything new.

[PortTack]

11. President Obama had times when his approval ratings were in the low 40s

Do a search, it props right up!

[Polybius]

56. Obama was a master orator though

There was no way that he was gonna stay down in the polls for very long.

[Elessar Zappa]

61. I don't believe Biden's destined

to stay at low approval ratings either. When food and gas prices come down, his approval rating will return to 50+. Biden’s a likable guy, he can get the independents back.

[Polybius]

64. He's likeable, but not a good orator at all

Look at the good and bad speakers of the past 40 years:

Good orators:

Reagan: Won reelection
Clinton: Won reelection
Obama: Won reelection

Bad orators:

Bush 1: Lost reelection
Bush 2: Barely won reelection, and remained unpopular through his second term

Bad orators that are great at firing up a crowd:

Trump: Lost reelection

[Walleye]

12. "Plunge, plummet, crater"

[dem4decades]

13. Gas prices will make our break Biden and the Democrats, rightfully or not.

Every local news station is doing reports on gas prices and inflation and they're all blaming Biden.

[JI7]

14. Focus should be on dealing with the issue. Not approval numbers

It's very early so just try to deal with the issues.

[melm00se]

16. Actually it was not the exalted

(in his mind at least) orange one.

The groundwork for the inflation we are seeing was laid over a decade and a half ago.

The Fed has been pumping money into the economy ("qualitative easing&quot and it has taken this long for it to come to a head. The Fed must start to ramp up interest rates to slow the economy down and keep it from further overheating.

Some people here remember the 1970s years of stagflation. If action is not taken and taken soon, it will return.

[msfiddlestix]

23. these headlines are having an impact on my mental and emotional well being....

I feel like a different angle or hook on these stories need to be used instead of ripped verbatim from mainstream media's titles.

it's sickening to see similar headers day after day.

[WarGamer]

24. Prices have become ridiculous

Restaurants are mostly adding an automatic surcharge 3.5% surcharge to the bill to cover min wage increases... go buy food "to-go" and many have the flip-down screen where you forced to choose a "tip amount" on the screen with the smiling teenager staring at you. I picked up breakfast to go for 2 from a breakfast joint and it was $53 with tax and tip.

Need work done at your house? Plumbers, carpet cleaners, window washers... the pool guy, all charging more than they did pre-COVID.

Wage increases are being destroyed by inflation and those on fixed incomes, given TINY increases in benefits are bearing the brunt of it all.

[treestar]

31. Because they have a lot of work

So what is so bad about it? If people can pay it? Prices are always going up, look at those pamphlets you can get about what things cost the year you were born.

[BlackSkimmer]

35. Breakfast for two cost $53??? Wow.

I have no idea what you ordered, but that’s a ripoff.

[WarGamer]

45. Yup...

It was 2 entrees, a Scramble with onions and mushrooms and I get a "Hash Benedict" which is corned beef hash on Eggs Benedict. It was like $18 and 19.50 and then 2 coffees, sales tax, the 3.5% fee for min wage hike and like a $5 tip which is small tip but I have a problem giving 15-20% for carry-out.

[shrike3]

49. If you wouldn't mind my asking, what part of the country do you live in?

Just curious. Nothing of the sort around where I live.

[WarGamer]

50. Right now I live in NoVA, picked up breakfast near Georgetown.

[shrike3]

51. Okay. I live near Chicago.

Prices are definitely up, but not that high. Yikes.

[BlackSkimmer]

59. I could make that whole breakfast for less than 10 lol.

My mother used to love to go out for breakfast, but it’s my favorite to cook at home.

Plus I gather eggs from my ladies every day, can’t get much fresher.

Still, sounds like a good meal you got there.

[WarGamer]

63. I'm not sure if it's fond childhood memories...

But breakfast is certainly the "happiest" meal of the day for me.

It might be because M-F I was rushing through a bowl of cereal and on the weekends we'd get pancakes or biscuits & gravy, etc... so it was really special.

[kairos12]

29. Gas price crisis are the National Equivalent to

not plowing the streets after a big snowstorm in U.S. cities.

It's always bad for whomever is in charge.

[harumph]

52. Remember, this forum is a bubble of sanity and literacy

and uncharacteristic of the general electorate. A majority of Americans have no idea of causality - and are so incurious they won't suffer the time to have it explained to them. Ingrown toenail - blame Biden!

[bigtree]

62. when the polls climb back, that lede will be buried

...repeating these clickbait polls and making broad political assumptions based on them is like living your life according to daily horoscopes.