Congress

It would seem that our illustrious Democratic controlled congress has finally accomplished something never before done – they’ve achieved the lowest congressional approval rating in the history of political polls. Not surprisingly, President Bush, with his own voter approval rating sitting somewhere down in the basement, has a higher rating than congress. Only 9 percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing according to the latest Rassmusen poll. And I rather suspect that those 9 percent are probably sitting in their padded private rooms, waiting for the man in the white jacket to bring them their nice medication. Once upon a time, when a certain nation’s leadership was similarly disliked by the common people, those in power famously suggested that the unwashed mob eat cake. What followed is a history lesson worth considering by our congress. No government really wants to find out what happens if they allow their approval rating to reach zero.

The logical question of course is why this particular congress is so disliked by the American people? Why is this congress such a failure? Is it because they just don’t care, are obsessed with petty partisan squabbles, and apparently are totally contemptuous of the American people? Looking at the various issues since the Democrats took control, Congress seems perfectly willing to sacrifice the health and safety of the American people for free trade relations with China and Mexico, only pay lip service to the public demand for secure borders, seem hell-bent on bailing the financial industry out of their self caused problems, and aren‘t at all bothered by the doubling of gas prices. There seems to be no shame on the Hill nor worry about the fact that the American voters consider them total failures. Instead, these self-obsessed, do-nothing politicians go about their daily business of fleecing the public, and laughing at the wishes of the masses that elected them to their high-and-mighty public offices. This might in part explain why, if we had a Bastille in this country, it would quite likely have been stormed long before now!

If Newt Gingrich's Republican majority had faced a 9 percent approval rating in the 1996 presidential election, the media certainly wouldn't have let us forget it. So given that the media's frequently reminding Americans of President Bush's low numbers (in the upper twenties), why is the mainstream media ignoring the almost nonexistent approval rating for Congress under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, even though they missed no opportunity to point out who was in control of Congress in 2006? (You might also note that Congress is controlled by "mainstream" Democrats, since the mainstream media reports there are no “liberal” Democrats in Congress.) When the result of the survey hit the wires, none of the evening news programs covered the story, not even as a brief mention. The talk news shows made no comment about the development either.

Rasmussen’s news release noted that the numbers are pretty bad even among the Democrats, who gave Congress a 17% positive rating last month, and are now down to 13%. Republicans give Congress a good or excellent rating of 8%, a one point improvement from last month, while the Independent voters giving Congress a 3% positive rating. One reason for the low numbers is that 72% of the electorate apparently believes that members of Congress are more interested in furthering their own political careers than in taking care of the nations business. While it’s seemingly our national pastime to dislike politicians, there are scores of Washington lawmakers who make a difference in the lives of those who elected them. But divided government, full-time reelection campaigning, and a lobbyist stranglehold on the legislative process have joined forces to cause the current problems, with Republicans and Democrats both deserving a share of the blame. Blinded by partisanship, the lack of effective legislation at this time of record gas prices and economic collapse means that Congress is about as popular as a swarm of mosquitoes at a Sunday school picnic. Despite democratic assurances that things would be different this time around (where have I heard that one before?), as of July 4th Congress has passed 260 laws, the lowest number in the last thirty years. Of all the crucial issues facing the nation, 74 of those laws are for naming post offices and 148 could be called ‘substantive’ laws by someone, considering that this substantive legislation includes a law requiring the flag be flown on Father’s Day. Only 8 were “must pass” appropriations bills.

These numbers don’t include assorted resolutions that the Senate or the House took time to consider and then passed, such as: 1) Recognizing soil as an essential natural resource, and soils professionals as playing a critical role in managing our Nation's soil resources; 2) Designating July 2007 as "National Watermelon Month”; 3) Congratulating the men's volleyball team of the University of California, Irvine, for winning the 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Volleyball National Championship; 4) Recognizing the 70th anniversary of the Idaho Potato Commission and designating May 2007 as "Idaho Potato Month”; and 5) Expressing support for designation of June 30 as "National Corvette Day". Both presidential candidates had resolutions of their own to be concerned with, Sen. Obama worked to pass a resolution congratulating the Chicago White Sox on winning the 2005 World Series Championship, while Sen. McCain co-sponsored a resolution congratulating the University of Arizona Wildcats for winning the 2007 NCAA Division I Softball Championship. Congress wants to look like they are doing the peoples’ business rather than merely twiddling their thumbs and devouring the public treasury, so they resort to National Corvette Day!

With a popularity rating number so low, we might expect that Pelosi and Reid would resign in disgrace, shamed by the fact that the only thing they can claim to have accomplished is totally losing the confidence of nearly everyone in the country. If they don’t resign, out of simple respect for the American people, the leadership of both houses might well consider apologizing and resigning en masse.

Perhaps our elitist government officials might consider that sometimes the people get what they want, regardless of what the elitist media tell us we’re supposed to want. If the American voters can ever connect the economic downturn along with food and gas price increases, to continual congressional waffling, partisanship, and inaction, congress (and the White House) won’t know what hit them this November.