Volume 6, Issue 2 • February 2010

How Restive?
Polls today show that Americans are deeply dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country. In many polls, the
levels of dissatisfaction are comparable to those before the 1992 election and before the Republicans took control of
Congress in 1994. There is a lot of blame to go around, but Americans seem to be particularly frustrated with Congress.

Q: All in all, are you . . . ? Q: I am going to mention four phrases and ask you
The way things are going which one best describes how you feel about the way
in this country today the federal government works. Do you feel . . . ?
Satisfied 23% The way the federal
Dissatisfied 71 government works
Note: The responses in January 1992 were 28 percent satisfied and Enthusiastic/satisfied 32%
68 percent dissatisfied. In March 1994, they were 24 and 71 percent. Dissatisfied/angry 67
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, February 2010.
Note: The responses to this question in March 1992 were 18 per-
cent enthusiastic/satisfied and 80 percent dissatisfied/angry. In
Q: Who do you . . . ?
March 1994, they were 30 and 68 percent. In the new poll, 19 percent
Blame for gridlock in Washington said they were angry. In March 1992 and 1994, 20 percent gave
Democrats 12% that response.
Source: ABC News/Washington Post, January 2010.
Republicans 17
Both equally 67
Source: Quinnipiac, February 2010.

Dissatisfaction with Both Time for a Change?

Parties in Congress Q: Right now, are you inclined to . . . ?
March
Q: Do you . . . ?
2010 1994
Approve of the way the Vote to re-elect your
Congress is handling its job 15% representative in Congress
Disapprove 75 in the next election 36% 32%
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010. Look around for someone else
to vote for 56 56
Q: Do you . . . ? Note: In a February Pew poll, 49 percent said they would like to see their
representative re-elected and 31 percent said they would not. In an early
Approve of the way the Democrats October 1994 poll, those responses were 49 and 29 percent, respectively.
in Congress are handling their job 28% Source: ABC News/Washington Post, latest that of January 2010.
Disapprove 63
Source: Quinnipiac, February 2010. Q: If a third political party were created, do you think that
would . . . ?
Approve of the way the Republicans
in Congress are handling their job 28% A third political party would
Disapprove 61 Give people like you more say in government 31%
Source: Quinnipiac, February 2010.
Wouldn’t make that much difference 60
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202.862.5800 www.aei.org

 The President’s Standing
President Obama’s approval rating has dipped below 50 percent in most polls. He has maintained his standing on handling
foreign affairs, but he has lost ground on handling Afghanistan and Iraq. On domestic policy, his ratings on handling the
economy and the deficit have deteriorated sharply. His ratings have fallen on handling health care, too. The president
barely leads a potential Republican candidate in a very early 2012 matchup.
Q: Do you . . . ?
——————————————February 2010————————————
Quinnipiac* Marist* CBS/NYT Fox/OD* Pew CNN/ORC
Approve of the way Barack Obama
is handling his job as president 45% 44% 46% 46% 49% 49%
Disapprove 46 47 45 47 39 50
Note: Question wording varied slightly. *Asked of registered voters.
Source: Quinnipiac, February 2010; CBS News/New York Times, February 2010; Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, February 2010; PSRA/Pew
Research Center, February 2010; CNN/ORC, February 2010.

