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After nine months of contentious battles on Capitol Hill, Americans have reached a new level of disgust toward Congress that has left nearly all voters angry at their leaders and doubtful that they can fix the problems facing the country. Whether Republican, Democrat or independent, more Americans disapprove of Congress than at any point in more than two decades of Washington Post-ABC News polling. Just 14 percent of the public approves of the job Congress is doing, according to the latest poll. That is lower than just before the 1994, 2006 and 2010 elections, when the majority party was on the verge of losing power in the House.
For most its not just a casual dislike of Congress: Sixty-two percent say they strongly disapprove of congressional job performance. An additional 20 percent somewhat disapprove. Only 3 percent of Americans said they strongly approve of the performance of lawmakers on Capitol Hill essentially as low as possible, given the polls margin of error of four percentage points. With Democrats running the Senate and Republicans in charge of the House, no group of voters is pleased. Just 18 percent of Democrats, 13 percent of independents and 13 percent of Republicans approve of Congress. Government right now, its so separated and so divided, said Jason DeMello, 37, a registered Democrat in Haverhill, Mass. As a normal, average American, its discouraging that these are the people leading the country.
DeMello said he voted for Barack Obama and believes that the president needs more time to make the changes he promised, but he is losing faith in Congress. I remember when 9/11, that unfortunate day, you saw all the American flags hanging on houses, he said. And it went away. It went away so quickly. Wheres the patriotism? Everyone is out to bicker and argue instead of coming together. Aaron Grady, 18, of Slidell, La., said that Congress is pretty hit-and-miss with me. A lot of the things they do are not right. And they get some things done that I can agree with. Grady, who is unemployed, did not name specific things that pleased or displeased him.
The public distaste for Congress follows a prolonged fight in July and August over increasing the governments ability to borrow money. As part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling, lawmakers agreed to find at least $1.2 trillion in savings or else have a comparable amount of cuts automatically made to domestic and defense spending over the next decade. A special bipartisan congressional committee is tasked with finding those savings. That complicated arrangement, after months of private negotiations and public disputes, has left both Congress and the president politically wounded.
Source
I'd gladly trade in Boxer, Feinstein and Pelosi...for starters...
They obviously make Congress extra sucky...
Americans are philosophically divided into impasse politics and that division in the American people is being reflected in Congress.
We see examples of impasse politics every damned day on this board.
Americans' evaluation of the job Congress is doing is the worst Gallup has ever measured, with 13% approving.
84% disapprove
Congressional Job Approval Ties Historic Low of 13%
How's that only knowing how to say "no" working for you? Wink wink.
Its official: Congress ended its least-productive year in modern history after passing 80 bills fewer than during any other session since year-end records began being kept in 1947. Furthermore, an analysis by The Washington Times of the scope of such activities as time spent in debate, number of conference reports produced and votes taken on the House and Senate floors found that Congress set a record for legislative futility by accomplishing less in 2011 than any other year in history.
The Senates record was weakest by a huge margin, according to the futility index, and the House had its 10th-worst session on record. Of the bills the 112th Congress did pass, the majority were housekeeping measures, such as naming post office buildings or extending existing laws. Sometimes, it was too difficult for the two chambers to hammer out agreements. More often, the Senate failed to reach agreement within the chamber.
That left much of the machinery of the federal government on autopilot, with the exception of spending, where monumental clashes dominated the legislative session. Absent unified party control with a bolstered Senate majority, I think its just very hard to get things done, particularly in a period when revenues arent growing and the decisions are how to cut, and how to cut in the long term, said Sarah Binder, who studies Congress as a Brookings Institution scholar and professor at George Washington University. Congress just isnt very good at solving long-term problems.
The futility record could be short-lived. The full House returns from a monthlong Christmas break on Tuesday to begin the second session, but all sides expect election-year paralysis, meaning some of the usually routine bills may run into trouble.
Measuring futility
Americans' evaluation of the job Congress is doing is the worst Gallup has ever measured, with 13% approving.
84% disapprove
Congressional Job Approval Ties Historic Low of 13%
How's that only knowing how to say "no" working for you? Wink wink.
