As the Senate continues to debate the deformed health care bill it is interesting to see what this debate has done to the popularity of our own Wisconsin senators. While not the exclusive issue being dealt with on a national level, it is fair to assume that the health care debate has dominated especially in the public eye this fall until now. Take a look at how Feingold and Kohl have done:
Take a special look at graph for Kohl. Notice where the line takes a decided turn down? August. The same time that there was mass dissatisfaction expressed by thousands of constituents over the health care bill. Now a few things before this is simply dismissed as "another poll." First this isn't just a single poll but the compilation of several polls and one of them (PPP) is a specifically Democratic polling unit. But no matter how you take the numbers--either only from one polling place or compiled--the result is very similar.
Second, look at Health care in general:
Now the change is much more dramatic (from 50/20 support/opposed to 38/54 support/opposed) yet the overall correlation between the graphs cannot be denied. Indeed, if we take Doyle as another statewide Democrat who should not be affected by national politics nearly as much we can find that while his approval in general is much worse, he has actually improved during this same time period.
It is fairly obvious that Feingold and Kohl have almost equally lost almost 10% of their approval ratings with the voters this year. While not as certain, the correlation of that drop with the lack of support of health care and the dominance of that issue on the national scene implies that they are on slippery political ground to continue their support. Indeed, both of them have already dropped below the monumental 50% approval mark. If this same trend continues, Feingold could face a challenging environment in the 2010 election if a quality Republican decides to take him on. It also demonstrates just how harmful the Democratic health care bill has become to even comforatable senators like Kohl and Fiengold.
Take a special look at graph for Kohl. Notice where the line takes a decided turn down? August. The same time that there was mass dissatisfaction expressed by thousands of constituents over the health care bill. Now a few things before this is simply dismissed as "another poll." First this isn't just a single poll but the compilation of several polls and one of them (PPP) is a specifically Democratic polling unit. But no matter how you take the numbers--either only from one polling place or compiled--the result is very similar.
Second, look at Health care in general:
Now the change is much more dramatic (from 50/20 support/opposed to 38/54 support/opposed) yet the overall correlation between the graphs cannot be denied. Indeed, if we take Doyle as another statewide Democrat who should not be affected by national politics nearly as much we can find that while his approval in general is much worse, he has actually improved during this same time period.
It is fairly obvious that Feingold and Kohl have almost equally lost almost 10% of their approval ratings with the voters this year. While not as certain, the correlation of that drop with the lack of support of health care and the dominance of that issue on the national scene implies that they are on slippery political ground to continue their support. Indeed, both of them have already dropped below the monumental 50% approval mark. If this same trend continues, Feingold could face a challenging environment in the 2010 election if a quality Republican decides to take him on. It also demonstrates just how harmful the Democratic health care bill has become to even comforatable senators like Kohl and Fiengold.
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