According to a new Gallup Poll, Congress’s approval rating has matched its lowest rating ever. Just 18 percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, while 76 percent disapprove. This is a staggering decline for the Democratic-controlled Congress, and it has occurred in only a matter of months. President Bush’s approval rating, at 32 percent, is considerably higher. It turns out that come this fall, he may well have the stronger hand to play.
The collapse in support for Congress tells us several things. First, the American people are in a deeply anti-political mood, and public officials who plausibly can tap into that sentiment and channel it in a constructive way will benefit enormously. The public is looking for a change-agent.
Second, the Democratic Congress has passed almost nothing of consequence; in the current environment, this is ruinous.
Third, Democrats are paying a high price for their hyper-partisanship. They appear angry, zealous, and vengeful, far more interested in investigations than legislation.
Fourth, Democrats are reinforcing the worst stereotypes of the party: weak on national security, in favor of higher taxes and larger government, and beholden to fringe groups.
Fifth, Democratic Party leaders, especially Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are quite weak, both in their abilities to run the institution and as the public faces of the modern Democratic Party.
The 2006 mid-term election was viewed by many commentators as an enormous set-back for the GOP. While the results were about typical for a second mid-term election for the presidential party in power, they did not usher in days of wine and roses for Republicans, who trail Democrats on the generic ballot and in fund-raising. But Republicans have an opportunity. The anger that was directed toward the GOP is now being re-directed toward Democrats, who are finding that governing is more difficult than merely opposing. This may allow President Bush and Republicans to define themselves against the failures of the 110th Congress, just as Bill Clinton was able to define himself against the mistakes of Newt Gingrich (recall the government shut-down).
The congressional GOP is in desperate need of re-branding after years in power, when the fires of reform dimmed and died. The party now has an opening, one growing larger by the month. Once-cocky Democrats must wonder how things have come undone quite so fast.
If Barack followed this advice of defending the Palestinians and kicking the Israelis a bit, I am sure some of his supporters in Chicago would be happy.
” ceasing to be America”
we ceased to be america when the lobby started calling thee shots for their rather than our interests
“and embracing policies that do not serve its own national interests”
haha you must be joking. how is supporting israel anyhting other than a liability? this should be good
Sure, Obama could win back Arab opinion. Get rid of the Dept. of Homeland Security, close Guantanamo and send the prisoners to Waikiki Beach, make installation of foot baths a federal requirement, close down the pork industry, prohibit private ownership of dogs, allow up to four wives per husband and prohibit homosexuality and abortion. That would be a start anyway.
I love the “…some would say more balanced…” Clearly, the Guardian is not the place to go to get a clue to American politics. Obama is not going to lose support at home for backing Israel. It’ll be the opposite. His followers will be behind him no matter what he does. He can do no wrong and they don’t have any place else to go. But he may get some support or at least acquiescence from the American Right.
The Left, whether gay activists or Europeans, seem to think that they’re responsible for Obama’s election, ergo they should be consulted on his policies. I sort of respect Obama for using them the way he does. It’s really quite comical. And then their inevitable shock, I tell you, shock that Obama’s not taking their advice.
Okay, Lester…I’m in the mood to chuckle. Explain to us how dumping Israel and getting right with Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and the other assorted theocrats, thugs, homophobes, gynophobes and kleptocrats works for us. Is it sort of like the way bailing on the Czechs to placate the Nazis paid off for the French and British? Or are you just generally in favor of the agenda of the foregoing creeps, and the Israelis are blocking progress? And for extra credit, who would you throw them next?
“how is supporting israel anyhting other than a liability?”
If any country in the world deserves our support, it’s Israel.
“An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.” Winston Churchill
So far, the west is sadly failing when it comes to the threats from Islam, Communist China and Russia’s KGB rulers. It would do well to remember a particularly appropriate B. Franklin quote: “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
Concepts like friendship, loyalty, honor and just plain ‘doing the right thing’ are the only thing that keeps us from our own decline and fall. Once we turn within and only look out for #1… its all over and the barbarians have won. Just look to Europe and its demographic destiny for confirmation.
Whether its Islam, or China’s communists or even Russia’s KGB rulers, tyrants inevitably end up ruling over nations whose peoples won’t fight upon principle. When someone can’t see the value of principles, they’ll eventually be the stronger country’s slaves.
I happen to take great pride in the fact that the Left the world over hates us. Further, that we are despised by most of the nations in the world doesn’t bother me one bit. As I see it, most of the world’s nations, including virtually all of the Middle East, most of Africa, and much of Asia are total and complete crapholes.
Maynard,
Excellent.
Gord,
Hear, hear!
But, but, but, I thought that Bush damaged America’s standing in the world?!!!! What?!!! You mean that the world just hates America, regardless of who is president??!!! You don’t say!!!!
You know I am getting just slightly annoyed over the rest of the world publicly chiding our presidents. I didn’t vote for Obama, but I am hoping for the best, and whether it is a GOP or Dem president getting lectures from people who suppose themselves to be our moral superiors, they all need to shut up. Without us, they would all be speaking Russian by now. Is there some moral advantage to being a coward?
“Okay, Lester…I’m in the mood to chuckle. Explain to us how dumping Israel and getting right with Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and the other assorted theocrats, thugs, homophobes, gynophobes and kleptocrats works for us.”
how would it work for us?? how would supporting democracy in the middle east work for us?
are you seriously asking me that?
hmm, lets see.
instead of supporting hugely unpopular dictators like we do in egypt and saudi arabia, if we DIDN’T support them, the people SUFFERING under those dictatorships wouldn’t rightfully blame us for this suffering.
so, when al queda attempts to recruit people by pointing out our support for these dictators, or our arming of israel, or our torture in guantanamo or abu graib we could point out that we don’t do these things. then al queda would have to recruit based on, i don’t know, our right to an attorney? I really don’t knwo what gets them going outside of the obvious: our foreign polic which I think eveyone here would admit all arabs hate.
geofrrey britain
“If any country in the world deserves our support, it’s Israel”
I didn’t ask if they “deserved” our support whatever that means, I asked if they were a liability. are they not a liability, strategically. nevermind, you are too cowardly too admit what I’m sure even most israelis would admit because it’s so obvious.
“Concepts like friendship, loyalty, honor and just plain ‘doing the right thing’ are the only thing that keeps us from our own decline and fall.”
yeah we have this thing called the constitution here. we don’t worship the state like you europeans. to us our country is our selves, our families and our communities. isn’t that interesting?
Wow, Lester–that’s quite a change of subject! I ask how bailing on Israel, a democracy, is supposed to work for us, and you answer by telling us what a trove of good will we’re going to garner by bailing on Egypt and Saudi Arabia, since they’re NOT democracies.
Lester, you have ratiocination issues. More basically, you have spelling and punctuation issues. Come back after further schooling, okay?