Obama Sees Rising Approval Ratings, Lacks Fiscal Clout

While President Barack Obama enjoys approval ratings of 54 percent, he still lacks the fiscal clout he’d like to have going in to 2012. 

A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey indicated that Obama’s relatively high approval rating can be credited to support of his handling of foreign policy. Obama only enjoyed margins over 50 percent in his handling of three of eleven categories; terrorism and the situations in both Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Among the issues Obama failed in, the federal deficit and gas prices are the two that yielded the lowest approval ratings with 34 and 25 percent, respectively. 

Obama’s low fiscal ratings are coupled with tedious negotiations lawmakers have been going through to find wiggle room for compromise as the nation’s August 2 debt deadline looms. 

In an effort to perhaps, ease the tension between Democrats and Republicans, Obama will court the GOP in a Wednesday visit with the House Republican caucus. Following his visit with House GOP’ers, the president will meet with his own party Thursday, but it remains uncertain as to whether these meetings will help generate compromise or fall flat.

Considering the House and Senate are controlled by opposing parties, they’re schedules have not been the most conducive for hashing out a deal. This week, while the House is in, the Senate is out, leaving some of the vital players in the Biden-led fiscal negotiations away from talks, making a complex issue even more complicated.