8 in 10? Really?
In yesterday’s Washington Post, ahead of President Obama’s address, there was Obama Gets High Marks for 1st Month.
Large majorities of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll support his $787 billion economic stimulus package and the recently unveiled $75 billion plan to stem mortgage foreclosures. Nearly seven in 10 poll respondents said Obama is delivering on his pledge to bring needed change to Washington, and about eight in 10 said he is meeting or exceeding their expectations.
What stood out for me was the 8 in 10 figure. Since slightly more than half the electorate voted for Obama, this suggest that more than half of those that voted against Obama say he meets or exceeds their expectation. Maybe those expectations aren’t very high? What have we after a month?
- A “stimulus package” that is more of a down payment on democratic priorities than temporary, and targeted to administer a jolt to the economy and jobs. A 1,000 page package that was provided a scant eleven hours ahead of the vote. Scare tactics to whip up the populace.
- A crucial mistake of permitting Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to run with the stimulus package. If this mistake continues, I think the Republicans will be back in power sooner than most people think.
- More definitions of bipartisanship than there are for the Bush Doctrine.
- A census power grab that would make Dick Cheney blush.
- Hot and cold running tax cheats.
- Immediate set-aside of ethics reforms to permit lobbyists to come aboard.
- A major report from Geithner that was about as pointed as a nerf football. The stock market voted quickly on this one.
All of which leads me to wonder whether the 8 in 10 figure was a real sample. I mean, I’d expect an 8 in 10 figure form, say
- The ladies on The View (would have been 10 in 10 except for Elizabeth Hasselbeck).
- A will.i.am album release party.
- The 8 people arrested in connection with Michael Phelps’ baking class at University of South Carolina.
