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In a country sharply divided on almost every issue, most Americans agree on one thing: they don’t like Congress, and they would vote to replace every single member -- even their own -- if they had the option.
Fifty-six percent of registered voters say they would vote out every member of Congress if there were a place on the ballot to do so. That’s the highest response in favor of the question since it was first asked in March 2010.
And they say so across the ideological spectrum – with 55 percent of liberals, 55 percent of moderates, and 58 percent of conservatives all feeling the same way.
“We found the one area in which all people in the country agree,” said Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart.
Combine that with Congress continuing to be at near-record lows in approval at 13 percent and all members of Congress are at risk, McInturff said.
But there are also warning signs specifically for Republicans.
More people say the GOP has brought the wrong kind of change (31 percent) in Congress than the right kind (12 percent). That represents a drop for the GOP from a year ago, right after when they took control of the House as a result of the sweeping 2010 elections. In January 2011, 25 percent thought Republicans would bring the right kind of change versus 20 percent who thought they would bring the wrong kind.
Those attitudes are also far worse than right after when Democrats took control of the House in 2006 (42%/15%) and Republicans regained a majority in 1994 (37%/11%).
“People want Congress to get things done, act responsibly and fix the economy,” McInturff said, “and if they don’t,” they could be in trouble. McIntruff added, “These guys are going to be running in a head wind.”
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Most attorneys should be barred from running for public office. In order to qualify for office, you should have to pass a test showing you can communicate in plain language, that you only say what you mean and mean what you say. In the courts, if laws are unjust, judges (and/or juries) should be able to override them to make sure justice is done.
Courts can overturn laws that are unconstitutional, ever since Marbury v. Madison (1803) created the power of judicial review. Not juries, however, since they determine facts, not legal issues."Unjust" is such a subjective word that is based on personal opinion, it can't be found "right or wrong". As for the first part, we need lawyers to draft laws. As an attorney myself, I sometimes wonder how "normal" people get through life, with all the legalese we have to deal with everywhere.
It's like the people who are most certain about what the Consitution "means" without any doubt are always those who have zero legal training or education. The more educated you become about something, the more you learn how much you have to learn.
I'm completely down with this idea. I've already told my representative (Brian Bilbray) that he should get ready to pack his @!$%# and git. We need a total cleansing of both the House & Senate if only to remind them that we are not fond of cronyism and did not send them there to become wealthy but to honestly represent our interests.
We also need term limits. Badly. They get too ensconced in their beltway circles and are too susceptible to lobbyists. Frankly, we have created a "political elite" class that is mainly concerned about their next election and not a lot else.
Vote Obama out and the majority of Congress would be a good start. I have to say that there may be a few Congressmen and women that are not bought off by the bankers and corporations, " Bernie Sander, Ron Paul, and Peter Defazio" are the exceptions, but the rest need to go.
I for one WILL be voting against all incumbents, Republican or Democrat, doesn't matter.
I'm convinced that both of the major parties are operating solely in their own interests, not those of the country. The polarization and lack of any ability to work together has made this congress one of the worst ever. As a result, I've concluded that I will not vote for any member of the two major parties. We need to send a message to all of them that it shouldn't be a "party first" world.
if that's the majority, then shouldn't they be given their pink slips immediately? Why doesn't this vote count?
In the State of Missouri we had so much discussion about removing a criminal named Roy Blunt. After all the discussion was finished, they voted him back in overwhelmingly. I think our voters may be coming unhinged. Embarrassing.
Well, somehow Dubya was voted in for a second term...didn't see that comming either.
Almost lost my faith in Joe Public.
impeach congress!
Unless we start over we are dead !!!
why dont u send thia article to that ass, john boehner and his pals. tell him to post it in the hallway of their office so evryone of them can read what a disgrace they are?
This doesn't mean just Republicans...it says ALL.
Not just Congress....ALL OF THEM including the President (46% approval rating). Start fresh.
The congress would not know what to do with a real job, most have never worked or have been pampered to death like Eric Cantor or Scott Walker.
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..."
Cynical but unfortunately very true.
Overpaid, underworked. They are in it for themselves, apparently.
That's not going to make the voting public want them back.
Every time I turn around I am more disgusted with the whole bunch. They vote themselves pay raises in the middle of huge financial fiascoes. Give them their walking papers.
The pay raises are just one example of how out of touch they are with their constituents. That said, I am willing to bet that even if they took notice of this poll, it wouldn't bother them very much.
