President Donald Trump is currently grappling with a 30 percent approval rating, according to mainstream media reports. While he is still generally liked among members of his own party, the president has definitely seen better days.
In a sheer display of idiocy, this leftist meme creator suggests this is the primary reasoning behind his tough stance on North Korea.
“No one needs a war more than a president who is low in the polls,” the meme says above an image of former President George W. Bush with the caption “worked for me!”
Now, it’s true that wars have an implicit impact on presidential approval ratings, although the classical interpretation of this phenomenon has appeared to flip in the post-Vietnam era.
In the past, wars often provided a boost for presidential approval ratings, most notably Franklin Roosevelt and several of his successors. But in a more war-conscious society, escalating military conflicts often equates to political suicide.
George W. Bush enjoyed a record 96 percent approval rating in the days immediately following 9/11. This sank to Trump’s current levels in the late days of the Iraq War — a conflict Trump himself has been consistently critical of.
We can safely assume Trump understands the political ramifications of escalating military activity with North Korea. With approval ratings as low as they are, it’s all the more incentive to find a diplomatic solution. Of course, the president also appears to understand that defending America and its allies are even more important.
~ Facts Not Memes
