A majority of U.S. adults feel Biden has not accomplished much: Poll
Just 36 percent of U.S. adults think President Biden has accomplished a "great deal" or "a good amount" since taking office, a new poll from The Washington Post and ABC News has found. Sixty-two percent of Americans think the president has accomplished "not very much" or "little to nothing."
The less-than-deal results come as Biden prepares to deliver his 2023 State of the Union address, at which he will highlight his administration's achievements thus far, including the bipartisan infrastructure law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the bipartisan gun safety package. When asked in both 2010 and 2012, 52 percent of adults felt that former President Barack Obama had accomplished "not much" or "little to nothing" during his first term. Former President Donald Trump's ratings were roughly the same as Biden's.
Unsurprisingly, Americans' perception of progress shifts on a partisan basis; 77 percent of Democrats believe Biden has accomplished a great or good amount, while 93 percent of Republicans think he has accomplished not much or little to nothing.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Perhaps some, if not all, of the dissonance between the White House and U.S. voters is due to the fact that "many of the laws [Biden] signed during the first half of his term are just now being implemented, the Post writes. To help with this, the president has created an "implementation cabinet" of administration officials "whose job is to just do nothing but let people know what we have already done," he said recently.
Still, the Post continues, "many of the laws passed in 2022 will not be fully implemented for months or years, and challenges facing consumers today — such as lingering inflation and broader economic uncertainty — could complicate the White House push to get credit for its achievements."
The poll also found that a clear majority of voters have "just some" or no confidence in Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was in January elected speaker of the House following a historic 15 votes.
The Washington Post and ABC News surveyed 1,003 adults between Jan. 27-Feb. 1, 2023. Among the full sample, results have a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Is the Gaza war tearing US university campuses apart?
Today's Big Question Protests at Columbia University, other institutions, pit free speech against student safety
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
DOJ settles with Nassar victims for $138M
Speed Read The settlement includes 139 sexual abuse victims of the former USA Gymnastics doctor
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Who will win the 2024 presidential election?
In Depth Election year is here. Who are pollsters and experts predicting to win the White House?
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Elevating Earth Day into a national holiday is not radical — it's practical'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Republicans want to silence Israel's opponents'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published