Poll: 75 Percent Disapprove of Congress' Performance

[Hissyspit]

Source: CNN

Poll: 75 percent disapprove of Congress' performance

Approval rating for all members of Congress sits at 22 percent. Overall congressional approval rating down 6 points from last October

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Americans think Congress is doing a pretty lousy job, according to a poll released Friday. "On the big issues of the day, Congress doesn't seem to be doing very much," CNN's polling director says.

The approval rating for all members of Congress sits at a dismal 22 percent, according to the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll. About 75 percent of those surveyed said they disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job.

A year ago, a similar poll found the numbers to be 28 percent approval, 63 percent disapproval. "The big issues of the day just don't seem to be being addressed," said Sarah Binder, a political science professor at George Washington University who studies Congress. "The issues that matter most to people -- the economy, health care, the environment and the larger war in Iraq -- it is so difficult for Congress to move on those issues that I believe the public looks and says, 'Why aren't they doing anything?' "

Approval of congressional Democrats stands at 43 percent, twice that of Congress in general. The flip side, however, is that Democrats who control Congress still face a disapproval rating of 51 percent, a figure that has increased 11 percentage points since March.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/26/poll.congress/index.html

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Why don't Dem Congressmen speak daily at all left-wing programs and ask us to continue protesting?

We would if we knew they wanted it. I'm beginning to think they're just trying to please their corporate donors.

[humbled_opinion]

7. you know you have a point...

I remember watching the Betrayus hearing and the Democratic Chairperson kept tossing out the protesters.

Your right about the protests too... If we had more representatives out front sponsoring the protest it would rally more support... Its kind of in Limbo right now... Congress isn't even talking about ending the Iraq War anymore.

I guess they have folded.

[tom_paine]

16. They have folded like the German Social Democrats before Hitler

And we shall all be the poorer for it.

[mike_c]

2. damn, it must have improved somewhat....

eom

[orpupilofnature57]

3. Nancy starting right of with her Endorsement for more Constitutional

Enfeeblement and more Enabling ,I felt Betrayed and their actions this past year confirmed it.

[Occulus]

11. Actions are off the table. n/t

[liberal N proud]

4. If the Democrats don't publicize the blocking by the Republicons...

Then the reich wing will turn it around and the voters will put them back in charge.

This is NOT good news at all.

[IndianaGreen]

19. That's such a lame bullshit excuse by Democrats and it has been debunked

Two ways to end the war:

1. Speaker Pelosi blocks the House from considering a money bill.

2. 41 Democratic Senators block the Senate from voting a war funding bill.

Democrats have more than enough votes to block Congress from considering and voting for a war funding bill.

This lame excuse that the GOP can do this or that is because the Democrats are too cowardly to admit that many of them support the war and they hate those that are against it, particularly when they make a big show of it.

[Toots]

21. It is hard to blame Republicans for blocking everything because the Democrats

were in the same position for years and blocked nothing. The Republicans ran roughshod over the nation and the Democrats said they were helpless because they were in the Minority..Now they say they are helpless because the minority blocks everything they do..Hello......

[Zhade]

25. Uh, the DEMS could block the war funding by not bringing it to the floor.

Your excuse-making is hollow.

[bluestateguy]

5. Well that settles it for me

I'm only going to vote for one of those bastards next year. The other 534 members will not have my vote.

[man4allcats]

13. Forget it. By next year, elections and voting will be

off the table.

[AllyCat]

6. I can't believe it's that high.

Wish they would actually DO something and paint the Repukes for the crooks they are. Instead, we apologize to them and play nicey-nicey. Ugh.

[deacon]

8. The accountability ZERO congress. n/t

[earthlover]

9. These numbers should give us a warning....remember....

...in October 2006, the Reps had a majority in both houses of congress. Now that the Dems nominally control both houses, the approval rating is lower than under the Republicans just before the Nov 06 elections.

If anyone thinks the 08 presidential or congressional elections will be a cakewalk because of Bush's dismal polls, they should take this poll as a sober reminder.

[Psephos]

10. You get it - I wish more around here did n/t

[humbled_opinion]

23. Very wise advise... Also consider Bush is not running in 08 so he is off the table n/t

[mvd]

27. The rating is too low, despite my other post in this thread

We might gain the Presidency but lose ground in Congress due to anti-incumbency.

[grahamhgreen]

12. They will lose the house, the senate, and the presidency and then

the Repubs will go after them...

[cornermouse]

14. They're not doing what we sent them there to do.

It's that simple.

[rodeodance]

15. Why aren't the Dems lashing back at Bush Scolding?--see this.

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject Why aren't the Dems lashing back at Bush Scolding?--see this.
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2144601#2144601
2144601, Why aren't the Dems lashing back at Bush Scolding?--see this.
Posted by rodeodance on Fri Oct-26-07 05:46 PM



http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/200 ...
Dismal Legacy of 109th Congress

December 12, 2006

The 109th Congress left office in the early hours of Saturday morning, December 9, having logged fewer days of legislative activity than even the infamous “Do-Nothing Congress” of 1948. Notably absent from the following list of last-minute “accomplishments” is comprehensive immigration reform, a minimum wage increase, and nine out of 11 appropriations bills needed to fully fund federal activity for the 2007 fiscal year.

