Biden’s Approval Rating Tanks, Right as His Controversial Reconciliation Package Comes Up
[guest post by JVW]
Yesterday a poll commissioned by USA Today and Suffolk University was published in the newspaper’s pages, and it does not offer comforting news for President Biden. The President, buoyed for months by fatuous media reports that he would “unify” the country and “heal” our divisions post Trump, has seen his favorable approval ratings crash; the guy who spent the first six months of his Presidency with a majority of Americans approving of his performance now finds that rate down to 41%, with 55% of respondents expressing disapproval. (At Powerline, Paul Mirengoff points out that the survey says only 32% of independents approve of the President’s performance, which would indicate that a properly weighted number which doesn’t oversample Democrats is probably lower than 41%.) The disastrous exist from Afghanistan no doubt plays heavily into this assessment, but it’s likely too that Americans have noticed the resurgence of COVID (which this Administration was supposed to conquer), the mess at our southern border (the Supreme Court yesterday refused to block a federal judge’s order that the Biden Administration reinstate the Trump “Remain in Mexico” policy), and the continued rise of inflation thanks in no small part to the Democrats’ spending orgy.
And it is the last of these that is likely to be center stage next month (with sincere hopes, of course, that the Afghanistan mess has somehow worked itself out in the end). The Democrats this week succeeded in advancing their $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation framework through both houses of Congress, setting up debate in mid-September when Congress returns from its Labor Day vacation. The framework delivers on some long-promised Democrat pledges such as universal pre-Kindergarten for children aged three and four; two years of “free” community college tuition; an expansion of affordable housing; money for “green” bureaucracies and subsidies for alternative energy companies; and, of course, and expansion of both the fiscally-unsustainable Medicare program (this time by adding new vision, hearing, and dental benefits) and the failed Obamacare program which, if you had forgotten, was supposed to by now not only be self-supporting but also was going to have saved us scads of money otherwise spent on the Medicare program. In other words, this framework codifies the notion that failed government initiatives will always be bailed out with more money rather than reformed in light of their unreasonable promises and excessive costs.
But with the sinking fortunes in the White House it isn’t entirely obvious that Democrats will find enough votes to pass their full wishlist, at least as it is currently configured. In the House, “moderate” Democrats initially held back their votes, quarreling with leftist Democrats over which unnecessary and unaffordable “stimulus” bill should be brought forth first, the bipartisan $1.2 trillion “infrastructure” bill (man, I’m using a lot of scare quotes today, aren’t I?) or the aforementioned Democrats-only boondoggle. Moderate Democrats want to first vote on a bipartisan bill to establish their credentials as cross-aisle dealmakers, before being asked to fall upon their swords for the Sandersesque multi-trillion dollar farce. Progressive Democrats fear that the moderates will abandon them on the larger reconciliation package, and in anticipation plan to hold the bipartisan bill hostage until they can negotiate a deal on the larger package which would keep the party together. The trick for Speaker Pelosi is that any concessions given to the moderates — for instance lowering the overall price tag below $3 trillion, or paring back the tax increases that leftists are demanding — risks alienating progressives and blowing the whole thing up. And this doesn’t even begin to acknowledge the power that Joe Manchin, Kristen Sinema, and, if he wants it, Jon Tester could wield in the Senate. Senators Manchin and Sinema are both on record declaring the $3.5 trillion to be too large, so it is going to take heroic efforts by the Biden-Pelosi-Schumer troika to work all of this out.
And that brings us back to the increasing unpopularity of one Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. A President with a 55% approval rating might be able to finagle a wobbly Democrat to support his agenda by promising campaign appearances during next year’s midterm elections. A President with a 41% approval rating probably doesn’t have much to offer, and might in fact actually harm an incumbent Democrat’s chances. There are some suggestions that the vulnerable House Democrats realize that they are likely to lose in 2022, so they might be willing to sell their vote in exchange for an appointment to some sort of deputy White House position or an executive desk with some Democrat lobbying firm. The Hill reported last week that polls show 72% support for the smaller $1.2 trillion infrastructure but 57% opposition to the huge leftwing $3.5 trillion spending feast, which at once strengthens the position of the moderates yet also ensures that the arm-twisting from leadership will be intense.
