http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/congressional_performance Congressional Performance 71% Give Congress Poor Rating Voter unhappiness with Congress has reached the highest level ever recorded by Rasmussen Reports as 71% now say the legislature is doing a poor job. That’s up ten points from the previous high of 61% reached a month ago. Only 10% of voters say Congress is doing a good or excellent job. Nearly half of Democratic voters (48%) now give Congress a poor rating, up 17 points since January. The vast majority of Republicans and voters not affiliated with either party also give Congress poor ratings. Seventy percent (70%) of voters say Congress has not passed any legislation that would significantly improve life for Americans, up 10 points over the past month and the highest level of dissatisfaction measured in regular tracking in over three years. Only 15% say Congress has passed such legislation. Forty percent (40%) of voters nationwide now say it is at least somewhat likely Congress will seriously address the most important issues facing the nation. That’s down from 59% last March. Only 9% say it is Very Likely Congress will address these issues.
the problem with some of these surveys is that you get people being mad about congress not doing two different things. I am made because they are not passing the healthcare bill and someone else is mad they are trying to pass the health care bill
That would make it like 50-50 or something like that, no? This is a 10% feel they're doing at least a good job.
No. If I'm pissed they haven't passed a heathcare bill, and you are pissed they almost did, then we are both pissed and both of us think they are doing a lousy job. The people who are satisfied are those who wanted them to debate a healthcare bill for several months and then not pass it. Not sure how many people there are like that. Maybe 10%. barfo
It seems like 60% or more of the people oppose the health care bill, so at least that many people should be happy it's not passed. But what the poll really indicates is that 60%+ don't like what govt. has been talking about doing. Look at the text - 48% of democrats don't even like what their own party is doing, be it not passing or passing whatever legislation. It ultimately boils down to jobs, jobs, jobs. It's the economy stupid. And stupid is ignoring the economy like govt. is ignoring it.
One of the reasons so many veteran politicians have had a sudden urge to announce retirement. Their odds of winning reelection are slim.
We'll see. It always surprises me that even though the voters want to throw the bums out, most of the bums get reelected anyway. Some of that is "the other 434 guys are bums, but my congressman is a good guy" and some of it is that voters talk the talk but don't walk the walk. I imagine it is something like adultery. Sure, you are tired of what you've got. The ass looks a lot greener on the other side. But when it comes time to do the deed, some part of you above the waist wonders why she's so eager to assume the position, and if maybe there isn't something horrible about her that you are about to learn the hard way. Naturally, you pay no attention to any of that and leap into the saddle. But voting offers somewhat less upside, so you can pay a little attention to those nagging doubts. And maybe you end up voting for the devil you know. barfo
I agree with your first point. Usually, the 'throw the bums out' talk surfaces at every election and doesn't amount to much. However, in the last 15 years we have had two elections unlike almost any in US history when Congress was swept clean- one after Clinton's tax increases that closed so many businesses that Congressmen were summarily dismissed (also for sheer arrogance and abuse by the Dems), and the other towards the end of Bush's deeply unpopular run as President (it also should be noted the GOP was doing a poor job of governing). Now we have a socialistic President/Congress that has made every effort, to include wide open "deals" that have disgusted most people, to ram thru a most unpopular healthcare "reform", and union bailouts that have now placed the country on a final slope into bankruptcy that we will not recover. That caused many immediate "retirements" (for their duplicity in those decisions), and now after a relatively weak GOP politician gets elected to the US Senate in one of the two or three safest liberal/socialist seats in the country has scared more into "retirement". No mere coincidence, IMHO. And who could blame them? An incumbent politician left to answer questions about the final death nail into a country towards insolvency when they pledged to do the exact opposite and a "healthcare reform" plan with sinister overtones (whether GOP contrived or not, they are serious issues) for the very thing many people do not want- too much government control in their lives. So they have to raise a ton of money, face unanswerable questions from their constitents and hope they can hang on. Many won't and may not only be disgraced but find themselves in debt over their campaigns. It would be easier to keep those seats in the socialist party if they had a newcomer running who had no track record to be beat up on and all they have to do is some phony talk to keep the independents happy and the party keeps the seat. I imagine the pressure from within the party to resign in some districts is overwhelming.
Not really. In 1994, 349 congresspeople were reelected, out of 387 running. 24 of 29 running senators were reelected. In 2006, 380 out of 404 running were reelected in the house, 23 of 29 in the senate. barfo
She may suspect, but as long as she's chained up in the soundproof room in the basement, there's not much she can do about it. barfo
I think the people who care enough, who feel that Congressional activity really connects with their daily existence, is a low percentage of the voting public. In order to "throw the bums out," you generally have to care enough to research who you want instead. It doesn't seem to be the case that even people critical of a politician are generally willing to cast a blind protest vote. Voting for a known quantity seems to trump being irked at said known quantity. And very few people have the inclination to get to know all the candidates.
