Posted on 09/02/2009 11:56:58 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Opinion of Congress at 24-year low By Tony Romm - 09/02/09 12:45 PM ET
Only about one-third of voters have a positive opinion of Congress -- a 13 percent decline in favorability since April, a new Pew Research Center poll finds.
That striking drop in support -- which Pew says puts Congressional favorability at its lowest in 24 years -- is doubly discouraging for Democrats, who ceded ground to their Republican counterparts in Pew's companion poll.
A look at the crosstabs reveals the drop in Congressional approval is most apparent among independent voters, only a third of whom now view Congress positively. Even Democrats are less likely to view their own majority favorably, down 10 points since April. Republicans, predictably, remain "overwhelmingly negative" of Democratic governance.
Taken together, the numbers spell bad news for the Democratic Party, which already fears important losses in 2010. Although Democrats still lead Republicans in measures of effective governance and voter empathy, the party's lead seems to have narrowed on most fronts, Pew reports. Voters are now 4 percent more likely to select a Republican in 2010 -- and 7 percent less likely to select a Democrat -- putting both parties within a point of each other in Pew's election measurement.
"At about this point four years ago, Democrats led in the generic congressional ballot by 52% to 40% and went on to win a majority of the popular vote and regain control of Congress the following November," according to the poll.
On health care, especially, Democrats have lost notable ground, as fewer than half of respondents (a 10 point drop) said the party is best equipped to handle the issue. Here, again, Congressional Democrats still fare better than their Republican counterparts -- by about 20 points -- but the numbers indicate sentiment might slowly be shifting.
Reading polls is so much more fun than this time last year.
Good news, but don’t expect the republicans to capitalize on it. They’d have a hard time getting the second coming of Ronald Reagan elected dogcatcher.
The trick is to NOT think that polls like this mean anything. No one thinks it’s their own Congresscritter who’s at fault. It just the aggregate they hate. A lot of people keep voting the incumbent back in because they like being represented by someone with seniority.
I want this to be true, but wasn’t Congress at 12-13% late in the Bush term? Wouldn’t that be the “lowest ever?”
So, is it lower than the 9% it logged a year or so ago?
I think Nancy Pelosi was the one who was at 9%, not congress overall
Its a PEW poll - so liberal it is not worth reading but for them to say this is interesting.
Next week, expect the regular poll by them telling us the entire world hates us.
When you are having a bad day and think that you are having problems.....
just remember.....
Somewhere in this world there is a Mr. Pelosi.
Feel better now?
;)
America finally wakes up to reality. Finally.
He’s a democrat? I assume he’s a decent man, so why does he choose to associate with the party of perverts, totalitarian socialism, and treason?
Nevermind, i though you said you were voting FOR him. I need glasses.
Throw them all out!!
Pray for the Tea Party Express
Why? The result is likely to be the same.
The dem congress was below 20% approval last year and they greatly increased their majorities.
As for their being “decent men” who are Democrats, I used to to cut some slack to a handful of conservative Democrats but the state of politics today no longer allows for a “good Democrat.” No matter how good a voting record, no matter his professed ideology or beliefs, the simple act of caucusing with Democrats and maintaining membership in the Democrat party shows such a lack of judgment and character that there can be no “Good Democrats.” Party means something. Parties stand for things, and when you stand with a party you stand for those things whether you vote for them or not.
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