Only 12 percent of Americans now have confidence in Congress

[glenn1]

Wow, sometimes percentages tell a story that words just can't convey. In this case, the story seems to be "if you're a politician in Washington DC, we hate your guts" and it doesn't really matter what party you belong to.

I'm not sure I understand the difference between the 'confidence rating' and 'approval rating (that's at 19%), but Gallup indicates they are two entirely different measures. Even so, that 'better' seeming number still ties the record low of August 2007 and March 1992.


story link

 

[Craig234]

I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up. The Republican congresses had higher numbers because they had the same 26% for Bush are for them, while the current congress loses them plus the democrats aren't thrilled with how little they seem to block Bush on some issues.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up.

Isn't that sort of the problem? The fact that they have proven to be so impotent and with no change in sight.

 

[glenn1]

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up. The Republican congresses had higher numbers because they had the same 26% for Bush are for them, while the current congress loses them plus the democrats aren't thrilled with how little they seem to block Bush on some issues.

Honestly, I haven't seen any poll #s on that question so have no idea what an impeachment would bring in terms of moving that needle

That being said, even if there were time to pursue this course of action seriously, I don't get any sense that the Democrats in Congress are ready to do so. They might make a feint towards it to provide red meat for their base, but that's probably all.

 

[fskimospy]

What is left out of this is that while institutionally people find they don't like Congress, they tend to like their individual representative quite well. Since the whole country likes their reps and doesn't like the institution, what does this tell you? It means that people have a chance to bitch and whine about an institution without having to compromise their partisanship and adherence to their candidate. This is not possible for the presidency.

In general if you check the approval ratings of Congress, they tend to really suck. This is a big reason why.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up.

:roll:

You're rapidly turning in to one of the biggest hacks on this board.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up. The Republican congresses had higher numbers because they had the same 26% for Bush are for them, while the current congress loses them plus the democrats aren't thrilled with how little they seem to block Bush on some issues.

Would be the best thing the republican party could do for itself. Bush is republicans Carter but worse - I think it will take 20 years for them to recover.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up.

:roll:

You're rapidly turning in to one of the biggest hacks on this board.

Objects in mirror are close than they appear.


What, you can't stand a little competition?

 

[EagleKeeper]

An impeachment would backfire if there was no conviction.

It left mud on the republican faces w/ respect to Clinton.
The public saw it for what is was, a partisan witch hunt.


With the Democrats in charge of the House, to start an impeachment now (vs 6 or 12 months ago) would seem a desperate move to distract people from the election.

 

[Carmen813]

Approving 535 people vs. approving 1...

 

[quest55720]

It will only get worse as gas prices climb and congress does nothing about it except talk windfall tax.

 

[Rike]

Originally posted by: eskimospy
What is left out of this is that while institutionally people find they don't like Congress, they tend to like their individual representative quite well. Since the whole country likes their reps and doesn't like the institution, what does this tell you? It means that people have a chance to bitch and whine about an institution without having to compromise their partisanship and adherence to their candidate. This is not possible for the presidency.

In general if you check the approval ratings of Congress, they tend to really suck. This is a big reason why.

That's it right there. You'd get the whole story if you asked people about their rep and senators first and then ask them about Congress in general. Generally, you can drive a Mac truck through the gap between those two ratings.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up. The Republican congresses had higher numbers because they had the same 26% for Bush are for them, while the current congress loses them plus the democrats aren't thrilled with how little they seem to block Bush on some issues.

Exactly! Just remove the Republicans from the equation and everything will be wonderful again. :music::roll::music:

I could say the opposite - but that isn't the truth of the matter. Both parties must go and be replaced with a party whose mandate is to bring the government into more local and thus representative control.

Both Republican and Democrat are unified in being an elite class that rules over us without our approval. The polls prove it, the only thing standing in the way is the two party mentality. Support for either means you stand in our way and are just as guilty as they are.

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up.

:roll:

You're rapidly turning in to one of the biggest hacks on this board.

Hes got quite a mountain to climb before he reaches your level.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
An impeachment would backfire if there was no conviction.

It left mud on the republican faces w/ respect to Clinton.
The public saw it for what is was, a partisan witch hunt.


With the Democrats in charge of the House, to start an impeachment now (vs 6 or 12 months ago) would seem a desperate move to distract people from the election.

True, if anything they should have started a while back. It's too late, now. Perhaps Bush will atone before he meets God.

 

[OrByte]

congress deserves our ire.

pathetic production-- or lack thereof.

 

[Craig234]

Let me clarify, that I'm not saying I think Congress will impeach (unless something dramatic new happens). I think it's very unlikely.

