http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/partisan_politicsSixty-seven percent (67%) of voters nationwide believe Washington politics is likely to become more partisan over the coming year. That figure is up sharply from 55% a month ago and from 40% when President Barack Obama first took office.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 16% now believe politics will become more cooperative. That’s down from 23% a month ago and 40% when the President took office.
By a 2-to-1 margin, Democrats now expect more partisanship. A month ago, they were evenly divided. Even larger majorities of Republicans and unaffiliated voters expect more partisanship.
Fifty-one percent (51%) believe that Barack Obama is governing as a partisan Democrat while 33% say he is acting on a bi-partisan basis. Those figures have shifted little over the past month. Just over half the nation’s Democratic voters say that Obama is governing on a bi-partisan basis while a majority of Republicans and unaffiliated voters hold the opposite view.
Fifty-four percent (54%) believe that Congressional Republicans are acting on a partisan basis and 63% say the same about Congressional Democrats. Both those figures are up four points over the past month.
Fifty-eight percent (58%) say the next President after Obama is at least somewhat likely to be a Republican. That’s up from 51% a month ago and 44% when Obama took office. Just 29% now say it’s not likely that a Republican will follow President Obama.
The survey was conducted during the Congressional recess highlighted by vigorous and contentious town hall meetings. The President’s Job Approval ratings have fallen to the lowest levels of his relatively short tenure. Support for the health care reform legislation working its way through Congress has fallen to 42% and most unaffiliated voters are now opposed to the plan.