Q: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling . . . ? Q: If Barack Obama runs for re-election
in 2012, in general, are you more likely
Approve Disapprove
to vote for . . . ?
Foreign affairs Feb. 2010 51% 44%
(Gallup) Feb. 2009 54 22 Obama for president 44%
The Republican Party’s
Terrorism (Gallup) Feb. 2010 48% 49% candidate 42
May 2009 55 37
Note: Thirty-one percent of independents said
The threat of terrorism Jan. 2010 56% 39% they would vote for President Obama, and 45
(ABC/Wash Post) Jun. 2009 57 36 percent for the Republican candidate. Eighty-
nine percent of Democrats said they would vote
The situation in Feb. 2010 48% 47% for their party’s candidate, and 5 percent for the
Afghanistan (Gallup) Jul. 2009 56 34 Republican. Republicans were equally loyal to
their party: 86% said they would support its can-
The situation in Iraq Feb. 2010 47% 48% didate, while 4% percent said they would sup-
(Gallup) Jul. 2009 57 36 port the Democrat. Asked of registered voters.
Source: The Gallup Organization, February 2010.
The situation in Iran (Gallup) Feb. 2010 42% 50%
Health care policy (Gallup) Feb. 2010 36% 60% Q: How much progress do you
Jul. 2009 44 50 think . . . ?
Health care Jan. 2010 43% 53% Barack Obama is making
(ABC/Wash Post) Apr. 2009 57 29 a lot/some progress
in bringing real change
The economy (Gallup) Feb. 2010 36% 61%
to the way things are done
Feb. 2009 59 30
in Washington 48%
The economy Jan. 2010 45% 53% Not much/None at all 50
(ABC/Wash Post) Feb. 2009 60 34 Source: CBS News/New York Times, February
The federal budget deficit Feb. 2010 32% 64% 2010.
(Gallup) Mar. 2009 49 44
Q: Please tell me if you have a generally
The federal budget deficit Jan. 2010 40% 56%
favorable opinion of . . .
(ABC/Wash Post) Mar. 2009 52 43
Barack Obama 51%
Education (Gallup) Feb. 2010 54% 36%
Aug. 2009 53 30 George W. Bush 38%
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of February 2010; ABC News/Washington Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, February
Post, latest that of January 2010. 2010.

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202 .862.5800 www.aei.org 2
 Reading Tea Party Tea Leaves
Many Americans are not familiar with the Tea Party movement. In a February CBS News/New York Times poll, 18 percent
described themselves as supporters of the movement, with Republicans (35 percent) being more likely than Democrats
(2 percent) or independents (19 percent) to say they back it. Those who say they are supporters of the movement have
more favorable opinions of the Republican Party and less favorable opinions of President Barack Obama than does the
nation as a whole.
Q: How much have you heard or read . . . ?
————————Responses of————————
National Republicans Democrats Independents
Have heard/read
A lot about the Tea Party movement 18% 20% 19% 17%
Some 27 28 25 27
Not much 21 22 19 22
Nothing at all yet 34 29 37 34
Note: In the next question in this poll, 60 percent of those who had heard or read about the movement said they knew a lot or some about
what it stands for, including 67 percent of Republicans, 58 percent of Democrats, and 58 percent of independents.
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.

Q: Please tell me whether you have a generally . . . . Q: Do you consider yourself . . . ?

Favorable opinion of the Supporter of the Tea Party movement 18%
Tea Party movement 35% Not a supporter 39
Unfavorable 22 Don’t know/No answer/Haven’t heard 43
Can’t say/Never heard 44 Note: Thirty-five percent of Republicans, 2 percent of Democrats,
Note: Fifty-five percent of Republicans, 15 percent of Democrats, and 19 percent of independents considered themselves supporters
and 34 percent of independents had a favorable opinion. The of the movement.
February Pew Research Center findings were similar: 33 percent Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.
nationally had a favorable opinion, 25 percent an unfavorable one.
Forty-two percent volunteered they had either never heard of the Q: Please tell me whether you have or have not done
movement or couldn’t rate it. In Pew’s poll, 51 percent of Republi-
cans, 21 percent of Democrats, and 34 percent of independents each of the following?
had a favorable opinion. Given money to* 2%
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, February 2010. Attended a rally or meeting of* 5
Took other active steps to support
Q: Is your opinion of the Tea Party movement . . . ? the Tea Party movement, either
Favorable 26% in person or through e-mail or
Unfavorable 20 on the Internet 7
Can’t say/Haven’t heard Note: *Full wording was “. . . any organization associated with the
enough 54 Tea Party movement.”
Source: CNN/ORC, February 2010.
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.
(continued on the next page)

AEI POLITICAL REPORT CONTRIBUTORS

Karlyn Bowman, Senior Fellow; John Fortier, Research Research Assistants: Jennifer Marsico, Editor; Andrew
Fellow; Norman Ornstein, Resident Scholar; Rugg, Editor.
Michael Barone, Resident Fellow. Interns: Nick Davis, Cameron Petty, Henrik Temp.

