by Mark Silva
When the White House dismisses a Republican budget proposal as an "April Fool's Joke,'' and Republican members of Congress interrupt and "haze" Democrats on the House floor, one might say there is some partisan bickering going on here.
This, in a capital where President Barack Obama arrived this year with a goal of setting "a new tone.''
And that's how the public sees it: 53 percent of those surveyed say that Republicans and Democrats have been bickering and opposing each other more than usual, while just a quarter say the two sides have been working together more.
In January, twice as many (50 percent) said they expected Republicans and Democrats to work together more, according to polls run by the Pew Research Center.
The latest survey of 1,506 adults run March 31-April 6 also found most people -- 61 percent -- saying the nation is more politically divided than it has been in the past.
And that's up 15 points since January.
Yet, Pew has found what others have found: A solid base of support for Obama, his job approval rating hanging steady at 61 percent, "largely unchanged'' from last month.
Obama also has drawn positive reviews in this survey, as he has in others, for the work he did in his eight-day trip abroad -- 63 percent say the traveling president did an excellent or good job on a trip that carried him across Europe, and into Baghdad after the calls ended in this particular survey.
While 66 percent say they are optimistic that Obama's policies will improve economic conditions, a majority (54 percent) also believes his policies will reduce the budget deficit over the long term.
Comments
The Limbaugh House Republicans are a bunch of thuggish morons.
Americans are suffering from a tough economy, they are struggling to keep or find jobs and almost 3/4 of Americans don't have any health insurance to speak of...so what do the Limbaugh House Republicans decide to do?...PLAY STUPID CHILDISH GAMES!...on the House floor no less!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhDc_EEDKaQ
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Posted by: ServeTheServants | April 8, 2009 1:44 PM
Our polititions are elected to do the peoples work so when Republicans offer an alternative budget that consists of nothing more than tax cuts for the rich (the same failed crap that BushCo gave us for eight years) and costs $12-16 billion more than the budget that President Obama and the Dems are proposing...well, they deserve to be mocked and ridiculed.
We don't have any time to lose when it comes to fixing our economy and we definitely don't have time for Republican political games.
Posted by: Lithium | April 8, 2009 2:12 PM
Partisan bickering is "back?" When did it ever leave?
Where have these people lived the last 8 years? The Moon? "Partisan bickering" has been a part of American government since 1776....
And part of the partisan atmosphere can be charged to media outlets such as The Swamp, widely regarded as a mouthpiece for the Obama White House, and its handful of readers who (as can be seen above) persist in calling political opponents "thugs".
Posted by: Ed Murrow | April 8, 2009 2:36 PM
And part of the partisan atmosphere can be charged to media outlets such as The Swamp, widely regarded as a mouthpiece for the Obama White House, and its handful of readers who (as can be seen above) persist in calling political opponents "thugs".
Posted by: Ed Murrow | April 8, 2009 2:36 PM
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Thanks for weighing in, RNC Bruce.
You may now return to your regularally scheduled paranoid delusions about Obama wanting to take away your guns and ammo.
Have a nice day..=)
Posted by: Rush | April 8, 2009 2:59 PM
54% of Americans think Obama's policies will shrink the federal deficit? First, the "deficit" means one fiscal year. This year's is a record obliterating 1.7 trillion, fueled mainly by TARP and the stimulus package. Even a budget that contemplates over a trillion in red ink as Obama's for next year does, will be technically a reduction in yearly deficit spending. That does not make it sound policy. The real problem is the overall public debt, which is the culmination of all these deficits. It stands now at around 11 trillion and Obama knows his budget plan will at least double this. Not only is this not sustainable, but it is simply wrong to saddle future generations with this debt when they have no voice in the matter.
I wouldn't ask any democrat to jump to the GOP side on budget issues. The GOP has no credibility right now after letting the public debt double under Bush's watch. But that does not excuse, justify or explain doubling or even tripling it again under Obama. I know hard core liberals have so much invested in Obama that they would follow him off a cliff. I wouldn't even bother talking to them. But I would hope that moderate democrats take a long look at these Obama budget proposals and try to put a leash on him. Simply put, if these budget numbers don't bother you, then you either don't understand them or haven't thought about it enough.
Posted by: Herbie H. | April 8, 2009 4:42 PM
Ok, pretty simple.
If you pay taxes, do you want more of your money to spend, or do you want less so the Gov't can spend it?
Posted by: PG | April 8, 2009 4:51 PM
Yeah, it's pretty simple. Under President Obama's plan, if you aren't among the richest 1-2% in America you will be receiving the largest tax cut for the middle class and poor in history and if you are among the richest 1-2% your tax rate will go back to what it was under the Clinton years...you know, WHEN WE WERE PROSPEROUS!
Now hurry up and go to your little Repub teabagging party, I don't want you to be late and miss out on all the fun and games. I hear Rush is going to dress up as a human oxycontin tablet and Glenn Beck is going to pass out balloons and candy while dressed up as a rodeo clown..!
Posted by: BeenaSon | April 8, 2009 6:53 PM
Partisanship has been in this town the last eight years, at least.
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BO invites a few guys over for finger sandwiches and football game and he calls that reaching out?
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Pelousy and Reid pronounce everything from the GOP - DOA. They have that right,also.
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The loons won the election, they willoverreach - as they are currently doing - and the pendulum will swing back to the thinking man.
Posted by: Terry | April 8, 2009 7:34 PM
The direction our country is headed, we're in trouble. Putin has a better plan than Obama.
Posted by: Foxwood | April 8, 2009 9:41 PM
The loons won the election, they willoverreach - as they are currently doing - and the pendulum will swing back to the thinking man.
Posted by: Terry | April 8, 2009 7:34 PM
These "Loons" as you call them have more education and smarts then Bush or your base will ever have! Keep dreaming buddy!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 8, 2009 11:37 PM
The loons won the election, they willoverreach - as they are currently doing - and the pendulum will swing back to the thinking man.
Posted by: Terry | April 8, 2009 7:34 PM
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Yeah, that Bush guy you Repuglicans stuck us with the last eight years was a freaking genious I tell ya....Ha ha ha!
Posted by: oops! | April 9, 2009 12:40 AM