Rasmussen also found a Republican edge on many other issues.
Democrats led Republicans 41 percent to 38 percent on education -- but the
GOP led 49 percent to 40 percent on national security, 40 percent to 34
percent on immigration, 46 percent to 39 percent on abortion, 34 percent to
33 percent on ethics and corruption, and -- get this -- 42 percent to 37
percent on Social Security.
When Republicans are winning on Social Security, it's bad news
for the Democrats.
Most ominous for Obama is the GOP lead on the economy, taxes and
immigration, and the party's parity on health-care reform. The issues that
will dominate the next few months are all working for the Republicans.
It's amazing how quickly Obama has lost his lead. His ratings
had fallen steeply after his inauguration. Most polls had his job-approval
dropping 13 points in his first three months. But then his numbers revived
with the adulatory coverage at his first-100-days mark. Buoyed by hopes of a
swift recovery, voters and the stock market gave him a break, and his
ratings and the Dow rose sharply.
But since April, he has been dropping fast -- and his alarming
losses on his central agenda issues portend further declines.
Congressional elections are still more than a year off, but
Obama needs strong approval ratings to steer his legislative package through
Congress. If he's sagging in the low 40s or high 30s by the fall, he
probably won't be able to persuade moderate Democratic senators to walk the
plank and vote for cap-and-trade, health-care reform, higher taxes or an
immigration amnesty.
His chief legislative achievements, in other words, may already
be behind him.