Anyway, September promises to be lots of fun in our nation’s capital. Frankly I think the best-case scenario is that Democrats fall completely apart over these two bills, and as a result neither one manages to pass. But I have seen enough lunacy over the past decade-plus that I fully expect both of them to slide through in one form or another, though I doubt very much that either bill will come close to attaining its stated objectives.
– JVW
I can’t wait to hear the Democrats’ far-fetched plans for how this massive boondoggle is going to be paid for. And of course, though this bill only encompasses the next ten years all of these programs become entitlements and will almost never certainly be rolled back, meaning that we’ll have to figure out how to fund this stuff forever and ever.
JVW (ee64e4) — 8/25/2021 @ 7:00 pm“I trust his [Biden’s] judgement.” – Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, 3rd in line to the presidency, 8-25-21
She’s high.
Is podium an opiate?
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 8/25/2021 @ 7:36 pmAnd these polls are the ones with a pronounced leftwing bias.
NJRob (63d985) — 8/25/2021 @ 8:31 pm…”Rating Tanks”…
Maybe $55 billion of the $85 billion left behind?!?!
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 8/25/2021 @ 8:38 pmThe left passed their communist agenda in the House on a party line vote.
Hope those who supported leftists gaining power are proud of themselves.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 8/25/2021 @ 10:43 pmI would like to see joe cellar stay off the podium.
mg (8cbc69) — 8/26/2021 @ 3:25 amNJRob-
mg (8cbc69) — 8/26/2021 @ 3:29 amNo one that voted for worse than Trump is going to discuss the democrat agenda that they ushered in.
The answer to post #2: yes, if you have seen a couple Police Academy films, which I cannot post the relevant scenes from.
urbanleftbehind (1dcc96) — 8/26/2021 @ 5:06 amThis makes sense. Biden was mostly popular in comparison to o Trump. With Trump less prominent the mediocrity of Joe Biden is more and more apparent. If the GOP can avoid letting Trump dominate the mid-terms (probably can’t) they should do really well. I hope this really messes up their terrible budget. But I doubt it will. I think the impact will b mild. As populism/Trumpism has gotten more prominent, fiscal discipline has receded in the GOP.
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 5:21 am@7, sure i will. It was the less bad alternative and I hope. Biden accomplishes as little of it as possible. What else is there to say?
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 5:23 am7… suicide by Democrat, mg. They voted for it and they should enjoy the ride.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/26/2021 @ 6:00 am@10
Maybe something involving more thought than “not Trump”? Talking points are only going to get you so far.
If the best NeverTrump/D has to offer is a different set of bad alternatives, that are starting to look worse by the hour, maybe they should climb down off that moral high ground they’ve imagined and stop lecturing everyone?
I’ve said for some time that NeverTrump is driven almost completely by emotion. I’d like to be wrong but so far all I’m seeing is a doubling down.
frosty (f27e97) — 8/26/2021 @ 6:54 amI did. But you ignore those parts of a comment.
The Democrats will never have a /good/ alternative because their policies are bad. Biden was only tolerable as a least bad alternative. As long as you keep focusing on “why Biden” the answer will be “because Trump”. Because that was the answer for so many people.
It’s funny to watch the Trolls keep trying to get someone to defend Biden and then get frustrated when no one is inclined to do so. They can’t seem to get it.
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 7:13 amFrosty, I don’t consider you a troll, was referring to some of the others.
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 7:19 am@13 – You’re thinking “why Biden” is the cause and “but Trump” is an effect? Maybe the “but Trump” will go away if people stop criticizing Biden?
frosty (f27e97) — 8/26/2021 @ 7:25 amCriticizing Biden? Go for it! I’m all in.
Where I start bringing up Trump is when you move from “Biden is bad” to comparative statements, accusations that this was what I affirmatively wanted, or direct questions about why anyone voted for Biden.
Here’s an analogy; I dislike McDonald’s and would like to never eat there again. But if I’m on a long car trip and the kids are demanding food I’ll stop there if it’s the only option for hours. I’ll even grab a burger because I don’t want to stop twice. It’s a choice of necessity and better then listening to kids complain for 2 hours. But It doesn’t mean I’m a fan. I’m also going to tell you why I picked it if you ask.
