I call bull about Congress's low approval ratings

The Congress is supposed to be at 9% approval rating, yet the Dems, who are in charge, are supposed to clobber the Repubs and gain numerous seats.

I just cannot see how someone could give the Dems a 9% rating and vote for them in November?

I think that 9% rating has to be for the Repubs, no?

:shrug:

the general public (perhaps correctly, sometimes) regards Congress as an unwieldy, bureaucratic mess that never did anything for anyone. Regardless of the truth, people hate politicians as a group. They may be favorable towards a party, or a given politician, but hate them in general. Some cognitive dissonance, yeah, but there's the human brain for you

immunity.

Having the majority has only slowed the passage of Republican crap it shore has not stopped it.

it's not like dems are some united front. Obviously, if something passes, than at least a significant portion of dems voted for it...

1. The media NEVER used to talk about congressional approval ratings before the Dems took over. They neglect to point out that Congress ALWAYS has a lower approval rating than the standing president, and it was the same way from 2000-2006.

2. Republicans try to argue low Congressional approval ratings mean most Americans don't agree with the Dem agenda (on paper). That's bullshit. The low approval ratings are largely a result of Dems not standing up for their on-paper agenda that most people DO agree with (ending the war, etc.) *and* the Republicans setting a record for the most filibusters in our history.

I'm one of the 91%, and I honestly think that at the point we are at today we might as well remove congress, since they refuse to be a check-and balance on the executive branch and don't exercise any of their responsibility (voting to authorize the president the use of force instead of voting for or against a war). But when I have to show up and vote I will most likely pick the democrat.

they are PISSED at Democrats for not standing up to the Republicans (who they hate). Hence the 9%.

They will vote for us not because they like or admire or trust us, but because they know that there could be nothing worse than another 4 years of Republican rule. It's really not that hard to understand, and it's hardly encouraging.

why bother to vote in congressional elections?

SCOTUS?

I wonder why?

http://pollingreport.com/cong_dem.htm
http://pollingreport.com/cong_rep.htm

Democrats score higher than Republicans.

Yet people more often than not re-elect their own representative.

Go figure.

:)

Even among the people here at DU 9% approval seems to be about right (maybe even lower). Maybe someone should post a poll here to find out.

And that sentiment should translate directly AGAINST McCain and FOR McCain's opponent.

what exactly has this congress done for me lately?

yeah i know we all want -d's behind their names but what does it mean if we elect -d's and wrongs are not righted? if meaningful bills are not passed. if change does not occur.



why don't we just unseat and elect a whole new bunch of -d's this year? and as a "fare-thee-well" explain to them the reason they are out? then we can put it on the table to the new -d's that if they don't make meaningful changes in this next round we will find a whole 'nother bunch of -d's to replace them too.

if i fuck up in my job i expect to be fired. maybe they should expect that too.

this year vote democratic as always. but how about NEW democratic. not the same old tired 9% that i can't tell from the republicans anymore.

how about that...

9% approval rating reflects how America feels about the combined efforts of our Congress.

Individually, the approval rating for this or that Congress-person is likely quite a bit higher than 9%. I strongly suspect that there is not even a single Congress-person out there with a 9% or lower approval rating.

When it comes to progressives voting: Many Dems are unhappy with how our Dem Reps are not representing our progressive issues adequately. This lowers those overall Congressional ratings right there...will we vote for those same Dems over rubber-stamp republicans? Of course we will! Would we vote out that Dem in favor of a more progressive replacement-(for impeachment and accountability, restoration of the rule of law, halting the money waste on needless war and/or etc.)? Only if we felt that there would be a Democrat sitting in that chair at the end of the day.

The same may be said for conservatives: They may not like what Congress has accomplished overall-hence more of those 'disapproval' ratings....yet would those same conservative voters vote in someone whom they feel will more better represent them in Congress? (repeal Roe V Wade, build a border fence, nuke Iran and/or etc), of course they would. Would they vote in a republican congressperson who doesn't represent them? Well there's the rub now...All of America has felt the pinch of failed Republican policies, a substantial group of the republican voters will be voting for Obama-I would suspect that many won't be re-electing republican's back to Congress this time around.

Another-words 9% of America approves of what Congress (as a whole does), yet an individual Congress-persons approval rating is much higher than 9%. We are voting for individual Congresspeople not for the combined Congress itself. IMO you've mixed the two.... does this help?

Trying to take the poll of the whole of Congress is like getting a critique of "Weather"...

Praise the baby jeebus