Good question…

…from John Arivosis…

Why do we poll Americans on issues about which they haven't a clue?

Maybe because there'd be so little to ask so many of them about otherwise.

Worth repeating.

Mike Lux...

The polling business is far more of an art than a science, is easily manipulated, and is open to as many interpretations as there are people looking at the polls.

Another note for the "Don't panic" file.

One of these things…

…is not like the other. McClatchy...

WASHINGTON — On health care, the war in Afghanistan, civil liberties and the economy, President Barack Obama is meeting growing resistance from the very group that propelled his election last year: liberal Democrats.

Public Policy Polling...

Our new poll suggests that liberal unhappiness with Barack Obama is still largely anecdotal and not very widespread. His approval rating with liberal Democrats is 95%, with only 3% disapproving of him.

And does anyone really believe there are enough liberal Democrats in America to propel anyone to victory? I wish there were, but if I got that wish we'd all be busy bitching about President Kucinich's inability to get single payer through the Senate, or impeaching President Edwards for being a cad, or wondering what the hell President Gravel was talking about.

The kids are alright.

I wish more of their elders had as much sense. Via Political Wire...

A new national poll by Harvard's Institute of Politics finds 58% of America's 18-29 year-olds approve of President Obama's job performance generally but disapprove of his handling of specific issues including the economy (52% disapprove), health care (52% disapprove) and Afghanistan (55% disapprove).

I, too, "disapprove" of President Obama's handling of specific issues. I wish his economic program had started with a greater emphasis on job creation. I wish his health care program had started with a push for single payer. I wish the withdrawal from Afghanistan had started six months ago rather than eighteen months from now.

Best as I recall, though, there wasn't a candidate on the November ballot who offered any of those positions. At least this administration has actually noticed that there's an unemployment problem and is taking some steps to directly address it. At least there's some movement toward a more comprehensive and accessible health insurance system. At least there's some acknowledgement that wars have to end someday. That's all progress that, in general, I approve of.

Of course, there's a group of folks out there who disagree with the President on each of those issues because they think he's going too far in every instance. That's the major problem with "approve/disapprove" polling. It doesn't mean anything unless you know why.

At any rate, this is pretty encouraging news. I imagine that a poll of 68-79 year olds might produce a different result, but a lot of those folks are going to be somewhat less engaged a couple of years or so out than the youngsters. There's still reason for hope.