United States President Barack Obama’s job approval rating continued its downward spiral on Friday, dropping to 43% while his disapproval rating soared to 50%, according to a new opinion poll.
The survey, commissioned jointly by the New York Times and CBS News, also showed that 39% of Americans say the economy is fairly bad, and another 47% say the economy is very bad — the highest percentage since April 2009.
Only 13% say the economy is fairly good and just 1% say it is very good, according to the poll.
In addition, 72% of Americans think the country is on the wrong track — the highest percentage so far since the president took office in 2009.
Just 23% think the country is currently heading in the right direction, the survey showed. And only 34% approve of the way the president has handled the economy, with 57% disapproving.
On the issue of job creation, 40% approve of Obama’s performance and 53% disapprove, the pollsters found.
The survey showed Americans were divided about the present’s latest $446-billion plan to spur job creation in the country.
Forty-eight percent of those polled say they are somewhat or very confident that Obama’s proposals will create jobs and stimulate the economy. But about as many people — 47% — say they are not sure his plan will do that.
Just one in four Americans thinks Obama has made real progress fixing the economy, with 68% saying they do not think he has, according to the survey.
This poll conducted among a random sample of 1 452 adults nationwide September 10 to September 15 had a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points. — AFP