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202 .862.5800 www.aei.org 3
(continued from the previous page)

Q: Which one of the following do you think better describes the Tea Party movement . . . ?
It’s a serious group of people who believe government is too big
and taxes are too high and it should be taken seriously 51%
It’s a fringe group of people with extreme right-wing views
about government that should not be taken seriously 20
Note: Thirty-four percent of Democrats, 69 percent of Republicans, and 52 percent of independents stated that the Tea Party movement is a
serious group.
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, February 2010.

Q: From what you have heard or read, would you say you . . . ?
Generally agree with the Tea Party movement’s positions
on most social and political issues 36%
Disagree 34
Don’t know/no answer 30
Note: Sixty percent of Republicans, 9 percent of Democrats, and 39 percent of independents said they generally agreed with the movement’s
positions.
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.

The Economy
The deep discontent in the land is being driven by concerns about the economy and government’s growing role. As we
showed on the previous page, President Obama’s ratings on handling the economy have deteriorated sharply. Around a
quarter say his economic policies have made conditions better; slightly more say they have made things worse. People are
not confident about the economic stimulus package. In several polls, the Republicans have made striking gains on han-
dling the economy.
Q: Since taking office, have . . . ?
Barack Obama’s economic policies
have made economic conditions better 24%
Worse 27
Not had an effect so far 42
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, latest that of February 2010.

Q: From what you’ve read and heard, do you . . . ?

February 2010 June 2009
Approve of Barack Obama’s
$800 billion economic stimulus
plan passed by Congress 38% 55%
Disapprove 49 39
Note: In June, question was worded “roughly $800 billion.”
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, latest that of February 2010. (continued on the next page)

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202 .862.5800 www.aei.org 4
(continued from the previous page)
Q: From what you know so far, which comes closest to your own view?
February 2010 July 2009
The economic stimulus package has
already created a substantial number
of new jobs in the U.S. 6% 4%
It will create a substantial number
of new jobs but hasn’t done that yet 41 53
It will not create a substantial number
of new jobs 48 41
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.

Q: Do you think . . . ?
Democrats Republicans
Barack Obama in Congress in Congress
Has/have offered reasonable solutions
to the economic problems you
and your family are facing 40% 29% 22%
Has/have not 53 62 68
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.

Q: Regardless of how you usually vote, do you think . . . ?

February 2010 October 2008
The Republican Party is more
likely to ensure a strong economy 42% 29%
The Democratic Party 37 47
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.

Civil Liberties: What Would Benjamin Franklin Say?

Q: What concerns you
70
more about the govern- Government’s antiterrorism policies
ment’s antiterrorism 60
policies: that they have
50 Not far enough
not gone far enough to
adequately protect the 40
country or that they
have gone too far in 30
restricting the average Gone too far
20
person’s civil liberties?
10
Source: PSRA/Pew Research
Center, latest that of January
0
2010.
Jul. 2004

Oct. 2004

Jan. 2005

Apr. 2005

Jul. 2005

Oct. 2005

Jan. 2006

Apr. 2006

Jul. 2006

Oct. 2006

Jan. 2007

Apr. 2007

Jul. 2007

Oct. 2007

Jan. 2008

Apr. 2008

Jul. 2008
Oct. 2008

Jan. 2009

Apr. 2009

Jul. 2009
Oct. 2009

Jan. 2010

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202 .862.5800 www.aei.org 5
 Support for Profiling . . .
Q: Do you . . . ? Q: Do you think . . . ?
Approve of using profiling by looking at a Police and other authorities should be
combination of the individual’s race, permitted to use personal characteristics
country of origin, and behavior like religion or ethnicity or nationality
to screen airline passengers 63% in deciding who to search in security
Disapprove 31 lines at airports or other locations 53%
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, January 2010. Should not be permitted 45
Source: ABC News/Washington Post, January 2010.
Q: Some people have suggested that airline passengers
who fit the profile of terrorists based on their age, ethnic- . . . Opposition to Transferring
ity or gender should be subjected to special, more inten-
sive checks before boarding U.S. flights. Do you . . . ? Q: Do you think detainees from Guantanamo Bay military
Favor this practice 71% prison should . . . ?
Oppose 27 Be transferred to a federal prison facility
Source: Gallup/USA Today, January 2010. in the United States
Yes 33%
Q: In order to prevent terrorism at places like airports and No 58
subways, should authorities be able to . . . ? Note: Forty-nine percent of Democrats, 16 percent of Republicans,
Single out people who look like they might be of and 36 percent of independents stated yes. Forty percent of
Democrats, 80 percent of Republicans, and 54 percent of indepen-
Middle Eastern origin to search or question 52% dents stated no.
No 44 Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, January 2010.
Source: Quinnipiac, January 2010.