The failure to pass a working budget for the federal government—the fundamental constitutional task of Congress—highlights the failures of the conservative leadership of the departing Congress. Indeed, the incoming chairmen of the House and Senate appropriations committees, Rep. David Obey (D-WI) and Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV), took a look at the mess left to them and yesterday announced they will hold all spending at 2006 levels after ejecting all special earmarks and begin a more deliberative and open budgeting process next year for the next fiscal year beginning in October 2007.

The Center for American Progress applauds that move, and hopes that the incoming Congress will reconsider or expand upon some of the last minute decisions of the outgoing Do Nothing Congress.

Continuing Resolution

In the lingering minutes of the 109th Congress, the two chambers reached a final agreement on a stop gap funding measure to keep 13 of the 15 departments of the federal government and 63 of its independent agencies from shutting down altogether. This represents a monumental failure of the most central responsibility of the legislative branch—funding the federal government.......

[Faygo Kid]

22. They are too busy spending their time apologizing.

Opposition party, my arse.

[wellst0nev0ter]

17. Ah, I See Their Triangulations Are Finally Working

That is, if they planned all along to triangulate themselves into a position where nobody likes them :eyes:

[Olney Blue]

18. They were supposed to stop the war.

[IndianaGreen]

20. Ending the War: Time for the Dems to Play Hardball

Published on Friday, October 26, 2007 by The Huffington Post

Ending the War: Time for the Dems to Play Hardball

by Arianna Huffington

And some Democrats just seem resigned to the notion that their options are limited. As Henry Waxman told Politico: “If you don’t have the votes, you don’t have the votes.” It’s what David Sirota calls the “Innocent Bystander Fable” — the idea that since Democrats don’t have the 60 votes needed to end Senate debate or the 66 votes needed to override a Bush veto, the war in Iraq is out of their hands.

But the truth is, Democrats have all the votes they need to stop the war — if they are willing to use the power given them by the Constitution to block the supplemental funding bill unless it includes a deadline for bringing the troops home. As Norm Ornstein told me: “Whatever the White House sends to the House is constitutionally merely a suggestion.” The prerogative to bring a funding bill to the floor rests entirely with the majority — which, in case Democrats have forgotten, is theirs. As for the Senate, Democrats there would only have to find 41 votes to block the supplemental funding bill.

I’m sorry for this refresher in Congressional Power 101, but Democratic leaders seem to need it. The White House cannot force Congress to spend money. Period. The end. The imperial presidency has not gone that far. At least not yet. So Democrats, who have the public behind them, need to be unequivocal that they are simply not going to continue to fund the war unless and until the president agrees to change course and set a date certain for ending it.

They need to make it clear that they are not pulling the plug on the troops — indeed, they will be authorizing bridge funding for armored vehicles and veterans’ health benefits, among other essential expenses, when they take up the annual defense appropriations bill in December. And they can make it clear that they will give the president and the Pentagon all the money they need to safely and responsibly bring the troops home.

It’s a battle of wills. A test of leadership. And a contest to frame the debate in the public’s mind.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/10/26/4821/

[humbled_opinion]

24. Democrats won't stop the war..

They are too chickenshit to make a decision. Afraid they will actually have to stand for something.. They are being painted as wafflers and on the wrong side of history... Believe me if they don't stick to thier guns and end this occupation NOW they will pay for it in 08.

The writing is on the wall. It started with Betrayus in Sept... .. Here is the campaign in 08... The Democrats said the Surge failed and that we needed to redeploy the troops in 2005 and 2006... They said the surge was a failure and in fact it turned out to be exactly what was needed... Today we have limited casualties, limited attacks, no violence between sunni and shite and poltical reconciliation in progress.... The Democrats were wrong for America then and they are wrong for America now. Vote on the right side of History vote for a Republican... Oh My God I can almost see that campaign commercial...

Heres some more ...

If the Democrats had their way in 2005 and 2006 they would have redeployed the troops out of Iraq unquestionably that would have led to incredible violence and the fall of a free Iraq to be controlled by Al-Qaida and the Ayatollahs of Iran. Even now the Democrats tell us that the surge doesn't work they refuse to face the reality of Victory...;

ahhhhhhhhhhhh

[mvd]

26. This figure was buried in the article

"Approval of congressional Democrats stands at 43 percent, twice that of Congress in general." That means possibly more dissatisfaction with the Repukes. Notice they didn't give the Repukes' rating.

I would still like to see less compromise and a unified message. That would increase Democratic/Congressional approval IMO.