President Joe Biden has made his bid for a second term in 2024 official, and the first big news following the announcement is his latest approval rating released by Gallup. It shows Biden’s approval reaching a new low in his presidency – 37%.
But let’s take a quick look at history before Republicans start celebrating.
Gallup shows Biden’s approval rating average for the latest quarter of his presidency, his ninth, at 39.7%. Gallup also shows where each president post-World War II stood in approval at the same time in their presidency.
The highest was President George H.W. Bush, whose ninth quarter average stood at 82.7%. The lowest was President Ronald Reagan, whose ninth quarter average stood at 38.8%.
But despite President George H.W. Bush soaring in the polls in his ninth quarter, a year and half later, he was defeated in his reelection bid by challenger Bill Clinton. And Reagan, despite tanking in approval ratings in his ninth quarter, went on a year and half later to recapture the presidency, defeating challenger Walter Mondale, in a massive landslide victory in which Reagan captured 49 of 50 states.
What lessons might be learned?
One, of course, is that political life is highly volatile and predicting what will be from one moment to the next is almost impossible. So, the lesson regarding predicting what will be in 2024 is that it is far too early to know – regardless of what polls say.
A second lesson might be the importance that candidates are honest and true to their stated convictions. Don’t tell voters what you think they want to hear. Tell them what you believe is true.
Bush pledged in 1988 at the Republican nominating convention “no new taxes.” Then, early into his presidency, he agreed to a budget deal with Democrats that included tax increases. Many believe his failure to get reelected stemmed from his betrayal of this pledge to his party.
Reagan, on the other hand, never budged an inch off his plans, promises and principles.
He was elected in 1980 during terrible economic conditions of so-called stagflation – high inflation and low economic growth. Reagan knew tough medicine had to be delivered to turn things around. His Federal Reserve chairman, Paul Volcker, clamped down on money to get inflation under control, despite this plunging the economy into recession.
Meanwhile, Reagan shepherded through major legislation to cut spending and taxes.
The recession resulting from the bitter monetary medicine clobbered Reagan in the polls. But he weathered the storm, refusing to budge on principles. And it paid off. The medicine worked, the economy bounced back in a major way, and Reagan won a landslide reelection victory.
The Republican field of candidates for 2024 is growing.
The difference between Democrats and Republicans today is that among Democrats, there is unity. There are, of course, legitimate concerns among Democrats about Biden’s age. But there is no question regarding support for what he stands for. Even socialist Bernie Sanders, who opposed him the 2020 primaries, has endorsed him.
Democrats don’t care about fiscal and moral profligacy. They like it and are not afraid to say it. This is who they are.
But Republicans continue to be all over the place despite the very deep, clear and, yes, dangerous problems confronting the nation.
We are drowning in government spending and debt with sluggish economic growth. Our big entitlement programs – Social Security and Medicare – are broken. Making them bigger with more government is not the answer. Real reform is. Our public education system is broken. We need parental choice. And our families are broken. We need real love, personal responsibility, traditional values and reverence for the sanctity of life.
The biggest favor that can be done for American voters is to offer them a clear choice between liberal and conservative visions in 2024. Democrats are doing their part. It’s time for Republicans to step up.
Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.”
COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM
Yes totally agree. Republican candidates need to step forward and totally speak their mines and not be afraid of being ridiculed. Stand up for conservative values and do what they say they are going to do and not cave in to criticism. A lot of people don’t like President Trump for his arrogance but what he promised he got done and at least when I went to sleep at I felt safe.
In theory, the American people should be selecting their Presidents based on the plans and proposals they put forth to the American people to improve the country in several key areas of importance to the national well-being. At least that is the theory and hope, as that is the sane and rational way of choosing who would be POTUS. However, history has frequently shown us all that many people view voting as sort of a glorified popularity contest akin to class president in grade school. Where the individual is chosen based on how they look, sound, what they promise to give away for free or what the MSM tells the public that they should vote for.
That kind of explains why Biden, who was completely unfit to be POTUS when he was running back in 2019 and 2020 and is even more so today, still manages to have an approval rating above zero. I’ll leave the whole ballot manipulation factor out of this for now, as that has been covered by so many before. So while I completely agree with the author, that we must offer a clear and sharp contrast between the numerous failed policies of the Democrats over the last 2 years and the long list of successes, despite constant obstructions over the previous 4 years, we have to find a way to get through to people who have a much different way of choosing who they vote for. Typically, most Republican politicians are terrible at messaging, so that has to be addressed if we are going to have any chance of changing hearts and minds. The solution remains what it has always been. Republican politicians have to articulate a clear, concise and unambiguous contrast between what Republican policies will do for the United States versus what Democrat policies will continue to deliver.
The Democrat perspective of the Presidency as being akin to Santa Claus showering unlimited “free gifts” with zero consequences clearly is unsustainable as we will now be adding nearly $2 trillion to the national debt each and every year going forward with the new federal baseline budget framework. That is unless the country is prepared to live with ever-escalating inflationary price pressures and an increasingly stagnant national economy. All to fulfill the left’s fantasies. The discussion really boils down to a return to economic growth, national security and safety versus continuing to commit a slow and deliberate national suicide.
If Bejing Biden comes even close to winning the next POTUS election, it means the voting system needs a huge over hall and some hard criteria laws about how elections are conducted. If it should happen that Joe Hidin’ Biden comes even close to winning any election in the future, it is a clarion sign that the electoral system is not functioning properly and honestly to produce a result that represents the will of the citizenry. I personally think it is going to take a strict Constitutional amendment with some real “teeth” in it to fix it so the DemocRats cannot rig elections as they have been doing in many places since the end of the Civil War. At present I don’t believe there is enough courage and dedication in the American voter and the present staff of elected officials fpr that to happen. And I plea, “God save American.” ,.. for Americans seem to be unable to fix it.
based on the # of responses (4) it seems no one really cares
Really: 50 percent of American voters don’t care
about anything but whats in it for me. Of the remaining 50 percent, 25 percent are what I call “feel good” voters. Never mind the facts, I vote for whoever makes me feel good by their TV adds. The remaining 25 percent care but are not enough to make a difference . Thus, the 2024 election is over. And, if anyone thinks the Republican leadership can reverse these percentages, then continue smoking. I for one will not reward the do nothing Republicans with my
money!!