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Does the Public See Obama as "Ineffective on the Economy?"
That's what the headline of an NYT article told readers. The poll that is the basis of the article asked the question: "So far, do you think President Obama's have made the economy better, made the economy worse, or haven't his policies had any effect on the economy yet?"
The NYT reports that 48 percent answered that his policies have not had any effect yet. That is very far from describing Obama as "ineffective on the economy." It is hard to have very much effect on a downward plunging economy in after 5 months in office. It has been less than four months since President Obama's stimulus was signed into law.
Apparently most of the poll's respondents understand enough about how the economy works to realize that it unreasonable to expect policies to have much effect in such a short period of time. Interestingly, of those who did think the policies already had an effect, more than twice as many (32 percent versus 15 percent) thought the effect was positive rather than negative.
It requires some very creative reporting to turn this poll result into a headline asserting the public sees Obama as ineffective on the economy.
COMMENTS (9)
Perhaps it would be accurate to say that the majority of people don't believe that anything Obama has done or is planning to do will be effective in making the economy better - at least for them. If that were the question, we would probably have 70 percent instead of 48 percent.
Like many Americans, I am still waiting for one serious positive action by the Obama administration on the economy, health care, the wars, Constitutional rights, or anything else.
Posted by: Charles | June 18, 2009 9:12 AM
Thant's prety funny Charles.
Posted by: me | June 18, 2009 9:44 AM
What Obama is doing is not going to nor was it meant to help the general public.
He is a niche market president and that niche may see or even are seeing results. Maybe what ever her name was has received her free house.
His other niche is the bankers and financial wizards. They have already received their pay out.
Posted by: Robert Johnson | June 18, 2009 10:18 AM
And only 24% of (ignorant) Americans who responded think the deficits are a problem? Dean, I hope you figure out that Obama is a facilitator, not a progressive leader. We are SICK of his
"timed-to-the-market" TV speeches, that was Paulson's Playbook! Geithner is nothing but Paulson's protoge, beholden to Goldman Sachs, who runs Congress and this country. They write banking laws w/ Dodd's committee. And more power to the FED? Isn't it true that Goldman Sachs is the largest shareholder in the Fed Reserve? And they'll regulate Goldman Sachs Holding Co. and largest hedgefund in the world? HAHAHA!!! Not a peep out of Obama about Goldman, Merrill, JPM,et al using TARP$ to buy crude FLOATING STORAGE with the money? 20 million barrels floating out there, reported yesterday, crushing average Americans(and India too, btw) by oil doubling in 3-4 months, ALL SPECULATION. Supply at 15 yr highs. Not a PEEP from Mr O. about the 10% margin requirement on crude futures,STILL! $100K for a $1mil contract. Americans will figure it out when we are all working for Asian wages. Obama doesn't have the BALLS to stand up to the Wall St HMOs, and take profit out of healtcare. His "cap & trade" has Goldman Sachs salivating as the greatest next spec bubble, a massive Ponzi Scheme where Goldman Sachs Empire will sell futures, shares in ETFs, offshore credits, THEY CAN'T WAIT, CAN YOU HURRY? Goldman even is allowed to own nat gas pipelines where they know the gathering and injections before anyone else, and sell futures in their Goldman Sachs Commodities Index.Good luck, folks. GS can't wait to send nat gas to $10/mbtu again!
Posted by: gordon | June 18, 2009 12:22 PM
I voted for Nader, LOL!!!
Too bad no one else did :(
Posted by: KTG | June 18, 2009 8:02 PM
What are you people talking about? The point is that the poll results are nearly orthogonal to the headline. Nobody cares who you like or dislike. I'm a Cubs fan, do you care?
Posted by: Jamaal | June 18, 2009 8:39 PM
Journalist often take what they call an "angle" on a story, though this is more typical of weekly (e.g. Time magazine) than daily journalism. In this case, as Jamaal points out, the angle is 90 degrees (or is is 180?).
Posted by: skeptonomist | June 19, 2009 9:04 AM
The top poster captures my thoughts, to be Clear:
Charles | June 18, 2009 9:12 AM
Posted by: S Brennan | June 19, 2009 1:20 PM
i like
Posted by: Tiffany Bracelets | September 22, 2009 7:51 AM