Gasoline is at $3.00/gallon and the value of real estate is falling pretty fast.

I don’t think George Bush or Congress has much to do with either, but either way, approval numbers are bound to reflect the situation.

The high cost of gas and oil, and the falling real estate market are not necessisarily bad things, but people don’t like them.

James

After that I refused to answer any more polls. I wonder “Is that why there is consistently less conservative representation in most polls?” Because you just know the result would be?

We shall begin our analysis with the source of our information: the big newspapers, or the network TV stations (herein abbreviated MSM). It may be observed that they are the source of the phrase ‘poll analyst’ – as if all this guy does is sit with a 6″ magnifying glass peering at poll results, and phoning in his opinions to Headquarters where they’re run up on a Scientific Meter. Well, horsebeans. He’s in the bar down the street from us, and their BS is no more perceptive nor sensitive than ours is.

We continue by focusing OUR 6″ magnifying glass (hell, let’s use the 12″ one, that proves we’re smarter) on said MSM, and applying our formidable memory meanwhile. What do we learn? That for a period of time unprecedented in US history (almost TWO FULL TERMS), said MSM has relentlessly devoted most of its communications talents and more than half its page space and broadcast time into pouring scorn, spite, disdain, outrage, hate, opposition and treachery over all actions, hopes and policies of the Bush Administration.

I defy anyone to demonstrate that any other Administration (including Nixon’s) has faced such prolonged and concerted opprobrium from the folks who ‘inform’ us of current events.

Our conclusion is clear: public opinion being heavily influenced by said MSM, by which the population receives most of its daily information about world events, the MSM may take a bow and claim the credit for those largely manufactured low ratings.

The MSM must also bear some responsibility for undermining the whole concept of democracy through its ultra-cynical manipulation of public opinion, and the resulting lack of esteem that all of our elected representatives now bear.

This is not a good thing.

I agree with you, a very large part of Bush’s problems seem directly tied to his poor communication skills.

Hopefully the next President will realize that running the White House like a corporation just doesn’t work. The administration needs to provide information, not try to spin things to look good… with the advent of the Internet, that sort of stuff doesn’t fly any longer.