Obama’s approval rating among college students drops

By: Lauren Rovira / Contributing Writer

In 2009, college students nationwide held a 60% approval rating of President Barack Obama’s actions in office — a number which has dropped significantly.

An Associated Press poll conducted last month which surveyed 2,027 randomly selected undergraduate students ages 18-24 showed that currently 44% of students support President Obama and 27% are unhappy with his overall performance.

“I feel there was a lot of hype about him, but he has failed to make significant change,” said Juan Ledesma, a junior at the University. A general loss of fervor for the “change” campaign has ensued among many students.

“He had us riding on his hope and change bandwagon, but he didn’t pull through,” said Nick Hart, a junior majoring in psychology. “There’s been no change, just more of the same.”

Frustration with Obama’s handling of the economy, the progression of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, social reform befitting this generation’s openness, health reform, importunate unemployment and the continuing existence of Guantanamo Bay, has dimmed collegiate approval for President Obama.

“I think Obama ran on a platform of radical change. For mitigating reasons he’s not been able to deliver… I disapprove of his actions on the war,” said Brian Bonilla, a freshman at the university. “He declares it ‘over,’ but says he wants to maintain troops overseas,”

The declining percentage of student support also comes from the feeling that Obama has unsuccessfully procured his ends despite his administration holding a mostly democratic Congress.

“Yes, he has to deal with Congress, but he was holding a majority. I don’t get it,” said William Sanchez, a political science major. Maximiliam Staedtler, an international student from Germany majoring in international business, also expressed his disappointment.

“He’s off track. He’ll lose many seats, but this might make him focus more on obtaining his prior goals,” said Staedtler. However, the effect of dismayed students not going out to vote in the upcoming midterm elections may not take such a considerable toll on the party’s dominance of Congress.

“People that don’t vote, just don’t vote,” said Kathryn Depalo, an undergraduate adviser in the Politics and International Relations department.

Michael Santana, president of the College Democrats at the University explained: “This is a midterm election not a presidential [election]…yes democrats will lose numerous seats, maybe even the house, but not the Senate.”

College Democrats Vice President Donovan Dawson reaffirmed that there may be negative setbacks in the midterm elections, and went on to describe the general air of resentment as a product of pessimism.

“I think that many people who supported the President have become cynical and may have abandoned him because he hasn’t been able to enact the changes that he promised as fast as he would like to,” Dawson said. On campus, there still remain those that are faithful in the current administration.

“He said he’d reform healthcare, and remove troops from Iraq and he did. He’s more or less kept his word,” Oliver Ljustina, biology major, said. Obama, however, remains popular among college students despite the overall waning enthusiasm from the AP poll and upcoming midterm elections will determine the sway of political power in the legislative branch.

“Many fail to realize that although the Presidency is a powerful position, its only one branch of government that must co-exist with the other two in order to ensure the preservation of our republic,” Dawson said.

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