US President Joe Biden’s approval ratings have taken a massive hit in recent months, and now stand lower than they ever were for his predecessor, Donald Trump.
And that is saying something. During his four turbulent years in the Oval Office, Donald Trump was impeached twice. However, due to a number of factors, Joe Biden’s approval numbers have dipped to 36 per cent, one point lower than Trump’s worst rating, within 18 months of being sworn in.
According to CNBC’s July All America Economic Survey, rising prices and a general sense of gloom have sent public approval of Biden’s fiscal management hurtling to 30 per cent, the lowest in his presidency. This is a far cry from Trump’s lowest ever economic approval rating of 41 per cent.
Even Barack Obama, who became President amidst the 2008 financial crisis, had enjoyed better economic standing — the worst being 37 per cent in his eight-year term, the CNBC report states.
Among survey participants, 51 per cent believe Biden’s efforts to combat inflation are making no difference, and 30 per cent think they are actually making things worse. Just 12 per cent say they are helping.
Biden’s popularity has been on a downward trajectory for months now. A poll conducted by CNN shows that among Democrats, the party Biden belongs to, the President’s approval numbers have plummeted by 13 points since the spring to 73 per cent now, while remaining unchanged for the most part among Republicans and Independents.
Biden’s approval rating among Democrats for handling the economy is also on the decline, sliding to 62 per cent from 71 per cent earlier this year. On inflation, only 51 per cent of Democrats approve of Biden’s troubleshooting, or lack thereof.
“Overall, just 12 per cent strongly approve of the way Biden is handling the presidency compared with 43 per cent who say they strongly disapprove of his work. Only 28 per cent of Democrats strongly approve, while among Republicans, strong disapproval is nearly universal at 84 per cent,” CNN Polling Director Jennifer Agiesta writes.
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GLOOMY ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Americans are deeply discontent with Biden over his handling of pressing issues like the state of the economy and skyrocketing inflation. As food and fuel prices hit record highs, many fear a recession is looming on the horizon.
The CNBC poll found that 52 per cent believe the economy will get worse over the next year. Just 22 per cent believe it will improve, while more than 6 out of 10 of those polled expect a recession in the next 12 months. It’s the “worst economic outlook” recorded in the 15-year history of the survey, Agiesta says.
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WHAT’S WEIGHING DOWN AMERICANS?
Runaway inflation is by far the top concern in the US. Of those surveyed by CNN, 75 per cent highlighted an issue related to the cost of living, including 38 per cent who mentioned inflation and rising costs generally, 29 per cent who mention gas prices, and 18 per cent who mention the cost of food.
Likewise, in the CNBC poll, inflation garnered twice as many votes as the next response: abortionwhich was presented as a survey option for the first time. That was followed by crime, immigration and border security, jobs, and climate change. The coronavirus ranked last.
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