Tracking Terror Threats

Q: Do you think . . . ?
February 2010 April 2009
The policies of the Obama administration have
made the United States safer from terrorism 27% 23%
Less safe from terrorism 25 19
No effect 44 49
Note: A January Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll found that 31percent said the United States was safer today than a year ago, while 39 percent
said less safe. Twenty-seven percent volunteered it was the same.
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.

Q: How likely do you think it is that there will be a terrorist attack in the United States within the next few months . . . ?
February 2010 January 2009
Very likely 18% 5%
Somewhat likely 40 29
Not very likely 28 42
Not at all likely 10 21
Source: CBS News/New York Times, latest that of February 2010.
(continued on the next page)

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202.862.5800 www.aei.org 6

(continued from the previous page)
Q: Which do you think is more important . . . ?
To try 9/11 terror suspects in an open trial in civilian court
so the world can see how the American system works 35%
To try 9/11 terror suspects in military courts to
better assure security of trials 59
Note: In a January 2010 CBS News/New York Times poll, 39 percent said they would rather have the suspects accused of involvement in the
September 11 terrorist attacks put on trial in the federal court system, while 55 percent preferred a military tribunal set up for that purpose.
Source: Quinnipiac, February 2010.

Iraq and Afghanistan

Q: Do you think . . . ?
February 2010 October 2009
The U.S. is doing the right thing by fighting
the war in Afghanistan now 56% 52%
The U.S. should not be involved in Afghanistan now 37 37
Source: Quinnipiac, latest that of February 2010.

Q: Do you . . . ?
Favor the U.S. war in Afghanistan 47%
Oppose 52

Favor the U.S. war in Iraq 39%

Oppose 60
Source: CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, January 2010.

Q: Regardless of what you think about the original decision to use military force in Iraq, do you now believe that the
United States will . . . ?
December 2009 August 2006
Definitely succeed in achieving its goals in Iraq 11% 14%
Probably succeed 52 40
Probably fail 22 28
Definitely fail 7 12
Note: August 2006 questions asked of a half sample.
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, latest that of December 2009.

Q: How well is the U.S. military effort in Iraq going? Q: Barack Obama has announced that he will remove
Very well 10% most U.S. troops from Iraq by August of this year but
Fairly well 45 keep 35 thousand to 50 thousand troops in that coun-
Not too well 24 try longer than that. Do you . . . ?
Not at all well 12 Favor this plan 62%
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, December 2009. Oppose 36
Source: CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, January 2010.

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202 .862.5800 www.aei.org 7
 Health Care: What Now?
In the January issue of Political Report, we looked at health care trends from five survey organizations. The updated data can be
found here. In all the polls, President Obama lost ground on handling health care reform since the summer, and the Republi-
cans in Congress gained a little ground. Opinion on the proposals themselves has moved hardly at all since the summer.
In January and February 2010 polls, people said they didn’t want to “give up” on health care reform. In a February
Pew poll, however, a bare majority—51 percent—said Congress should pass nothing and leave the current system as it is;
46 percent said Congress should keep working. Pluralities told CBS News/New York Times and Gallup that the president
had spent too much time on the effort. And solid majorities said the proposed changes were too complicated and, sepa-
rately, too expensive.

Q: Do you think . . . ? Q: Do you think President Obama and Congress

Lawmakers in Washington should keep should . . . ?
trying to pass a comprehensive Continue to try to pass a health overhaul plan 52%
health care reform plan 63% Give up and go on to other things 44
Should give up on comprehensive health Source: Quinnipiac, February 2010.
care reform 34
Source: ABC News/Washington Post, January 2010.

