The Polarization of a Nation

The "post-racial" President, the man who would take us beyond our divisions and foster a new era of bipartisanship in the country may, indeed, be on a course to unite the American people as never before in history. Unfortunately for him, though, we are uniting against him.

Rasmussen Reports reports today that the number of survey respondents who say they Strongly Disapprove of Barack Obama has reached a new record - 42%. Just 32% Strongly Approve, less than eight months into his presidency.

To put that in perspective, Rasmussen archives tell us that George W. Bush, in the final month of his second term, eight years into his presidency, hit a record high of 43% who said they Strongly Disapproved. It took eight years, two wars, countless "scandals" and relentless battering from an opposition press to achieve what Barack Obama has nearly equalled in less than 200 days, with the media in full cheerleader mode.

Coupled with the fact that 57% of all voters, and a whopping 70% of Independents, now say that they would like to replace the entire Congress, and 59% believe that members of Congress are overpaid, it's just not a good time to be part of the Washington crowd. It is telling that most of the support for Congress comes from Democrats; 69% of Republicans say that even members of their own party in Congress are out of touch with the party base.

This early in a new president's term, it is only natural for the party faithful to be stubbornly seeking out the silver lining in his many dark clouds, but there's a statute of limitations on causeless devotion. When it expires, we are going to see disapproval ratings unmatched in history.

How's that hope and change working out for you?