Congress Beats Bush in Approval Ratings
Forty percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, according to the latest AP poll. That may not seem like much, but it's up from 25 percent just before the last election and higher than Bush's mid-30s. A word of warning to candidates who are still fleshing out their Iraq positions: The same poll suggests voters, especially those coveted independents, are really sick of this war.Forty percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, according to the latest AP poll. That may not seem like much, but it’s up from 25 percent just before the last election and higher than Bush’s mid-30s. A word of warning to candidates who are still fleshing out their Iraq positions: The same poll suggests voters, especially those coveted independents, are really sick of this war.
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...AP:
Against that backdrop, the AP poll indicates the public wants Congress to push for an end to a war that has claimed the lives of more than 3,200 U.S. troops.
Forty percent of those surveyed said they approve the job Congress is doing, up from 25 percent approval registered for the Republican majority in the weeks leading to last fall’s elections. Disapproval of Congress totals 57 percent.
The public opinion split is identical on the issue of Democratic handling of Iraq — 40 percent approve, 57 percent disapprove.
Support is lower among self-described political independents, who deserted Republicans in last fall’s elections to give 57 percent of their votes to Democrats. Now, only 32 percent of them register approval of the job Congress is doing; 36 percent favor the way Democrats are handling Iraq.
This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.
At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.
Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.
Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.
Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.
Donate now.
Editorial Cartoons
They credit the president for the good economy—but prefer Democratic candidates in the midterms.
The new president's initial approval rating of only 46 percent indicates widespread dissatisfaction, but a civic-engagement survey finds there are people who remain optimistic.
President Obama is not a very popular leader right now, but while his low approval ratings in states such as Alabama and Utah aren't surprising, even blue state Californians are frustrated with the commander in chief.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.