11/4 News: American Politics

Majority Now Say Obama’s Policies "Mostly Liberal"

A majority of Americans now see President Barack Obama as governing from the left. Gallup shows 54% say his policies have been "mostly liberal" while 34% call them "mostly moderate." This contrasts with public expectations right after his election a year ago, when as many expected him to be moderate as to be liberal.

Perhaps related to the re-evaluation of President Obama's ideology, fewer Americans today than in April say he is keeping his campaign promises. While most Americans say it is important to them that President Obama keep his campaign promises (82%), far fewer, 48%, believe he has done so. This represents a slide in support for the president on this measure since April, when nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) said he was keeping his promises. The decline is seen among all three major parties, dropping from 92% to 77% among Democrats, from 54% to 41% among independents, and from 45% to 22% among Republicans.

Conservatives Shop Sex Ops Ban To GOP

The federal government would be banned from funding sex change operations and other services for transgender individuals if social conservative activists get their way. There’s no sponsor yet for an amendment to the health care overhaul, but culture warriors are shopping the proposal to Republican senators. The language is written: “None of the funds authorized or appropriated under this act (or an amendment made by this Act) shall be used to cover any part or portion of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of” any sex or gender reassignment procedure, surgery related to such a sex change, hormone therapy for a sex change or pre- and post-operation treatments for a sex change." Advocates for transgender people note that it is often difficult for them to obtain insurance that covers medical needs related to their transition and say that sometimes basic medical care has been unfairly denied.