Obama’s Approval Rating Not An Indicator of Success

Typically when we look at the approval rating of a president, the goal in mind is to determine how well the public believes the current administration is running the country. With that in mind, it was reported this week that Obama’s current approval rating according to the Gallup Poll dropped to 55%. This is a drop in 9 points since his election. And it is a tick below where both George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter were at the 6 month mark.

But I propose that this does not equate to the success of his administration…in their eyes. Obama is on a mission that includes a second stimulus bill, a public option in health care reform, and the implementation of cap and trade. He is pushing hard and using scare tactics to gain support. So the question is, “Why?”

Obama is on a clock and he knows it. At this point he has roughly 12 months before he risks losing total control in Congress. You have to understand that the administration does not care about approval ratings. They are certainly a bonus to his cause, and contribute to making the process easier, but they are not a necessity to his administration’s goals.

If Obama can ram through the previously mentioned policy in the next 12 months, his administration will be a success in their eyes and the eyes of the Progressives that wield sole control of the Democratic Party. He could then essentially play lame duck in the 112th Congress, and not even win a second term. But the damage he could potentially cause in just two years will be a major win and be considered a success by his cohorts.

Approval ratings bare no significance on the success of his administration in Progressive eyes.

-nick