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Poll: Congress improving, Sacramento worsening
March 25th, 2009, 10:00 pm · 18 Comments · posted by Martin Wisckol, Politics reporter
While California voters remain disenchanted with how the state is being run, they are gaining confidence when it comes to national leaders and policies, according to the new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California.
President Barack Obama gets a 71-percent approval rating while Congress gets a 43-percent approval – up 20 points from October. The state’s U.S. senators and representatives also saw big bumps in approval, while 65 percent of the state’s voters support the $800-billion federal stimulus package.
Meanwhile, record-low approval ratings were posted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (33 percent) and the state legislature (11 percent). The legislature’s most important budget-fix measure on the May 19 ballot – the spending cap and temporary tax-hike extension of Proposition 1A – is supported by 39 percent of voters and opposed by 46 percent, with 15 percent undecided.
A 2010 ballot measure that would ease the partisanship in Sacramento by creating open primaries has the support of 59 percent of voters.
The open-primary measure would end partisan primaries, and send the top two voter getters to the general election – even if they’re from the same party. No longer will Republicans be vying to appeal to the most conservative wing in GOP districts, and Democrats to the liberal wing in Dem districts, since winning candidates will have to appeal to all voters.
This would mean a more moderate legislature, less likely to grandstand for wingnuts often decide the parties’ nominees. It also likely mean more compromise from both sides when it comes to the budget.
While Prop. 1A isn’t doing so well, some of the other May 19 ballot measures are faring better:
Prop. 1B (restores some school funding)
Yes – 44%
No – 41%
Undecided – 15%
Prop. 1C (borrow against future lottery revenue)
Yes – 37%
No – 50%
Undecided – 11%
Prop. 1D (temporary transfer of early childhood education funds to state budget)
Yes – 48%
No – 36%
Undecided – 16%
Prop. 1E (transfer of mental health funds to state budget)
Yes – 47%
No - 37%
Undecided – 16%
Prop. 1F (no pay raises to state elected officials when there’s a budget deficit)
Yes – 81%
No – 13%
Undecided – 6%
Click here to see complete results.
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DENA BUNIS, Washington bureau chief, 202-628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com
BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento correspondent, 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
JENNIFER MUIR, County government reporter, 714-796-7813 or jmuir@ocregister.com
JOEL WALSH, Washington bureau intern, 202-628-6381 or jwalsh@ocregister.com
MARTIN WISCKOL, Politics reporter, 714-285-2867 or mwisckol@ocregister.com twitter.com/MartinWisckol
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An 11% approval rating for the CA legislature…how fitting. This worthless bunch could care less about the citizens of CA, they only care about special interests and furthering their political careers. Prop 1A is getting exposed for what it really is, an additional 2 years of taxes even though it says nothing about this on the pros/cons section of the voter guide. VOTE NO ON 1A and get all these clowns out of office. If whole sale changes are not made, there will be tax increases every year for the forseeable future!
PPIC is unknown to me but I have to think that it may be a leftist blog given the approval for congress. So far congress is a mess with no little support from the people. The numbers on the Governor and the State Senate and Assembly are about right. Someone once said ” So little was done by so many” I think it went something like that! CA has much to fear when you really sit down and realize who’s actually driving this ship. Help
Vote for less taxes. This will force a more restrictive government and less of special interest programs. Have user fees increase, which I believe is a better approach.
OCR: Why don’t you post the poll ratings for 1A? Are you afraid to let everyone know?
I for one am tired of being lied to over and over. They really think we are stupid by trying to confuse us with their verbage and double speak. Vote no on 1A, we just can’t pay anymore to support the unions, teachers and illegals.
SteveR: the 1A poll results are in the body of the article, but OCR decided not to put it in bold print.
I’m confused - didn’t we recall a governor to put Arnie in? Anyone who supported that shouldn’t be complaining.
Do people realize the impact of the open primary. It is taking away our two party system. It is a way for munipulation in voting, i.e. changing partys in the primary to vote for the less favorable candidate on the other side, causing the favored candidate to loose and giving the opposition a better chance. I am afraid the focus will be 1A and this will slide by without more discussion and thought. Let me know where we can fight the open primary!!
We are in big trouble both state and federal…….
11% ? I didn’t think it would be that high. Until we reign in the $12 Billion, that we spend each year, on services and benefits for illegal immigrants, no one will vote for a tax increase. The State of California should simply refuse to pay for unfunded mandates that the Federal govt. imposes on us. Let them sue us, and get it out in the open, and expose it.
The Rasmussen Poll sees it a bit differently. The registers numbers seem to be way off in regards to the president.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
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The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 35% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty percent (30%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of +5 (see trends).
Men and women are equally likely to voice Strong Approval of the President. However, 38% of men Strongly Disapprove while just 23% of women offer such a negative assessment.
For the second straight week, 48% of all voters say that the President is doing a good or excellent job handling the economy. Thirty-three percent (33%) say he is doing a poor job in that arena (Premium Members can see data and trends).
Forty-eight percent (48%) also say the President is doing a good or excellent job on national security issues. That’s down four points from a week ago and the first time his numbers have dipped below 50% on the national security front.
The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates also available on Twitter. These numbers are based upon nightly telephone interviews and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. As a result, just over one-third of interviews for today’s update were conducted after the President’s prime-time press conference on Tuesday night.
Overall, 56% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance so far. The President’s overall ratings have been within a point of the 56% level every day but one over the past three weeks. Forty-three percent (43%) now disapprove. For more, see Obama By the Numbers.
