After months of urging Washington to compromise, Americans are now unhappy with the deal their lawmakers agreed to, according to the latest Gallup polling.
By a slim margin, Americans disapprove of the “fiscal cliff” agreement — with Democrats happy, Republicans decidedly against it, and independents leaning against it.
SEE RELATED:
The strong Democratic support seems to bear out the sense that President Obama won most of what he wanted from the deal, while Republicans accepted tax-rate increases and new spending without winning any spending cuts in return.
None of the top negotiators came out looking good. Mr. Obama, who did the best, only earned 46 percent approval for his handling of the situation, versus 48 percent who disapproved. Vice President Joseph R. Biden and top Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who struck the final deal, won 40 percent and 28 percent approval ratings, respectively.
And House Speaker John A. Boehner, who survived a revolt within his own party caucus, was rated favorably by just 31 percent of Americans for his handling of the negotiations.
