Does lowest congressional approval mean trouble for Democrats?

Good thing America's dissatisfied voters took control of Congress away from that other crowd two years ago. Because since the new party took over, congressional approval ratings have plummeted to tie a historical low.

Say what?

Weren't the outs supposed to fix things on Capitol Hill once they became the ins? And controlled all the investigations? And the agenda? And the committees?

A new poll shows that the percentage of voters who say Congress is doing an excellent or good job has fallen to single digits for the first time in the tracking history of Rasmussen Reports.

Nine percent say that.

Which is down from 11% in May.

Only 3% of independents say Congress is doing a good or excellent job, half the previous month's rating.

A majority of Americans (52%) say House and Senate members are doing a poor job, which ties the record high for that dubious rating.

A whopping 72% believe members of Congress are more interested in furthering their own careers than doing public good. And only 14 of every 100 Americans think senators or representatives are genuinely interested in helping real people.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement of their public service.

The big unanswered question:

If such an overwhelming percentage of voters are so dissatisfied with the congressional work of a Democratic majority they elected just two years ago, a worse rating than even the scandal-plagued Republicans had in 2006, what does this do to the conventional wisdom that 2008 is a year for substantial gains by Democrats in both houses?

Will voters buy the argument that the 2006 majority led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid didn't work. So maybe another one will?

Do GOP members appear so dispirited they don't present a realistic alternative?

Or will dissatisfied voters, for once, turn on incumbents from both parties?

What do you think?

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Mike]

People may not be happy with Congress as a whole. But they are pleased with the job of their own representation. Once the Democratic Party obtains a much larger majority in the next election cycle, they will be in a much better situation to ward-off the failed Republican policies, and bring our country back to greatness, once again.

[John]

Kick 'em all out, regardless of party. If there's one thing the current FISA debate has illustrated it is that there are destructive members in both parties who, over the last few years, have abandoned their oaths-of-office for nefarious reasons. There is no representation for The People. All of those bums need to be unemployed as soon as possible.

[Christine Beatty]

I think the the low approval rating is for ALL of Congress, especially the Republican minority that keeps hamstringing Democrat's efforts to enact real change, especially overriding vetos.

[Ben Padilla]

What happened to all the action after the rhetoric? What about impeachment for lying about WMD's, Valarie Plane, Alberto Gonzalez or Hurricane Katrina? Or was it just rah-rah rhetoric again just to win politically? Does only rhetoric matter and having a certain letter before your name or should agenda and policy matter?

[Janice Gammill]

Doesn't matter, Obama promised amnesty in his first year of office. Why should our vote matter anymore?
People are so busy "blaming Bush" they don't realize its the stupid congress that has really screwed the American people. I mean both parties.

[Robert NO longer in LA]

Andrew; if any voter THINKS, for 1 nano second, the ONLY way to pay Congress (both Parties!) back,is to VOTE AGAINST INCUMBENT. In Calif, Feinstein, Boxer, and the rest of the guilty, have done NOTHING to deserve the voters' trust. Like Good Communists, and Good Nazis, these incumbents will tell you 'THE PARTY COMES FIRST!" Well, I have NEWS for you all; we are voting OUT every incumbent - Mao Tse Tung said it best - "Kill one to frighten a thousand.'" The day we vote out, the tired old fools, is the day both Parties will quake in their proverbial boots, and lessen the corruption and Party racketeering.

[lordjeff]

Seems likely that both parties will have to deal with the repercussions of their actions. In Orange County, CA Republicans are threatening incumbents, promising to take away their funding if they don't shape up.

Democrats will probably be similar, though I can't imagine Dems holding back cash in this big election for them.

Here's a podcast about how the Republicans are going to be in trouble http://www.greenfaucet.com/market-neutral-red-countys-scott-graves

[Bob]

Barack will lead the party to victory in Nov. With a greater Dem najority, more legislation will be passed to allow more government control over policy. This desirable shift to the left is what we the people want. The Sierra Club will play a key role in establishing ground rules for decreased pollution through conservation and reduced driving. 55 mph speed limits should be passed on Day One. SUVs and non-commercial trucks should be reduced as much as possible. This is a new era. Animal rights will be respected.

[Robert NO longer in LA]

MIKE 7:15 am: Congress IS the sum of it's parts - one cannot be PO'd with Congress, but LOVE, their own thugs and goons!!! In Calif, what has the Party wrought? In Wash DC, both Parties racketeer like drug smugglers. There are no redeeming people in Congress; FLUSH THEM ALL DOWN THE POLITICAL TOILET, come November. Feinstein, Boxer, et. al. are very SYMPTOMATIC of the self-enrichment at the PUBLIC trough. Dems? Repubs? Doesn't make ANY difference...we NEED a thorough HOUSE/SENATE CLEANING. THEY have GENEROUS retirement funds. THEY have GENEROUS Healthcare. They KEEP their political funds, TAX -FREE...are you delusional, or looking for a staff job on the PUBLIC pay roll???

