President Obama’s second term is starting to wind down and talk of the 2016 elections is already under way. As the start of a new year is often the time for both planning and reflection, we were curious to know how our users would rate the president’s job performance in office thus far.
In a recent survey conducted by the Military Times, just 15% of active duty military service members gave the president a favorable performance rating.
Do federal employees’ views of the president’s job performance correspond with active duty military? Nearly all of our readers are current or former federal workers who indirectly work for the president, so we were curious how they would rate his job performance to date.
70% of respondents to this survey indicated they were current federal employees and 28% identified as retired federal workers.
The survey results were recorded as follows:
How would you rate the president’s overall job performance?
- Excellent: 13%
- Good: 14%
- Fair: 10%
- Poor: 63%
Who did you vote for in the last election?
- Obama: 34%
- Romney: 55%
- Other: 7%
- I did not vote: 4%
The majority of survey respondents identified themselves as independent voters. 42% said they were independent, 29% were Republican, and 21% were Democrat.
Respondents left a variety of comments on a broad spectrum of issues. A sampling of some of the hundreds of comments we received are included below.
- He lost my support due to the government furlough when government employees were forced to take the blame for country’s entire deficit. I do not believe that 800k workers should have had to give up so much. We need a President who will help his own first.
- President Obama and the Congress are out of control, they are not doing their job for the people. Our government was founded on the principle of “For the people, by the people.” It is time they made their agenda what the people as a whole want; not their personal agenda.
- I personally believe the President is responsible for our low standing in the world. Our economy is in the tank and he will not allow the Keystone pipeline that would help tremendously. His executive orders are defiant to what the Constitution requires.
- Best President in this country’s history… He did the right things for the right reasons…and he has enabled the least of us to have medical care…
- I feel he did the best he could under the circumstances. If the American people would learn to look beyond skin color and do the work that God put them on this earth to do, this country would be a better place to live. Politicians have to learn to put their personal agendas off the table and put the citizens they serve in front of them.
- My poor rating was determined on the flexiblity of the President to work with congress. I also feel the Senate and House rate a Poor rating for the same reason. Elected Officials no longer have citizens interests in mind; only furthering their financial worth.
- Nobody could fix all the problems that accunulated. President Obama has done a good job, considering the circumstances when he took office. I applaud him.
- He has spent too much time focusing on social issues and promoting himself and his failed policies. I wish he would spend more time on our economy, supporting our military, and less time on the golf course or hanging out with celebrities. Very disappointed with his lack of work ethic and his lack of understanding of economics.
- Obama has generally failed in many aspects as President and leader of his party, as the 2014 election shows. I never thought – and honestly I always hoped – that I’d never see a President as bad as Jimmy Carter in my lifetime. Obama has been worse in any measurable category.
- Bush left USA in a terrible MESS. It has taken the current administration years to pull USA back onto firm financial ground, pulling us out of wars, and trying to engage USA in Asian sphere of trade. I didn’t think the Democrats could do it, but OBAMA did it. I pray the Republicans can pull it together and keep USA headed in right directions.
- It is my opinion that Obama will go down in history as not only the worst president but more importantly the most detrimental to America and how we are looked upon by others. In addition (my opinion), he should be impeached and removed from office before he can continue to destroy America and what we stand for.
- As I look at the state of the country, I can see economic growth, lower unemployment and a glimmer of hope for us here in America. However, I am not particularly surprised by the lack of support for him and I believe it is because of his skin tone.
- Presidents should not act as if the office of the Presidency is all about them by routinely ignoring the will of the people. Threatening to use a phone and pen to pass laws is usurping the Constitution and is an abuse of power. Threatening to veto legislation that has bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress and the support of the American people by a wide margin, rings of tyranny to further one’s own political agenda.
- I respect the office but not the man. He is the laughing stock of the rest of the world and dangerous because he does not support our friends; But the muslim countries have his support; he does not support or believe in the constitution but creates his own rules; His agenda is to hire as many people that are incompetent in order to destroy America, the military, the middle class, and increase the welfare rolls.
- Obama has brought a long awaited start to health care for all. Seems better than the Republicans taking us to war, increasing the debt and helping the rich get richer.
- Obama is not a leader and has brick by brick turned this into a socialist country where half the population pays no taxes but wants more and more free stuff at the expense of taxpayers.
- He is not a true leader. He has increased the racial devide, not helped. When he had the house and senate were controlled by the Dems, he still couldn’t get much done. Now, he will veto every bill that will move this country forward–more stalemate. I personally lean to the middle, think this president has done little to help this country.
Thanks to our users for taking the time to share their feedback and comments on this subject.