Q: What do you think President Obama and the Q: If you had to choose, would prefer that . . . ?
Democrats in Congress should do now concerning a Congress keep working on a health bill 46%
health care reform bill–should they . . . ? Congress pass nothing and leave the current
Continue to try to pass the health care bill system as it is 51
now being worked out by Democrats Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, February 2010.
in the House and Senate 39%
Suspend work on the current health care bill
the House and Senate are working on
and consider alternative bills that can
receive more Republican support 55
Source: Gallup/USA Today, January 20, 2010.

Q: Do you think . . . ? Q: Do you think the proposed changes to the health care
Barack Obama is spending too much time system are . . . ?
on changing the health care system 48% Too complicated 60%
Too little 21 Have to be this complex to accomplish
Right amount of time 28 what they are doing 35
Note: In the February Gallup poll, 41 percent said he had spent too
much time dealing with health care policy, 31 percent not enough, Too expensive 59%
and 27 percent the right amount. Cost is about right for what they are trying
Source: CBS News/New York Times, February 2010.
to do 34
Source: ABC News/Washington Post, January 2010.

Q: Now thinking about the issue of health care reform, please tell if you . . . ?
—————Approve or disapprove of the way each is handling the issue—————
Barack Obama Republicans in Congress Democrats in Congress
Approve 39% 21% 27%
Disapprove 52 63 61
Source: PSRA/Newsweek, February 2010.

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202 .862.5800 www.aei.org 8
 Poll Potpourri

Pelosi and Palin

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Q: Now I’m going to read you the names of several public figures and groups, and
and Republican vice presiden- I’d like you to rate your feelings toward each one . . . .
tial candidate Sarah Palin have Positive feelings Negative feelings
similarly high negatives today.
For Pelosi, we show a poll Nancy Pelosi
taken after she was elected 25% December 2006 23%
unanimously as speaker and 21 January 2010 45
compare it to a poll taken in
January 2010. For Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin
we look at her ratings after she 42% September 2008 36%
was nominated as vice presi- 32 December 2009 40
dent and in December 2009. Source: NBC News/Wall Street Journal, latest that of January 2010.

Obama’s Class Last Words

Q: If you were asked to use one of these names for your Q: Which of the following phrases do you wish you
social class, which would you say you belong in . . . ? could have the opportunity to say in your lifetime?
Upper class 4% Beam me up 26%
Middle class 44 I’ll take popular songs for $600 25
Working class 52 I will faithfully execute the office of president 12
You’re fired 10
Q: Now I’d like you to describe Barack Obama as a person
I’d like to thank the Academy 9
using those same classifications.Think about Obama’s per-
Source: CBS News/60 Minutes/Vanity Fair, January 2010.
sonal experiences before he became president and his
overall outlook on life rather than the lifestyle that all Q: In 50 years, which of the following will people most
presidents have while they are in the White House. Think- likely be saying about the time we’re living in now?
ing about the kind of person you believe Obama is, which
Remember when there were printed
would you say he belongs in . . . ?
newspapers? 51%
Obama belongs in the upper class 45% Remember when cars ran on gasoline? 31
Middle class 42 Remember when Florida was above-water? 6
Working class 12 Remember when men went bald? 3
Source: CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, February 2010. Remember when dating was left up
to chance? 3
Q: In general, do you think the policies of the Obama Source: CBS News/60 Minutes/Vanity Fair, January 2010.
administration . . . ?
Q: Suppose you could have the power of a super-
February April hero. Which power would you choose?
2010 2009
Ability to read people’s minds 35%
Favor the rich 22% 12% Ability to fly 21
The middle class 24 25 Ability to become invisible 19
The poor 18 15 Possess super-strength 13
Treat all groups equally 25 40 Possess X-ray vision 3
Source: CBS News/New York Times, latest that of February 2010. Source: CBS News/60 Minutes/Vanity Fair, December 2009.

1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202 .862.5800 www.aei.org 9