Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070718/us_nm/usa_politics_poll_dc_2" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/200 70718/us_nm/usa_politics_poll_dc_2</a> (Selected paragraphs only, click on the link for the full story) FYI, this is a Reuters/Zogby poll >>Eighteen months before Bush leaves the White House, nearly two-thirds of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction and give the president negative marks for his job performance. An even bigger majority, 83 percent, say the Democratic-controlled Congress is doing only a fair or poor job -- the worst mark for Congress in a Zogby poll.<< >>In the national survey of 1,012 likely voters, taken July 12 through July 14, about 66 percent said Bush had done only a fair or poor job as president, with 34 percent ranking his performance as excellent or good. That is up slightly from his low of 30 percent in early March and in line with other national polls showing Bush's approval ratings lingering at or near historically low levels amid continued chaos and bloodshed in Iraq. But the marks for Congress, mired in gridlock over a series of partisan political battles after Democrats took power in the 2006 elections, continued to drop. While 83 percent said Congress was doing a fair or poor job, just 14 percent rated it excellent or good. Last October, in its final days, the Republican-led Congress earned ratings of excellent or good from 23 percent of voters. "There is a growing sense that people voted for change in 2006 and they aren't getting it," Zogby said. The poll showed only 26 percent of Americans thought the United States was on the right track and 64 percent thought it was on the wrong track.<<
Originally Posted By ecdc Of course the only problem with this is that people like their own representatives and senators. Unless you're that slime William Jefferson, people by and large give their own repesentatives decent marks. They just don't like Congressional gridlock. What exactly do Americans expect the Democratic congress to do? They need 60 votes in the senate for almost anything, and they don't have it. The Democrats are far from perfect, but if Americans are wanting change and they aren't getting it, then look no further than the Republicans. There's only one party that's arguing for the status quo and stay the course. Finally, I think you'll be hard-pressed to find individual congressmen and women with worse numbers than Bush. When rating individual people, Bush scores lower than most, and for longer than most. That's actually the more telling number - how long Bush's numbers have been in the toilet.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Longer than any other president since they've polled. Whether you look at below 50 percent, below 40 percent, or below 35 percent, he's been there longer than anyone. "The Democrats are far from perfect, but if Americans are wanting change and they aren't getting it, then look no further than the Republicans. There's only one party that's arguing for the status quo and stay the course." That's exactly right. As Zogby said, they voted for change in 2006, and the biggest issue was Iraq. If congress was actually able to force the beginning of a withdrawal, I would guess their approval rating would shoot up pretty well. Some are trying.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Yeah, THAT'S the difference. Bush's ratings are low because of his policies while Congress ratings are low because they simply haven't been able to CHANGE any of those policies and people are frustrated. They are frustrated with Bush with his 'stay the course' rhetoric and they are frustrated with the Democratic Congress because they can't seem figure out a way to knock him off that course even though most have said it time and time again they want those major changes! I just don't think its fair to somehow link the issues Bush is having with the public along with Congress and like people said, I'm sure most of them rated separatedly, its a completely different picture.
Originally Posted By jonvn "What exactly do Americans expect the Democratic congress to do?" Start impeachment hearings.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <<"What exactly do Americans expect the Democratic congress to do?">> <Start impeachment hearings.> Foolishly, the leadership declared that "off the table" when their term began. They did so because they thought most people didn't want another divisive impeachment battle, but by taking it off the table, they took away the one big piece of leverage they HAVE with the executive branch. By taking it off the table, they just encourage the executive to test the limits even more on what they can get away with. Even if Congress doesn't have the stomach to do it, they should at least put it back on the table just as a "stick." And the blatant flouting of the congressional subpoenas is a perfect reason to do so. No one is above the law.
Originally Posted By jonvn Yes, and this is precisely the reason people think democrats are weak. And, frankly, they are. So we have one inept party, and one weak party. Great leadership...
Originally Posted By inlandemporer As in independent who has voted both ways many times, I'd have more respect for the Democrats if they did start impeachment hearings, starting with Dick Cheney. Lord knows he and Bush deserve it, far more than Clinton ever did. The message needs to be sent to the NEXT executive (Rep. or Dem.) that their powers are indeed limited by our Constitution, for starters. They can't just make up the law, or ignore it on whim.
Originally Posted By friendofdd I'm surprised at such a low rating for Congress. I would probably give them something in the eighties, as I have through many years any time we have a congress that does nothing. I also give them high marks for chin wagging. Lot's of talk, little action, that's best for all of us.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer People have unrealistic expectations of what Congress can actually do within the scope of powers granted by the Constitution. Poll ratings for individual Senators and Representatives from their constituents are usually pretty good, which is as it should be. We really need to understand that the constituency of the Federal Government is really the state governments, not the individual citizen.