I can't believe americans are so gullible. They just went through 8 years of Bush stupidity then back to the old republican in the house. You know that nothing is going to get done. Make up your mind.
As they say, "Nothing personal, it's just business."
But just wait.
The Supreme Court's decision regarding Citizens United and election finance will forever change politics for the worse in this country.
Puppet politicians supported by multimillion dollar Super Pac’s, highly paid lobbyists and an Americas public too exhausted to care will open the doors to corporations from all over the world to take control of this country.
I think we should have a six year limit on both the house and senate . NO reelection ever, NO campaigning while in office ever. Then maybe we would have someone who would deal with the issues instead of working to protect their cushy job.
We will make a third world country out of this place soon enough.
I would vote out the idiot in the White House before I would start on Congress. If he had not created this mess, the Congress would not have to fix it. Get rid of Obama, then we shall see what has to be done.
Oh boy. Did you live in a cave with no access to national news and information before Obama took office? Or were you in some type of medical coma? Because those two would be the only legitimate reasons for making as ignorant a statement as Obama "created this mess." (No, I'm not pointing the finger specifically at W Bush, though he did some staunch damage during his presidency) Now, I'll give it to you - Obama's done next to nothing to lead us out of this busted mess and his politics have done nothing to ease the politically toxic climate but you work with what you're given. (apparently, he missed that memo on a few occassions) But the house wasn't spic-and-span when Obama moved in.
Try removing the helmet from your suit of armor every now and again - won't restrict your vision as much.
Keeping in mind the fact that the single worst month of the recession was December 2008-- Bush's last month -- I could argue President Obama turned the economy around and prevented a Depression.
Clotho,
Thanks for pointint that out. Most people just repeat what they here on their preferred talk radio or cable channel stations without fact checking. Unfortuantely, that type of blind following go us to the mess we are in unless people finally wake up. The last two quarters of 2008, Bush's last year, the GDP contractions were -4 and -6.8 respectively. The last two quarters of 2009, once Obama got into office and implemented the stimulus, a growth in the GDP of 1.6 and 5.0 respectively. What most people who never studied economic or never worked in banking and finance don't understand is that unemployment is and will always be a lagging indicator of economic recovery.
Moreover, we are so bless that we didnt take the austerity measures (deficit reduction) recommended by the GOP, because many countries in Europe did and they are either having contractions and heading to a double dip recession or having negative growth and massive increases in unemployment.
Clotho,
Thanks for pointint that out. Most people just repeat what they here on their preferred talk radio or cable channel stations without fact checking. Unfortuantely, that type of blind following go us to the mess we are in unless people finally wake up. The last two quarters of 2008, Bush's last year, the GDP contractions were -4 and -6.8 respectively. The last two quarters of 2009, once Obama got into office and implemented the stimulus, a growth in the GDP of 1.6 and 5.0 respectively. What most people who never studied economic or never worked in banking and finance don't understand is that unemployment is and will always be a lagging indicator of economic recovery.
Moreover, we are so bless that we didnt take the austerity measures (deficit reduction) recommended by the GOP, because many countries in Europe did and they are either having contractions and heading to a double dip recession or having negative growth and massive increases in unemployment.
Clotho,
Thanks for pointint that out. Most people just repeat what they here on their preferred talk radio or cable channel stations without fact checking. Unfortuantely, that type of blind following go us to the mess we are in unless people finally wake up. The last two quarters of 2008, Bush's last year, the GDP contractions were -4 and -6.8 respectively. The last two quarters of 2009, once Obama got into office and implemented the stimulus, a growth in the GDP of 1.6 and 5.0 respectively. What most people who never studied economic or never worked in banking and finance don't understand is that unemployment is and will always be a lagging indicator of economic recovery.
Moreover, we are so bless that we didnt take the austerity measures (deficit reduction) recommended by the GOP, because many countries in Europe did and they are either having contractions and heading to a double dip recession or having negative growth and massive increases in unemployment.
Clotho,
Thanks for pointint that out. Most people just repeat what they here on their preferred talk radio or cable channel stations without fact checking. Unfortuantely, that type of blind following go us to the mess we are in unless people finally wake up. The last two quarters of 2008, Bush's last year, the GDP contractions were -4 and -6.8 respectively. The last two quarters of 2009, once Obama got into office and implemented the stimulus, a growth in the GDP of 1.6 and 5.0 respectively. What most people who never studied economic or never worked in banking and finance don't understand is that unemployment is and will always be a lagging indicator of economic recovery.
