Full Speed Ahead

The latest Zogby poll showing Obama near 50-50 in approval is an outlier, so I wouldn't take the particular numbers too seriously. On the other hand, I do agree the trend is downward.

This was to be expected. First, he's a president in a bad economic period, and sooner or later some of it will stick to him, especially after he's concentrated so much on the economy. Second, he won a lot of independent and even conservative voters who believed his centrist rhetoric, so his big-spending ways was bound to disenchant them.

Will worsening polls chasten him and change his path? I doubt it for at least two reasons (beyond the fact he honestly believes he's doing the right thing).

First, the president only has so much control over the economy. If it's bad next election, it'll hurt him, but if it's good, it'll help, so why worry about polls today? (And in any case better to have the public take their medicine now.)

Second, whether or not he gets reelected, he may never have a chance as good as he has today to pass what he wants. With strong majorities in Congress, he can force through all but the most unpalatable programs. Even if his polls tank later, the legislation will remain. What's the point of being President, even for two terms, if you can't get through laws you support?

The only way I can see him truly change his ways are if he's unpopular enough to actually lose votes in Congress, and he's got a ways to go before that happens.