[DustyHarley]

Its a fact!! No matter what party you are affiliated with or vote for, neither party is doing it's job. The people of Congress are suppose to be working in the best interest of the people, not themselves. We need gas relief, but congress votes down laws that would help make this county energy independent. How is that working in the best interest of the people? The answer is, it's not. They make their 6 figure salaries with more money coming in from who know where. Then in addition to that they get a government car with a government gas card. They are way out of touch with real Americans and I know they feel the American people are so wrapped up in their little lives that we will do nothing to stop them. They have been right until now!!!! We need to send the incumbents in Congress a message and that message will be not to vote for any incumbents no matter what the party. Pelosi has done nothing but lie and sit on her high horse with a smug look that she is better than then people she is suppose to serve. Please join me and the millions of other people and vote out all incumbents this elections year and in 2010.

[Potomac Bob]

I saw a poll a cupla weeks ago that showed, for the first time ever, people were rating their own congressman (regardless of party) below 50 percent approval ratings.

[keith]

Nah, because the media doesn't focus on it like they do the "Get Bush" agenda.

As for the Democrats getting full control of the gov't, it'll be the worst thing for them because then they won't have anywhere to hide.

And as for restoring the country to it's "greatness", it is great right now, except for the boneheads that think ill of it.

[Shaun]

It is the economy. Unless we have the presidency and congress on the same we will not have any real change. Vote for Change in November. Clearly a democractic congress and republican presidency didnt work, and republican white house and congress got us in to the problem. Let's try democratic house and congress in November.

[dave]

corruption does not stop at party lines. the problems are more deeply rooted. people in america are asked to decide whether they want to accept their responsibilities, abide by their constitution, and cooperate to uphold and enjoy individual liberties and justice, or ultimately hand over all their rights to a bloated, corrupt government that does not respect human life and values, recognizing only brutish force and violence.

[Pride]

Democrats lost my vote after their lies in 2006. They said if they had control of congress, they would end the war.... Liars! They said they would hold big oil accountable..Liars! They said they would bring Bush and Cheney up on war crimes...Liars!

Politicians are all the same. I will vote for all challengers this year. Throw the bums out! BTW, anybody that believes Obama is any different is a fool. The only change he is bringing is his positions.

[Rugby Joe]

"No taxation without representation"

"Give me liberty or give me death"

Do you think if our founding fathers were alive today they wouldn't be thinking of a way to overthrough Washington ?

I think they would. I think the only way to change the downward spiral of massive corruption, and the sale of our rights as people is to use the most powerful right given to us in the 2nd amendment.

The politicians in this country and the ones in power come from the richest 2% of the country and only represent the richest 2% of the country.

The lie to the masses to get voted in, and then turn their backs on the masses the minute after the election. They pad their own pockets with our tax money, and through corruption, regardless of the massive damage they bestow on the society they are supposed to represent. Once voted out they have enough money to retire on, and go live in an ultra-rich nieghborhood and never EVER come out into the society they are helping to destroy. They don't care about the laws they help form that oppress the common man because they have enough money to live above the law.

Thus we have no representation anymore, we do not have any freedom, or liberty. The only freedom we have is how to spend our money, and SPEND IT WE WILL, HELL OR HIGH WATER (water that is about to be taxed by the way). We are slaves in the the nicest jail cells money can buy. Be sure to pay that rising property tax, deal with the gas tax, the rising food costs, and don't worry that you have to now BUY clean water. And if you get sick, don't worry they will take care of you......if you can afford to pay for it. They are only taxing us for food, water and shelter. Those are luxiaries right ? So stop whining, right ?

And why would we EVER want to tax the 2% of the richest of the rich. It is not like they got there money and power off of the backs of the ones they oppress. They NEED that 8 million dollars.....PER YEAR. They EARNED it with 4 hour, 3 day a week, work weeks.

BUT WHOA, WHOA, WHOA !!!! We can't be worrying about this! We got a war on our hands, gays to bash, stereotypes to uphold, scapegoats to blame, steriods in sports, American Idols to vote in, and remember if you don't support the government your religion won't like you anymore.

Look, I may rave and rant. But those are my frustrations, that I see for all the people that work hard to TRY and make this country what it should be. I would love to peacefully vote people in that make a difference but I don't see it happening. The common man is so oppressed that he/she does not have the time to look into these matters. Thus we are supposed to be abilty to trust the people who represent us, and that trust has been exploited. This country is a beautiful place, and the COMMON MAN, THE PEOPLE make it so. The problem is our representitives do not respresent us. The 2% it running the show for themselves and the only way I can see it change is the fact that 98% out numbers 2%.