The President earns approval from 90% of Democrats while 76% of Republicans disapprove. Those not affiliated with either major party are evenly divided (see recent demographic highlights).
I’m only surprised that the numbers aren’t lower.
Do these politicians care that they have a low approval rating? No. We keep electing them so they know they are safe no matter what the polls show.
They won’t secure the border.
They won’t stop raising taxes.
We could all vote NO on Prop 1A and other cleaverly disguised propositions that drain us dry… but we won’t. It’s easier to here and blog and complain and wait for “someone else” to change things.
“Liars, thieves & whores”
Thanks to John & Ken
Hopefully people now see what the democrats in the state legislature have been up to with their spending, spending, spending attitude without blinking an eye when they have to figure where the money is going to come from. Of course, we now get their usual answer of RAISE TAXES. I say spend within your means just like all the rest of us and we wouldn’t have these budget deficits. Don’t say “we SHOULD have x number of dollars to spend so we will spend x+ dollars”. Instead say, “we only have x amount of dollars to spend, so we can only spend x amount of dollars”
Les: I think we should be billing the other states that don’t deal with the burden of illegal immigrants. After all, it really is a national problem that has largely been ignored by the federal government. CA and a few other states are left to bear the majority of the financial burden.
And so you’se Democrats in Kahlifarnia, how’s all that HOPE and promised Obi Wan CHANGE workin out for you?
We told you so and the FARCE is only going to get worse.
May the FARCE be with you until 2012 and BEYOND!
“Approval ratings also have risen for Democratic U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (56%) and Barbara Boxer (52%), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) (49%).”
You’ve got to be kidding me!!! CA needs to stop voting for these idiots!!
TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE, Only this time no more actors we need more doers.
ITS NOT SO MUCH THE TAXES BUT THE misuse and waste. I am sick of hearing the system is broken, when if all the cogs work it cant be.
CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN ON A downward slide since PROP 13.that did not do as most were led to believe.
WHeN most cant AFFORD mini mansion house payments how can they spend enough to support the economy? no can do.
We want pretty tree lined roads for our mini mansions next to expansive parks. WHEN we gIve up investing in people and infrastructure we cant sustain for long..
Helping more poor to get to afford to spend, protect middle class and growing more small business is what expands the local economies most.
WE SENT CHINA our pollution and our profits.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT LONG TERM STABILITY AND HOW WE CAN have clean green local manufacturing of things we use every day.
WE NEED to not be cruel and end it all, but look at social services failures and stop the fast penny wise programs that recycles people. and instead invest to make most long term, stable producers and consumers.
While I’m not too happy about more taxes I am amazed at everyone that doesn’t want to pay teachers. I see it economically that to lay off the 30,000 teachers in the state will impact our local economy’s. They will not buy our services or goods we sell. That includes, cars, insurance, restaurants, and homes. Many will lose their homes because they will no longer pay their mortgage.
If you look at this as an academic issue why are you not angry with the administration/management of districts? They make generally 3 to 4 times the amount a teacher does and they are the same people who decide: who and what teachers teach.
Again I’m not happy about more taxes but I am not willing to further impact the economy or the investment into our State because of the inept legislators we have.
As someone who was fortunate enough to have worked with the Missionary Brothers of Charity shelter for families in Santa Ana, CA, the Casa de las Pobre in Tijuana, Mexico, the Orange County Sexual Assault Network in Orange, CA, Meals On Wheels home delivery program in Laguna Beach, CA, and the Gatekeeper Project of Catholic Charities in Long Beach, CA, I have become familiar with some of the challenges of those hundreds of people struggling daily along the tail ends of our society with few or no resources, and indeed, with little hope in their life.
Maintaining the status quo is not easy during times of significant financial unrest and instability. But there is one significant ballot choice that looms on the horizon that, if approved, may decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable citizens.
The May 19th, 2009, special election will allow voters to decide what will be best for those suffering from mental illness. They will decide to dismantle a program by borrowing $226.7 million dollars this year to help balance the state’s budget and would reverse significant provisions of the MHSA in the future.
The Mental Health Services Act has proven to be successful. Proposition 1E would put all of our 200,000 (6 out of 100) California citizens, who rely on public services, in not only a no-win situation but would leave them in a world of dangerous survival-of-the-fittest with few options for desperately needed care.
As President of the California Mental Health Director’s Association Wayne Clark explained, “successful community mental health programs save state dollars in health care, homelessness services, law enforcement and corrections costs over the long run.” This proposal would change the face of mental health funding for years to come.
Proposition 1E, if successful, would literally close the door on people in our community who simply would have no other options for their survival. We would return to an antiquated system where costly hospitalization, homelessness and imprisonment are the only choices for the mentally ill. The consequences would be unimaginable to these good citizens. Institutionalization would become a fact of life where choice is no longer an option for them. We will be placing our friends and family members in the unsafe position of “back to the future“ essentially turning back the clock on the remarkable progress of Prop 63 that has been made over the last five years for those in need of mental health services.
It would simply be wrong to assume that this misguided proposal can help right our financial woes by shifting our current budget problems on to the backs of those who can least afford it. Children, adults, and older citizens will no longer thrive in an environment of limited choices.
I urge everyone with vision to let people who want to improve the quality of their lives have a fair shake. All of us can help give them that chance come May 19th.
I urge a “NO” vote on Prop 1E.
James McChesney Ranson
MSW Candidate 2012
University of Southern California