All Wingnuttia is a-burble about this Zogby/Reuters poll that has Congress' approval rating at 14%. Bush is at 34%. Hence, All America allegedly loves Bush twice as much as The Entire Democratic Party, or something: "The public disdain for Democrats is overwhelming," giggles noted chucklehead Don Surber.
Omigod how awful are we ever "pwned" whimper boohoo.
Feh.
Of course the full story is a bit more complex. From Zogby's release:
The Democratic Congress gets poor marks across the ideological spectrum – just 21% of liberals and 10% of the very liberal give it positive marks, while 14% of conservatives and 14% of the very conservative give it positive ratings. Among Democrats, just 19% give Congress positive marks, compared to 13% of Republicans and 8% of political independents.
Contrast this with the ideological responses to Bush:
Bush’s numbers are stable among Republicans, where he wins a 63% positive rating, and among those who consider themselves political independents – where he wins 31% support. Just 8% of Democrats give the President positive job marks. Among men, 33% gave him positive job marks, while 34% of women gave him a positive rating.
So, actually pretty anemic support for the preznit from his own party. But that's not the bigger point. That's to do with what people are really expecting of this Congress, and to do with the inherent idiocy of the wingnut goobering about "public disdain for Democrats."
You see, wingnut geniuses, the Congress is controlled by the Democrats: it is not solely composed of Democrats. I don't see where Zogby breaks this down (I'm not a subscriber), but Congressional Democrats have been polling ahead of C-Republicans consistently.
But the even more significant issue does not show up in the Zogby 14% poll -- and this is from a different poll, yadda dadda -- but the numbers are so overwhelming I don't see how it makes much difference:
Which of these comes closest to your opinion? Congress should block all funding for the war in Iraq no matter what. OR, Congress should allow funding, but only on the condition that the U.S. sets a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. OR, Congress should allow all funding for the war without any timetable conditions.Block all: 8
Timetable: 61
Allow all: 28
Unsure: 3
The reason nobody likes Congress is because nobody likes the war, and Congress has not yet forced the Bushites to say when the war will end. This is really not a subject for debate: anyone who wants to pay attention to the polls and who is honest will concede this. The low ratings for Congress are a result of the frustration most American feel because their wishes are being thwarted. Americans feel betrayed and angry because their institutions are not reflecting their will. For some reason, getting lied into a war that turns into a bloody trainwreck makes folks a mite testy. Go figure. Anyway, people are pissed off at Democrats to the extent that they are not stopping the Republicans, whom all but the wingnut dead-enders see as deranged liars.
See how fun and easy it was dispensing with that silly spin?
So Easy! (Taps toes, breaks out into song)
Easy as A-B-C, 1-2-3, do-re-mi, wingnuts can go blow me, A-B-C, dee dee dee... (Does little dance step, pirouettes, stops suddenly)
Ummm, sorry. Excuse me. Got carried away there. Forgot youse all were watching....
Ahem.
Grumble...
(Downs slug of Labatt's Light in decidedly manly fashion, mutters dark imprecations about Mets bullpen)
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Zed!
zedlet
America!
Crikey - now you want these idiots to add?
I want you to preserve your sanity - please lower the expectations…
I’m joining in singing and dancing! Great post.
I am a Democrat who supports cutting off funding for the Iraq occupation. And that’s no spin.
Good evening all.
This going to start getting better soon?
Yeah, I’d sort of expect the Congressional approval numbers to go up now after the filibuster thing. Not a lot — but it should at least make clear where the obstruction is coming from. And from whom.
Yes the reason for the lack of confidence in congress is solid as Iraq. This war was unnecessary and it is immoral.
One of my heroes Lt Col karen Kwiatowski at Military Week (had not gone to MW) in a while.
Getting Screwed
“Screwed up, screwed over, and just plain screwed. The brutality of this language sadly fails to approximate what is happening to oursoldiers and Marines in Iraq, and afterwards.”
http://militaryweek.com/column.....;php?id=51
I am sure you have read Kwiatowski’s “The New Pentagon Papers” but just in case you have not
http://dir.salon.com/story/opi…..index.html
I still have that album, but I don’t have anything to play it on. :-{
Hi, Tex.
I sure hope so.
Thers @ 9
That’s what I was thinking. The support among dems has got to go up some.
I got EPUed on the last thread. Talking o/t about divorce.
Margot @ 11
Remember also, Congress is congress as a whole, and with the Senate tied to the tracks by the GOP, it’s easy to say that “Congress sucks” - nothing’s happening, so the institution is bad.
When a patient has cancer, you don’t kill him, even if his health “sucks” - you cut out the cancer.
So what we need is to remove as much of the GOP as possible, and Congress will be in remission.