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 7:42 am@16 I’ll keep an eye out. I’ve been careful to do what you mention and focus on JB. For some reason I still see “but Trump”. I usually don’t go to “why Biden” until after I see the moralizing and comparisons start popping up.
This is part of the joke about when a “but Trump” pops up in a thread. They generally show up pretty quickly.
frosty (f27e97) — 8/26/2021 @ 7:52 amBut the comment you focused on wasn’t “but Trump” it insulted Biden by calling him the least bad alternative and then I said I hoped he accomplished as little of his agenda as possible.
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 7:55 amYou must do better, frosty.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/26/2021 @ 8:00 amThe problem isn’t that the NeverTrumpers won’t criticize Biden. It’s that they can’t even explain what makes him better beyond “because Trump.” We get it, you hate Trump. What’s Biden done that was better? Has the economy recovered? Nope. Has he “shut down the virus”? Haha, yeah right. Does he at least have a competent administration of adults? They all look like typical DC swamp creatures to me (I don’t think Jake Sullivan has ever had a real job in his life).
Oh, then there’s the utter disaster in Afghanistan. Don’t even try “but Trump negotiated the deal.” We have no idea what a Trump withdrawal would have looked like because Trump is not the president. That disaster belongs entirely to Joe Biden.
Edoc118 (099eea) — 8/26/2021 @ 8:38 amTime123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 7:55 am
There are certainly exceptions. But there are also trends. It’s no good to pretend that now on this particular thread it’s not fair to remember previous comments. Like I said I usually wait for the “but Trump” but I don’t think that’s required.
People voted for JB and so far the best responses to criticisms of that aren’t exactly stellar. On its own, this “why Biden” thing is actually a valid criticism that the smart set needs a better answer for. But over the last four years, the goto has been accusing anyone who didn’t denounce DT effectively enough of being dishonest, racist, ignorant, and/or stupid. The dialog has been pretty egregious and intentionally insulting. Going back to the well and blaming DT voters hoping that makes them stop probably won’t work out.
For example; “I didn’t vote for Biden I voted against Trump” is just a way to say you voted on emotion or it’s a deflection because you’d rather not talk about it. It’s a whatabout from a group that has been very vocal critics of whataboutism.
Another example; “You got Biden because you voted for Trump” is both nonsensical and a version of “I’m rubber and you’re glue”. It’s childishness from a group that’s been touting their own responsibility and critical thinking skills.
I remember a certain commenter here predicting that if DT lost there’d be a lot of people disavowing DT. What we’re seeing is people who voted for Biden disavowing. I’ve seen a lot of comments about Trump supporters needing to make various confessions, ask for forgiveness, make acts of contrition, etc. What I’m seeing now is versions or attempts at that still being said as a way to avoid talking about the consequences of voting for JB.
You should expect the criticisms of Biden supporters, aka NeverTrump/D, to only get worse. It’s nowhere close to even moderate versions of what we saw/see directed at Trump supporters.
frosty (f27e97) — 8/26/2021 @ 9:05 amexperts at expertise
mg (8cbc69) — 8/26/2021 @ 9:16 amvoted for worse than Trump
16-
mg (8cbc69) — 8/26/2021 @ 9:18 ammake PB&J before travel
Another example; “You got Biden because you voted for Trump” is both nonsensical and a version of “I’m rubber and you’re glue”. It’s childishness from a group that’s been touting their own responsibility and critical thinking skills.
It has been consistently amusing to witness the characters who have employed that here. These are not good people.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/26/2021 @ 9:21 amTrump often embarrassed people. Biden makes people feel ashamed.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/26/2021 @ 9:33 amthe cellar dwellers reign of error needs to stop
mg (8cbc69) — 8/26/2021 @ 9:42 amFrosty, I made comment 10. You referenced it in 12. Now in comment 21 you’re talking about General trends and general things other people have said in other places as if i should answer for them. I’m not going to. I can tell you what I think and try to explain why but that’s about it. So most of your comment will need to responded to by whoever it is you think said that stuff.
This part seems directed at me because I have said it;
It’s not really a whatabout as you’ve constructed it, butt I get your point.
