January 21, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for George W. Bush fell after this month's televised address on the Iraq war, according to two public opinion polls. In a survey by Gallup released by USA Today, 34 per cent of respondents approve of the president's performance, down three points since early January.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for George W. Bush fell after this month's televised address on the Iraq war, according to two public opinion polls. In a survey by Gallup released by USA Today, 34 per cent of respondents approve of the president's performance, down three points since early January.

A study by Opinion Dynamics released by Fox News gives Bush a 35 per cent approval rating. Bush—a Republican—earned a second four-year term in the November 2004 presidential election.

On Jan. 10, Bush introduced his new course of action for the coalition effort, declaring, "America will change our strategy to help the Iraqis carry out their campaign to put down sectarian violence and bring security to the people of Baghdad. This will require increasing American force levels. So I've committed more than 20,000 additional American troops to Iraq. The vast majority of them—five brigades—will be deployed to Baghdad. These troops will work alongside Iraqi units and be embedded in their formations."

Yesterday in his weekly radio address, Bush proposed specific reforms for the country's health care system, saying, "One of the most promising ways to make private health insurance more affordable is by reforming the federal tax code. Today, the tax code unfairly penalizes people who do not get health insurance through their job. It unwisely encourages workers to choose overly expensive, gold-plated plans. The result is that insurance premiums rise, and many Americans cannot afford the coverage they need."

Health care in the U.S. is based on a system of benefits provided by employers, as well as the Medicare and Medicaid programs which allocate health insurance for the elderly, disabled and poor. Around 45 million Americans are uninsured.

Polling Data

a) Do you approve or disapprove of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

	Jan. 14	Jan. 7	Dec. 10	Nov. 12
Approve	34%	37%	38%	33%
Disapprove	63%	59%	59%	62%

Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Jan. 12 to Jan. 14, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

b) Do you approve or disapprove of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

	Jan. 17	Dec. 6	Oct. 25	Oct. 11
Approve	35%	38%	40%	40%
Disapprove	58%	54%	53%	56%

Source: Opinion Dynamics / Fox News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 900 registered American voters, conducted on Jan. 16 and Jan. 17, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.