In South Dakota, where the Republican controlled legislative branch passed a bill banning all abortion and then signed by Republican Governor Mike Rounds, the Governor is starting to feel the effects of the ban.
On February 13, 2006, the governor's approval was at 72% with only a 28% disapproval rating. These are numbers that are the dream of any elected official. These numbers have been consistent since the same time last year (tracking points).
But only a month after signing the bill, his approval dropped to 58% approval and 38% disapproval. Such a large drop will give any pro-life governor significant pause in ever singing a similar bill in another state. Especially, when the drop is in a state that is overwhelmingly pro-life.
So, not only has he signed a bill that will almost surely be overturned by the courts, he has damaged his ability to function in every other aspect of governance. This all for nothing strategy often employed by the Bush administration does nothing more than to polarize and inhibit the ability of good governance and energizes the opposition to take on the controlling party in every form.
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2 comments:
While I think the South Dakota bill is incredibly stupid, I don't think approval numbers are all that, and if they are, they shouldn't be. I think the political system has entirely too short of a view of things as it is, and the stressing of approval numbers just makes an intolerable problem worse.
I think it will give others pause though regardless of if poll numbers are all that or not.
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