Moreover, we are so bless that we didnt take the austerity measures (deficit reduction) recommended by the GOP, because many countries in Europe did and they are either having contractions and heading to a double dip recession or having negative growth and massive increases in unemployment.
Clotho,
Thanks for pointint that out. Most people just repeat what they here on their preferred talk radio or cable channel stations without fact checking. Unfortuantely, that type of blind following go us to the mess we are in unless people finally wake up. The last two quarters of 2008, Bush's last year, the GDP contractions were -4 and -6.8 respectively. The last two quarters of 2009, once Obama got into office and implemented the stimulus, a growth in the GDP of 1.6 and 5.0 respectively. What most people who never studied economic or never worked in banking and finance don't understand is that unemployment is and will always be a lagging indicator of economic recovery.
Moreover, we are so bless that we didnt take the austerity measures (deficit reduction) recommended by the GOP, because many countries in Europe did and they are either having contractions and heading to a double dip recession or having negative growth and massive increases in unemployment.
Clotho,
Thanks for pointint that out. Most people just repeat what they here on their preferred talk radio or cable channel stations without fact checking. Unfortuantely, that type of blind following go us to the mess we are in unless people finally wake up. The last two quarters of 2008, Bush's last year, the GDP contractions were -4 and -6.8 respectively. The last two quarters of 2009, once Obama got into office and implemented the stimulus, a growth in the GDP of 1.6 and 5.0 respectively. What most people who never studied economic or never worked in banking and finance don't understand is that unemployment is and will always be a lagging indicator of economic recovery.
Moreover, we are so bless that we didnt take the austerity measures (deficit reduction) recommended by the GOP, because many countries in Europe did and they are either having contractions and heading to a double dip recession or having negative growth and massive increases in unemployment.
Clotho,
Thanks for pointint that out. Most people just repeat what they here on their preferred talk radio or cable channel stations without fact checking. Unfortuantely, that type of blind following go us to the mess we are in unless people finally wake up. The last two quarters of 2008, Bush's last year, the GDP contractions were -4 and -6.8 respectively. The last two quarters of 2009, once Obama got into office and implemented the stimulus, a growth in the GDP of 1.6 and 5.0 respectively. What most people who never studied economic or never worked in banking and finance don't understand is that unemployment is and will always be a lagging indicator of economic recovery.
Moreover, we are so bless that we didnt take the austerity measures (deficit reduction) recommended by the GOP, because many countries in Europe did and they are either having contractions and heading to a double dip recession or having negative growth and massive increases in unemployment.
Forgive my typos, its 25 years of writter editors and secretaries spoiling me. My major focus is only techical accuracy.
voters bitch and moan, but don't do anything about it,even tho they have the means to do so.
there are those that vote across the board. they are the worst of all voters. they are just passing the buck to those that do care for there vote.
"GOD" help this country
We can't have term limits, Congress won't allow it! I'd prefer hanging the lot of them along the Potomac.
I believe the Republicans, especially the hard core conservatives who have made it their mission to make the country as bad as it can be and try to blame the Dems and Obama, are going to get spanked this November.
Hopefully the independents can claim both the House and Senate.
You don't sound very independent. I'm independent and I want them ALL gone. For every "hard core conservative" there are just as many "hard core liberals". Fixed opinions on both sides is the reason nothing is getting done.
There's an old saying "better the devil you know (than the devil you don't)"... I think that is what keeps most Congressional members in place.
Since most people already know that politicians are generally disingenuous, they have no idea how bad or good the replacement might be, so they just keep the one they have because they at least know where they stand (at least they think they do).
When that changes, then Congress will change.
Congress ? It beats working !!! .....and as long as they (politicians) keep us separated by using economics, race, taxes, or whatever other ploy they can think of, nothing is going to change. We are truly divided down the middle on most issues and while this is our greatest strength, it is also our greatest weakness. United we stand, divided we fall. And, unfortunately, we are falling.
Numbers don’t lie:
Inauguration Day: Today:
Unemployment 12million 13.1million
Gas Prices $1.85 $3.39
Federal Debt $10.6 trillion $15.2 trillion
College Tuition $6,591 $8,244
Health Insurance $3,354 $4,129
Poverty 39.8% 46.2%
Home Value $169,700 $147,800
Global Ranking 1st 5th
I am voting mine out - "YOU LIE" Wilson, and DeMint.