Governor Snyder’s Ratings Plummet Further: 50 Percent Disapprove of His Performance
On March 3, 2011 A2Politico posted a piece about a poll conducted by the Freep in which it was reported that 27 percent of Michigan voters polled disapproved of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s performance. In particular, during his first two months in office, Snyder had lost the confidence of independents and Democrats who had supported his candidacy in November 2010.
According to the early-March 2011 poll reported by the Detroit Free Press:
“The huge popularity Snyder had in polls taken in late January sank considerably. Forty-four percent view Snyder favorably, and 27% view him unfavorably. In January, 59% viewed him favorably and 8% unfavorably. That was after Republican Snyder’s inauguration and his well-received State of the State address. Since then, he presented his budget plan Feb. 17, which features a sweeping reduction of business taxes and higher taxes for many individuals.”
That poll of 600 Michigan residents was conducted by EPIC/MRA of Lansing. Bernie Porn works for EPIC and had this to say about the results: “Voters’ assessment of Snyder appears to have shifted quickly and sharply. The shift was most pronounced among Democrats and independents, who apparently don’t share the governor’s view that his budget and tax plan represent shared sacrifice. Snyder’s favorable rating among independents fell from 40% in January to 26%.”
On March 22, 2011, the Detroit News is reporting that a new poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling, which surveyed 502 Michigan voters from March 18-20, found that Snyder’s approval rating had fallen sharply in just two weeks. Half of the voters surveyed disapproved of the Michigan Governor’s job performance. Officials at the polling company told the Detroit News that the margin of error for the survey was plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
Snyder responded to news of growing voter dissatisfaction in his job performance somewhat predictably. He was quoted as saying, “What mattered was what happened in November and I’m following through on what I campaigned on. I’m proud to say I said a number of things in the campaign and I’m following through. I believe over time the citizens of Michigan are going to be right there with me.”
Over time the citizens of Michigan are going to be right there with me? Seriously? Where would that be, exactly? In the top 1/2 of one percent income bracket? Not likely. Right there with the Governor who cuts money to K-12 education and sends his kid to a private school? Private school is pricey for people who earn $40,000 per year. Right there revoking health care benefits for just a single class of state workers and not all state workers?
As I wrote on March 3, 2011:
Would I be A2Politico if I didn’t once again say we have lots of Ann Arbor Democrats to thank for Snyder’s success? Ann Arbor’s Democratic state Senator Rebekah Warren was positively glowing when she got to lead Snyder to the podium the evening he delivered his state of the State address. She burbled to the media about how great it will be to spread the “successes” of Ann Arbor SPARK—investigative reporting to the contrary by the Detroit Free Press and the Mackinaw Center be damned.
There is a movement afoot to recall Governor Rick Snyder, which can be done, legally, after he has served six months in office.
@Joe this argument that work-for-hire increases a state’s ability to attract business is a pretty hot debate at the moment. I’m glad you brought it up, as I am of several minds about it. The idea that unions are the most serious roadblock to business locating in any state is difficult to swallow considering that the number of unionized workers today is at its lowest level ever. What I think Texas has is lots of migrant workers who will take low-to moderate-pay jobs and be content.
I’m working on a piece about an economic forecast made for our county where by two U of M researchers predicted the county would add 8000 jobs between 2010-2013. Sounds great, right?
I studied their research and realized that 46 percent of the jobs they predicted would be created will pay less than $45K, and a good percentage will pay less than $35K. That’s not enough to buy a house. Those are entry-level, service jobs.
In my day job, I analyze education policy. I think Michelle Rhee is right on track. Pay the best teachers six figures and get rid of the teachers who are not performing. Welcome to life as most of the working public lives it. Seniority has no place in determining which teachers should be retained.
As for pay, again, it’s not the salaries. It’s the pension and health care that are dragging down the Districts and the state.
Wow, I did not know that the teachers in Michigan are the best compensated in the country (http://www.mackinac.org/12781). We really could be paying good teachers $150K!
I’m curious, Georgia, like Texas, is a Right to Work state yet Atlanta has been losing jobs. Whereas Texas has been gaining companies and jobs left and right. Is Snyder looking to Texas for Michigan? I know Texas puts less money into public schools but if Snyder can in the same vain rattle the schools and do a Michelle Rhee and start paying the real performers $150K, that could be a win-win for all.
Oh, I think the $250K that Finney gets comes without benefits and is short term.
Joe, what Snyder is doing is not about the budget. His tax break for biz/take hike on working poor and seniors is a wash, right? It’s a 1:1 switch. He is not cutting programs like the MEDC which independent media, such as the Detroit News, found is not creating large numbers of jobs in exchange of the huge amount of money wasted.
He hired Mike Finney from SPARK and paid him a giant salary, while stumping around the state that there must be “shared sacrifice” and saying that public employee pay is a problem.
A look at Snyder’s web site and it was clear he said little to nothing while he ran for office. He had his “10 Points” that were politibabble. He relied on happy-speak, “I’m a positive person,” and voters were desperate enough to latch on to it.
As he ran Ann Arbor SPARK (take money from schools to give to businesses that didn’t create promised jobs and create jobs for friends, exaggerate “results”), so we can expect Rick Snyder to try to run the state.
Yes, the budget needs to be balanced. That’s not anything new. What he’s proposing is leadership that England saw under King John. The rich are getting richer, and the middle and lower classes are falling further and further behind.
A recall will do what to fix the budget?
I think the energy fighting a single person instead of the policy is likely to allow a pendulum to swing further than if policy where confronted and mitigated. Of course if the pendulum does swing further, he is then likely to get a second term for his success. Just sayin’.