At least, I think that’s how it works.
Great post.
kym @ 11
Vinyl? My daughter just bought a player for vinyl, cassettes and DVD’s. Amazed me!
Thers!
Great stuff. Funny how Snark (when wielded by masters such as Jon Stewart, TRex and apparently yourself) can cut through the putrid fog of reichwing, corporate-driven spin.
I guess I’ve got another must-read daily author on my list. Man, I tell ya… The Lake has become the watering hole for my political soul.
Congressional (D)’s are not principled enough to really want to stop the war, and of course the (R)’s are gonzo crazy supporters of the war.
they find themselves in a predicament, due to the overwhelming opposition of the public to this criminal catastrophe.
however, structurally, their allegiance is not with the amorphous public, it is with those who write large checks in support: corporate lobbyists, and powerful lobbyists for foreign countries, and the Beltway “VIllage” culture of High Broderism.
they are all trying to square the circle successfully, and the public is ticked off at the existing deceit.
but structurally, the public is in a bind as well, because there is no real opposition party to support - an anti-corporate, anti-war party that could really do the things the public wants, like universal healthcare and complete withdrawal from the middle east.
These lyrics from the Jackson 5 song “Sugar Daddy” express my sentiments precisely:
Doo doo ba doo doo dood oo
Doo doo ba doo doo dood oo
Doo doo ba doo doo dood oo
Doo doo ba doo doo dood oo
Aw, thanks for all the kind comments. You’ll turn my head!
BigMitch @ 13
I went back and read it. Wow. How can an attorney divulge information they have about their client’s spouse and continue to represent that client? That seems extremely unethical, and if not unethical, it seems extremely…psychotic. What a …fill in the blank.
Thers @ 20
Excellent! In which direction?
I still don’t see anything on the Clinton/Edelman story on MSNBC or CNN online. Perhaps if they’d get with the program the polls would shift.
Poor Tammy Fay.
Even Vinnie in the Basement knows that there are two parts to Congress polling, Congress in general and their individual Congress Kritter. We have seen even the crooks, Jefferson, Ney, Dukester still have fairly high approval numbers.
But Congress has not done a good job, especially controlling Lobbyists, earmarks and corruption. Speaking of kritters, C-Span2 has a vote on Clinton. Republicans are blaming Clinton.
punaise @ 19
Why didn’t I think of that? :)
I don’t know!
/Homer
as much as i’d rather side with the d’s than with awol, i have to agree w/the public at large.
america voted the d’s in for one reason only: to stop the war. the d’s not only dropped the ball, they didn’t even show up for the game.
sure, they couldn’t have gotten the 60 votes needed to overcome the iraq funding vote, but when push came to shove, they neither pushed nor shoved. they caved.
if the d’s had shown spine and voted against iraq funding, their numbers would be up.
if they showed spine and introduced impeachment, their numbers would be up.
if they actually listened to their constituents, their numbers would be up.
Loo Hoo. @ 23
Oh, god. I know. I can’t believe one woman can look so pitiful.
At this point, congress’ ratings are meaningless.
And the fact that most of the disapproval of them has to do with their not being able to do more to bring our troops home is one HELL of a lot scarier for bush and the GOP, than it is for the democats.
But I WOULD like to ask if anyone has heard a single democrat point out that george bush can bring them home with a stroke of his pen?
Plame suit
By Jason Leopold and Matt Renner
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/071907R.shtml
Frank33 @ 25
That’s because they see Clinton as their challenge. And she whacks ‘em.
marymccurnin @ 28
I can’t believe she is still alive. Sad. A tiny body with a big spirit.
Something sort of good happened today.
Dear Mr. President:
We are writing to inform you that we will only support appropriating additional funds for U.S. military operations in Iraq during Fiscal Year 2008 and beyond for the protection and safe redeployment of all our troops out of Iraq before you leave office.
More than 3,600 of our brave soldiers have died in Iraq. More than 26,000 have been seriously wounded. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed or injured in the hostilities and more than 4 million have been displaced from their homes. Furthermore, this conflict has degenerated into a sectarian civil war and U.S. taxpayers have paid more than $500 billion, despite assurances that you and your key advisors gave our nation at the time you ordered the invasion in March, 2003 that this military intervention would cost far less and be paid from Iraqi oil revenues.
