Poll: Obama gets thumbs down all over

The rollout of the Affordable Care Act and President Obama's infamous vow that if you if you like the health care plan you've got you can keep it has turned Obama into George Bush.

Not literally of course. But a new national poll released Tuesday has Obama's approval ratings falling "to the level of former President George W. Bush at the same period of his Presidency," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

And Obama doesn't have two wars to blame.

Said the Qunnipiac poll: American voters disapprove 54 - 39 percent of the job Obama is doing, his lowest approval rating in any Quinnipiac University national poll since he became president. Even women disapprove 51 - 40 percent.

Disapproval is 58 – 37 percent among men, 91 – 6 percent among Republicans and 63 – 30 percent among independent voters. Democrats approve 79 – 14 percent. White voters disapprove 62 – 32 percent while black voters approve 75 – 15 percent and Hispanic voters disapprove by a slim 47 – 41 percent margin. 

A hilarious Saturday Night Live skit a couple of weeks ago featuring actress Kerry Washington had black support for Obama at 93 percent - and that was a drop. But this poll shows more cracks in black support than pundits - or comedians - have taken note of. Fifty-seven percent were dissatisfied with the direction of the country.

The Quinnipiac poll shows voters in every income and age group disapprove of the job Obama is doing, with the biggest disapproval, 59 – 36 percent, among voters over 65 years old. 

As critical for Obama, for the first time the majority of voters don't think the president is honest: American voters say 52 - 44 percent that Obama is not honest and trustworthy. His previous lowest marks on honesty were May 30, when 49 percent of voters said he was honest and 47 percent said he wasn't.

Obama's dumpster ratings can be tracked mostly to the health care law, which is unpopular with people of all ideological stripes. Many liberals though didn't think the law went far enough and preferred a single-payer plan while most conservatives don't want the law and have worked for its repeal. 

This poll shows Americans divided 46-47 percent on whether the president "knowingly deceived" the public when he said people could keep their existing health care plans if they wished.

Voters also support 73-20 percent extending the March 31, 2014 deadline for signing up for coverage without fixing penalty.

The poll didn't ask whether the law should be changed to honor the pledge to let people keep the insurance plans they liked that insurance companies cancelled because they did not meet the basics of the Affordable Care Act - something Obama hinted at on a recent TV appearance and that former President Bill Clinton and others are now urging. Whether Congress - even though politicians on both sides of the aisle say the support the change - would approve it is an open question. Bipartisan efforts tend to die in the GOP-dominated House.

A Weekly Standard piece, "Why It's Not Too Late for the Keep Your Health Care Plan Act" does provide some insights into what could happen. Stay tuned.