Bush in step with nation

As George W. Bush wraps up his first week as president, he is receiving generally positive reviews from the people he is to lead. While it's too early to draw any lasting conclusions, it seems safe to say that the first impressions made by the president have been a pleasant surprise to many Americans.

Just over half of American voters say the new president is doing a good or an excellent job while only about one-in-five rate his performance as poor. Overall, only 27 percent say they disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as president.

The new administration made education its priority during that first week and 53 percent of voters say the president's doing a good or an excellent job on that issue. Only 16 percent say he is doing poorly. Even a third of all Democrats give the president high marks on this trademark issue of their party.

On taxes, a hallmark issue during the campaign, 46 percent say the president is doing a good or an excellent job while 21 percent say poor. Earlier surveys have shown that most Americans favor the Bush tax cut, and it's likely that Alan Greenspan's comments last week will help Bush in his tax-cutting crusade.

On virtually all questions about the president, there remain sharply divided views based upon partisan affiliation. Republicans give Bush much better reviews than Democrats while unaffiliated voters fall somewhere in between.

There are other gaps as well. Men are more favorably impressed than women and black voters are far more dissatisfied than any other demographic group. Government employees are less enthusiastic about the president and his policies than those who work in the private sector.

However, in broad terms, the president appears to be in step with the American people as a whole. This can be seen in reaction to his education initiatives and in other areas.

At Rasmussen Research, we asked people to rate themselves and their new president on a scale from 1 to 6. A 1 meant that they favored much lower levels of spending and taxes even if it meant the elimination of government programs. At the other extreme, a 6 means that the respondent favors more government programs even if it means higher taxes. On this scale, a 3 or 4 is in the middle and effectively means the person is pretty satisfied with the current level of government activism.

Using this scale, the rating for an average American turned out to be 2.69 during Bush's first week in office. In other words, on average, voters are leaning towards a slightly smaller level of government activism.

The new president earned a 2.59 rating. That means people see him as pretty close to the average American, with a slight tilt towards smaller government. All other government officials, including Republicans in Congress, were seen as favoring more government activism than voters want.

A closer look at the data indicates just how well President Bush has positioned himself on fiscal issues.

Fifty percent of voters rated themselves as a "1" or a "2" indicating that they want a less active government; 54 percent said that Bush is in this category as well.

Twenty-nine percent of voters placed themselves squarely in the middle with a "3" or a "4" rating; 30 percent say this is where Bush rates.

Nineteen percent of voters indicated a desire for more active government ("5" or "6" on the scale); 16 percent think that's what Bush wants.

While the president has created the image that he is in step with most Americans on fiscal issues, he is seen as somewhat more conservative than most voters overall. During Bush's first week, 51 percent of voters identified themselves as moderates while 30 percent put a conservative label on their own views. However, when asked to rate the president, 48 percent said he's a conservative while 37 percent identified Bush as a moderate.

What this means is that President Bush begins his tenure identified as a conservative but without many of the harsh edges voters have seen in many congressional Republicans. On fiscal issues, he seems to be sending a message that is reassuring and resonating -- less government implemented through moderate steps and cautious reductions. If he can maintain this image, and keep the economy strong, he has a very solid base to build upon.