We agree with a clear and growing majority of the American people who are opposed to continued, open-ended U.S. military operations in Iraq, and believe it is unwise and unacceptable for you to continue to unilaterally impose these staggering costs and the soaring debt on Americans currently and for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (CA); Rep. Barbara Lee (CA); Rep. Maxine Waters (CA); Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA); Rep. Rush Holt (NJ); Rep. Maurice Hinchey (NY); Rep. Diane Watson (CA); Rep. Ed Pastor (AZ); Rep. Barney Frank (MA); Rep. Danny Davis (IL); Rep. John Conyers (MI); Rep. John Hall (NY); Rep. Bob Filner (CA); Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY); Rep. Bobby Rush (IL); Rep. Charles Rangel (NY); Rep. Ed Towns (NY); Rep. Paul Hodes (NH); Rep. William Lacy Clay (MO); Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR); Rep. Albert Wynn (MD); Rep. Bill Delahunt (MA); Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC); Rep. G. K. Butterfield (NC); Rep. Hilda Solis (CA); Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY); Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY); Rep. Michael Honda (CA); Rep. Steve Cohen (TN); Rep. Phil Hare (IL); Rep. Grace Flores Napolitano (CA); Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL); Rep. James McGovern (MA); Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH); Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL); Rep. Julia Carson (IN); Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA); Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ); Rep. John Olver (MA); Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX); Rep. Jim McDermott (WA); Rep. Ed Markey (MA); Rep. Chaka Fattah (PA); Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ); Rep. Rubin Hinojosa (TX); Rep. Pete Stark (CA); Rep. Bobby Scott (VA); Rep. Jim Moran (VA); Rep. Betty McCollum (MN); Rep. Jim Oberstar (MN); Rep. Diana DeGette (CO); Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA); Rep. Artur Davis (AL); Rep. Hank Johnson (GA); Rep. Donald Payne (NJ); Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO); Rep. John Lewis (GA); Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY); Rep. Neil Abercrombie (HI); Rep. Gwen Moore (WI); Rep. Keith Ellison (MN); Rep. Tammy Baldwin (WI); Rep. Donna Christensen (USVI); Rep. David Scott (GA); Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL); Lois Capps (CA); Steve Rothman (NJ); Elijah Cummings (MD); and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX).
Kathleen; good link!
Col. Karen is a pistol. :o)
Thers @ 8
more than the all night debate - this is what has me very happy today with the house of representatives!
Leahy on Bates “When that guy was working for Ken Starr, he wanted to go open the dresser drawers of the White House,” Leahy said. “I guess it’s a lot different when it’s a Republican vice president.”
and this is what we call Justice.
Thers @ 26
:)
There are Democrats and there are democrats. If you actually want to change things you have to get behind the only guy who has, from the beginning, said no more money for Iraq. Period. There is no other way. Everything else is show. The wingers say ‘Put up or shut up!’ . As long as there is money to remain in Iraq, the US military will be in Iraq.
Kucinich. No bullshit!
skippy @ 27
i think the reason we’re seeing action this week is because their numbers have been going down.
feet & fire = goodness
and now, if congresses numbers start going up some… that will be the carrot to do more.
marymccurnin @ 32
Great! I would like to know how many people, collectively, these people represent.
Barbara Lee speaks for me…once again
Kathleen @ 30
john in california @ 37
after h.con.r.21 and s.amdt.2073 and s.amdt.2100 … i’m inclined to agree.
My legs are out of control!!!!! I think I have Restless Leg Syndrome!!! RLS…Oh, God!!!
My right leg wants to kick Bush, and my left leg wants to kick Cheney.
What should I do?
LS @ 43
Exchange one of those kicks for a punch.
On another political/musical note, I created the band Eagle Sore earlier this evening and uploaded a couple of tunes.
Senator Voinovich …Bush faces mutiny
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/071907K.shtml
Senator Voinovich really exposed his core during the John Bolten nomination hearings but then he folded…so dissapointing.
Now he is demonstrating some independence but it is too late for him in Ohio. Word has it that the Republicans will run Rep Rob Portman in Voinovich’s place. This is from an insider.
We are hoping Paul Hackett runs for the seat
john in california @ 38
Jeeni Cricenzo, who apposed Darrel Issa in ‘06, AND GOT ABSOLUTELY NO PRESS, is now working for Kucinich.
OT, but it’s my post… and it’s funny/frightening.
Echidne at Eschaton quotes the foreign policy genius of Rudy! Giuliani:
LS @ 44
Give them a one-two.
And I meant to say thanks, Kathleen, for the Leopold link.
Kathleen @ 45
Oh, that would be outstanding!!
I think Gates is freaking too, since he broke up while talking about the letters he rights every night to the families of the slain. He must be living a nightmare while trying to “rehabilitate” Poppy’s son from Darth’s grasp.
umm, has Jason Leopold ever outed his *source(s)* who swore up and down that Rove was already secretly indicted?
Loo Hoo @ 16
Sorry for the late reply, I such out to Next Hurrah for a bit.