My comment is based on how I see the public react to events, to this sort of thing historically. The democrats were pretty well thought of when they went after Nixon. The Republicans didn't take nearly the hit they might have for a bogus impeachment of a popular president, failing to convict, and they won the following election with a weak candidate following a presidency of peace and prosperity.

The people tend to rally behind that kind of initiative, especially with a president where there's so much feeling of betrayal, dishonesty, and disappointment.

 

[daniel49]

what we have seen is a congress that has done even less then the one before it. Throw the bums out again.

If?? Obama should actually get elected, I predict equal dissapointment.

The present theatrics going on now with energy is a perfect example of how not to accomplish anything meaningful.

I love the reasoning behind not drilling. It won't help it will take five years....blah blah

Well if its gonna take five years , I suggest we get moving, because otherwise we'll be paying 8.00 a gallon in five years and still be saying but it would take five years.

Realistically its gonna take a lot longer to find alternatives to oil and bring them on line. In the meantime we will need something to fill the gap. duh

 

[MovingTarget]

Yet another reason why we should ratify term limits for those in congress. Some members have been in so long as to become institutions themselves. People in those individual districts either keep electing them to "bring home the bacon" or because no viable alternative exists. In other districts, people may vote for change but find that the resulting new congress (with many new members) is just as ineffective as the last one due to the influence of the older members and the institutionalized power of seniority. Congress deserves its low approval rating, imho. They have yet to realistically act on any of their mandates with other than ceremonial/token opposition to the actions of the previous one.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up.

:roll:

You're rapidly turning in to one of the biggest hacks on this board.

Rapidly? He has been since day one. His entrance was unbelievably classic. I still laugh when thinking about it.

 

[Butterbean]

The military has highest rating of all. A reason is that its not liberal and not entirely broken and dysfunctional yet (like the schools etc) - a reason the Obaminator wants to defund it and weird it out with funky "change".

http://www.gallup.com/poll/108...ny-US-Institution.aspx

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up.

Isn't that sort of the problem? The fact that they have proven to be so impotent and with no change in sight.

Bush and the the tied numbers are why Congress are so impotent. The Democrats don't have the numbers to force legislation, nor enough votes to override Bush's veto. I look forward to that changing in November. While I don't exactly like the idea of having a majority of both houses AND a President in the same party, (too many bad bills get rubberstamped) I DO look forward to having a progressive government for a change, instead of a regressive NeoCon one like we've had for the past several years.
Until 2006, Bush never met a bill he didn't like, (coming from the Republican-controlled Congress) but since the Dems gained more control, his Veto pen has been on automatic.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: MovingTarget
Yet another reason why we should ratify term limits for those in congress. Some members have been in so long as to become institutions themselves. People in those individual districts either keep electing them to "bring home the bacon" or because no viable alternative exists. In other districts, people may vote for change but find that the resulting new congress (with many new members) is just as ineffective as the last one due to the influence of the older members and the institutionalized power of seniority. Congress deserves its low approval rating, imho. They have yet to realistically act on any of their mandates with other than ceremonial/token opposition to the actions of the previous one.

Term limits are a terrible idea. Campaign reform is the answer, not term limits. We benefit from great long-time legislators like, say, Henry Waxman who have the decades of experience needed to provide effective oversight, not being 'new' legislators the permanent bureaucracy can dodge. Having a lot of new fresh faces the public only knows through marketing will only increase the power of the smoke-filled room operators who decide who gets the party endorsement, and leave the public voting for strangers who owe the people who got them the nomination more than they owe the voters, where the voters get little more than slick advertising campaigns over and over. Legislators who earn a long-time standing with the voters get some autonomy to vote how they think is right, not to need to do as they're told by the party as much.

On some of the worst party votes, we've seen the party leadership threaten members if they vote the other way. Do we want legislators who can say no to that pressure?

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: Craig234
I think a successful impeachment of Bush/Cheney would shoot their numbers up.

:roll:

You're rapidly turning in to one of the biggest hacks on this board.

Rapidly? He has been since day one. His entrance was unbelievably classic. I still laugh when thinking about it.

I don't remember that hmm

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: Butterbean
The military has highest rating of all. A reason is that its not liberal and not entirely broken and dysfunctional yet (like the schools etc) - a reason the Obaminator wants to defund it and weird it out with funky "change".

http://www.gallup.com/poll/108...ny-US-Institution.aspx

Really? I think it's because most peoples' "experience" with the military is of the action movie variety. Our culture encourages worship of police, military and self-made people (ie, small business)...which are the top 3 things on that survey by a wide margin. I think that is what affected the results, not any actual knowledge to base trust and confidence on.