I think your conclusion could be right or wrong and depends on context. If I say in response to general Biden criticism I’m probably feeling guilty and trying to distance myself from Biden. That will probably happen. The least bad choice was still pretty bad. It’s analogous to someone that voted from Trump saying “Hillary was too corrupt” or “I voted based n SCJ appointments.” I’ve said before that both are valid arguments.
If I say it in response to an accusation that I actually liked the guy or that I share his policy preferences then I’m answering the question asked.
Also, deciding on the least bad choice isn’t necessarily and emotional decision. It can be perfectly dispassionate.
Right, because we didn’t like the guy and we want to be clear we don’t support him. We just feel he was a better choice then Trump. Why is that so hard for you to get?
Absolutely do. Trump’s base has a huge persecution complex and is terribly hurt so many people thought their mascot was such a loser. Some of them are taking Cow Deworming medicine rather then the vaccine they’re so desperate not to admit Biden might be right about something. I expect them to continue lashing out indefinitely. But, some of them are the same people that thought Hillary was running a Satanic pedophile, cannibal ring from a pizza parlor, Obama was a secret Muslim that wanted to institute Sharia law, and assaulted the capital because. They think Biden stole the election with software created by Hugo Chavez. So I’m probably just going to ignore & mock them like I have been.
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 9:56 amTime123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 9:56 am
Freudian slip? Do you still feel that he was?
Because JB was a terrible pick and that has always been obvious. And because I expected better from people who have told me how easy it was to do better for 4 years.
There’s the emotion free critical thinking I was looking for.
frosty (e00a0f) — 8/26/2021 @ 10:26 amDo you not understand what “least bad” means? Biden was a terrible pick. Just a better one then Trump. Even in this current fiasco there’s nothing Trump did in his first Term that would support the idea he’d have done this any better, except his inability to actually start the process.
Are you unaware that in the English language people often use “we feel” and “we decided” interchangeably? It’s usually employed when a formal decision making process or quantitative approach wasn’t used. What do they use in whatever your native language is?
I’m sorry an accurate description of Trumps base makes you feel emotional.
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 10:35 amETA, should have said “some of Trumps base”
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 10:38 am28… scratch the “tolerant” contemporary liberal, sniff the fascist core.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/26/2021 @ 10:39 amTime, the problem is that the frosty, Haiku, mg, JF-crowd simply don’t accept that Trump is terrible. Oh they will pay lip service to the notion of “mean tweets” and jacka$$ery, but they believe that fighting the fight in the culture war…and putting liberals on the defensive…using all means necessary (why they can view Jan 6th as not that big of deal)…supersedes concerns about his knowledge, character, or personality. They don’t really seem to care if Trump will do something illegal, unconstitutional, or immoral…provided it’s on the right side of the cultural war and they can find some bad thing to point out on the other side. This is where ratcheting all this up to existential extreme rhetoric naturally leads. Lying about election fraud and pressuring state voting officials becomes just playing politics.
If the base had left some space for Trump to have had a GOP challenger in 2020, the circumstances could be different….and we might see a different dynamic brewing. But team frosty-Haiku-mg-JF have never even entertained the notion. They’re in lockstep with Trump repudiating any opposition…..going as far as approving the sanctions on those like Cheney. The GOP continues to have Trump as its leader….not because of those of us who are Trump-skeptical…but because of those who rationalize every misdeed. If you don’t want be burning my vote on a write-in candidate in 2024….give me a better choice! This isn’t rocket science…
AJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 8/26/2021 @ 11:53 amAnd here is what the NeverTrumpers are reduced to: consoling themselves that they just know Trump would have handled things just as terribly. In reality, you have no idea how a Trump administration would have handled the Afghanistan withdrawal because they are not in charge.
Edoc118 (9fddab) — 8/26/2021 @ 11:54 amWell said, Edoc118!
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/26/2021 @ 12:02 pm@32. Beaush!t. More neocon creamed-chipped-Cheney on toast.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 8/26/2021 @ 12:08 pmQuote me on Jan. 6, I dare you.
mg (8cbc69) — 8/26/2021 @ 12:14 pmovereducated dope
In reality, you have no idea how a Trump administration would have handled the Afghanistan withdrawal because they are not in charge.
