President Obama’s 2008 victory came with a hidden cost that weighs more heavily upon his presidency each day. The platitude-ridden and light-on-specifics campaign of “Yes We Can!” left Obama without a genuine mandate for his ambitious left-wing agenda. The result is now making itself felt as independent voters turn sharply against him 18 months into his presidency. Only 38 percent of them now approve of his performance, according to the latest Gallup poll.
Having watched Obama ram through various pieces of unpopular legislation — most notably his health care bill — and having seen the effects of his ineffectual but expensive stimulus package, American voters are showing signs they feel tricked. The same electorate that chose Obama two years ago in a sound majority vote is now rejecting each of his agenda items in survey after survey and threatening to return Republicans to the majority in at least one house of Congress.
