Today's Rasmussen tracking poll has President Obama's approval rating at 46% - tying the widest gap in approve/disapprove recorded (-7). This is also the 9th consecutive day that the president's strong approve/strong disapprove gap has been -10 or more.

Not coincidentally, support for health care reform has also dropped to its lowest level ever. Just 38% of the public supports the Democrat's efforts to nationalize the health care system.

Half the survey was conducted before the Senate voted late Saturday to begin debate on its version of the legislation. Support for the plan was slightly lower in the half of the survey conducted after the Senate vote.

Prior to this, support for the plan had never fallen below 41%. Last week, support for the plan was at 47%. Two weeks ago, the effort was supported by 45% of voters.

Intensity remains stronger among those who oppose the push to change the nation's health care system: 21% Strongly Favor the plan while 43% are Strongly Opposed.

Is it a quirk that Obama's numbers are going down at the same time that health care reform loses support?

There is no statistical correlation between the two measurements in the sense that the percentage drop in support for health care reform does not exactly mirror the president's declining numbers. Other factors seem to play into the president's popularity (or lack of it) such as his foreign trip, his speech at Fort Hood, etc.

But as a rough guide to the president's numbers, tracking the declining support for health care reform also gives us a rough idea of where the president stands with the public. With almost two thirds of the nation opposed to the Democratic plan, the president risks much with its passage. Angry Americans are more likely to vote than satisfied ones. And health care reform has made a lot of voters extremely unhappy.

Hat Tip: Rich Baehr