What’s Happening with Conservatives and the Tea Party

by Art Kelly

New polls show voters are very worried about the economy, believe the problems are due to the Bush Administration, but give President Obama low marks for his handling of the issue.

Rasmussen Reports states, "The economy continues to be the number one issue on the voters' minds" with 84% saying it will be very important in determining their vote in the 2012 congressional elections.

The Gallup Poll found that worries about job cutbacks are at record highs, with three in ten workers worried they could lose their jobs.  This is double the level that existed in 2008.

In addition, 33% of employees are worried their wages will be reduced and 44% that their health benefits might be reduced, apparently because of the adverse effects of Obamacare.

Among persons making less than $50,000 a year, the concerns are even greater.  39% are worried about losing their job and 50% think they cold lose their health insurance.

A different Rasmussen poll found that 52% of voters say former President George W. Bush is responsible for the nation's economic woes, while 43% blame President Obama.

A separate Rasmussen survey recorded low ratings for Obama's performance on economic matters. Just 29% of voters believe the president is doing a good or an excellent job on the economy, while 51% say he is doing poorly.

Among independents, who are likely to determine the winner of the 2012 election, 21% award good or excellent grades to Obama on the economy, but 55% consider his work to be poor.

65% of the people trust their own economic judgment more than they do President Obama's judgment.   24% put their faith in Obama more than themselves, and 12% are undecided.

As this is written, it appears Obama may soon propose a massive federal employment program that would hire a million people, perhaps modeled after the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a Depression-era project of President Roosevelt's New Deal.  But Rasmussen found that only 30% of the people thought that was a good idea for 2011.  51% are against it, and 19% are not sure.

But Obama's poor ratings look good when compared to those of Congress.  The latest Rasmussen poll found that ratings for the House and Senate remain at record lows.

An almost invisible 1% think the House and Senate are doing an excellent job, with an additional 5% awarding a good grade.  But 25% say fair, while fully 66% are convinced the performance is poor.

Somehow, Republicans seem to weathering the storm better than Democrats.  Another Rasmussen Reports found that the GOP had a nine point lead, 45% to 36%, in races for Congress.  However, the 19% who are undecided could end up voting against most incumbents or not voting at all.

2.  Fox News reports that, in the aftermath of Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's narrow victory in the Iowa straw poll, she has alienated some current and potential supporters by sometimes appearing to act like a diva.

The criticisms directed at Bachmann include instances in which she arrived late at events, did not mingle with the people, and refused to answer questions.

"Bachman needs to work on being more accessible and punctual to events.  These are things I'm hearing from Tea Partiers around the state and I hope her campaign irons out these kinks," said Ryan Rhodes, director of the Iowa Tea Party.

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