Well, actually, he did express a plan but it certainly wouldn’t have unfolded like this– this irish imbecile touted himself as a 50-year-experienced swamp creature in foreign affairs.
In reality, he’s wholly incompetent, increasingly incapacitated and ripe for immediate 25th amendment action before he get anymore of our countrymen and women killed.
He’s a goddamned bum.
Remove him. Now. Before he does more damage to the country.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 8/26/2021 @ 12:14 pm@33. Saying that Biden was a mistake or the wrong choice implies that Trump would have done better. Do you not see that?
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 12:34 pm@32, I hadn’t thought Frosty should be included with the rest of them….
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 12:35 pmTime123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 10:35 am
I have to confess, I don’t really understand what it means when you use it. I’ve seen 4 years of Trump and less than a year of Biden. I’m seeing Biden as worse. So, we’ve got a different
No, I wasn’t aware of that. I wouldn’t use “I feel” in place of “I decided”.
It depends on the situation. I might say “I feel like some Mexican food tonight” but I wouldn’t say “I feel like I owe the IRS X dollars”.
I’m starting to like how you’re ending your comments. Why do you feel like I feel emotional? I don’t need to be emotional to describe an emotional person having a tantrum or to describe it accurately. The whole “why you mad bro” is pretty transparent.
I noticed in your earlier comment:
You’re talking about the poison control letter from MS? Given the racial mix of MS and the vaccine rates by race you saw that story and thought that all of those people are Trump-voting crackers? Maybe all of those calls came from the KA house at Ole Miss?
frosty (f27e97) — 8/26/2021 @ 1:42 pmAJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 8/26/2021 @ 11:53 am
FIFY
frosty (f27e97) — 8/26/2021 @ 1:45 pmWhen making a selection you usually optimize for the best choice. Like which steak house has the best ratings.
In some situations there is no good choice. None of the available options are positive; such as do you want to eat at McDonalds or be hungry for 6 hours. In that situation you would’t say you picked the best you’d say you picked the least bad choice. Best available and least bad really mean the same thing. But least bad is an explicit acknowledgment that you had no good choices. In this situation I think Biden is bad and Trump is bad. Between the two I think Biden was the least bad choice.
You ended the comment I replied to with sarcasm. I responded similarly.
I don’t want to argue semantics. Like most humans I make a lot of complicated decisions qualitatively, based on the what’s known and what’s expected. if you’re trying to express that, ok. If you’re trying to express that I decided rump was terrible from irrational reasons (e.g. mean tweets) I disagree. Characterizing any decision that can’t be expressed with algebra as emotional denies how people actually make decisions.
Time123 (9f42ee) — 8/26/2021 @ 2:06 pm“Time, the problem is that the frosty … won’t validate my feelings.”
So….you are actively pushing for different leadership of the GOP. I eagerly await these urgent comments.
AJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 8/26/2021 @ 2:59 pmAJ, For some reason it seems very important that he be able to characterize opposing points of view as emotional and irrational. Which is odd given all the posts abd comments here over the last few years.
Time123 (edb5fd) — 8/26/2021 @ 5:24 pmTime123 (edb5fd) — 8/26/2021 @ 5:24 pm
You ask questions and I try to answer them. You bring up points and I try to respond.
All of that would be more interesting and informative if it wasn’t layered in so much emotion, projection, and inconsistency.
Does that mean it’s important to me? It’s important enough to comment on it. That’s a low bar but i suppose it’s not nothing.
frosty (f27e97) — 8/26/2021 @ 5:56 pmAJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 8/26/2021 @ 2:59 pm
I guess that depends on what you mean by actively or pushing. I’d say yes in real life.
You seem to think that means something in relation to my comments here. I’ve no reason to think any comments here equate to “actively pushing for different leadership”. It’s possible for me to actively push for my preferences in real life and point out some of the poor arguments I keep seeing pop up here.
That being said I’ve made a number of comments over the years about my distaste for R leadership, including Trump, as well as D leadership, and our choices in general. That it’s not enough for you says more about you than me.
frosty (f27e97) — 8/26/2021 @ 6:06 pm