Yup, the real deal. Sounds like a neat little toy, but get the real effect of back-in-the-day, your daugher has to experience 8 tracks. ;-}
Thers, Rudy has officially sunk his ship with that quote at 49! (If he hadn’t done himself in before that.)
Loo Hoo. @ 16
I have to admit to never understanding the appeal of the Jackson 5. They fit the definition of bubble gum music when they came out (with the folks I ran with anyway). Never have been a fan of any of MJ’s music.
TexB @ 45
707!!!!!
He’s accomplished that accomplishment in an accomplished fashion all accomplishedly.
Thers @ 57
it’s a fade accompli
kym @ 53
Oh, man. The eight tracks in the back of a paddy wagon. Canned Heat. Led Zeppelin. Dylan, Baez, Country Joe, CSN&Y,…….
Neil Young does have our demonstration/march song all prepared for us too. “Let’s Impeach the President.”
dakine01 @ 55
Days like this make me want to cash in the 401Ks and move to the country. Go off the grid. Start a little commune. Never watch TV again. Get a ham radio. Eat a lotta peaches. Try and find Jesus. On my own.
Thers @ 49
War? What war? Show me the declaration of War Ghouliani moron, and don’t give me that..”we didn’t declare war on Vietnam” precedent bull.
These are invasions followed by occupations, they are not even “conflicts”; and they surely do not give W “war powers” if you really examine it. We were attacked by citizens of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Yemen. We attacked Iraq based on lies created to manipulate the public support. I’m with KO, send W to complete his incomplete military service and fight his own damn fight. Spit! JM2cents
dakine01@55
Sorry, i spiced into your post so here’s my comment again.
For a pre-teen colored girl MJ was the “bomb” until he turned white ;-> , and before you all get me, I know this is an off-colored comment.
wangdangdoodle @ 60
Can I come? Except for the Jesus part.
kym @ 60
I went and looked at the ABC album came out in ‘70 which was the year I grad’d HS and on to college. I was more CSNY and other rock at the time.
wangdangdoodle @ 61
another Neil Young opportunity:
kym @ 63
I’ve learned to look for the embedded comment. ;})
TexB @ 64
It’s the missing years comment. ;})
Thers @ 8
Too bad our press corpse can’t (won’t) explain it to the people.
kym @ 63
An old girlfriend of mine was one of the ‘red dancers’ in his video/movie flick ; )
Captain EO
The film stars Michael Jackson. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, executive-produced by George Lucas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_EO
wangdangdoodle @ 60
Hate to tell you but Jesus died a long time ago. But I am sure if he was still around he would love to eat peaches with you.
TexB @ 64
But of course. I’m not into Jesus all that much. Neither are his followers, so it appears…
ifthethunderdontgetya @ 69
About half the newspapers are getting it correct. And even Diane Sawyer apologized for screwing up the reporting on it yesterday. It is a slow process but progress is being made in turning things around.
wangdangdoodle @ 61
Time for a commune? Ha!
Thers @ 8
News reporting I’ve heard and did NOT make clear where the obstruction is. It was framed as “Dems fail to do things” rather than “GOP stops things you want.”
Loo Hoo. @ 59
OK Loo Hoo, I don’t think I’m that far back. I was pretty much a small girl in the 60, but I sure as hell remember the great music. I’ve taken to listening to Aretha, James and WAR lately. The music invokes such a visceral response. It serves to remind us, that unfortunately, we’ve been through this sh*t before, but you know what? We the people will prevail. The world is full of lousy, wanna-be-great men. I’m with you (cover you’re ears)
IMPEACH!
OT ….. more crappy news –
FEMA Suppressed Health Warnings for Workers, Katrina Victims
Agency Rejected Environmental Testing on Formaldehyde Gas Levels
By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 19, 2007; 6:02 PM
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has suppressed warnings from its own Gulf coast field workers since the middle of 2006 about suspected health problems that may be linked to elevated levels of formaldehyde gas released in FEMA-provided trailers, lawmakers said today.
At a hearing this morning of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, investigators released internal e-mails indicating that FEMA lawyers rejected environmental testing out of fear that the agency would then become legally liable if health problems emerged among as many as 120,000 families displaced by Hurricane Katrina who lived in trailers.
If you join a commune do you have to wash dishes?
Kerry said he would go back and look at our posts tonight, probably late I would imagine; we should check back there periodically d’ya think?
marymccurnin @ 77
Isn’t that why I have kids?
punaise @ 66
Timing is everything, yes?
TexB @ 80
I think that’s one reason why my mother had kids anyway.
TexB @ 76
I wonder what else they lied about? Like the general environment in NOLA. Can you imagine how much crap is in the soil just from breeched containers from under people’s kitchen sinks.
dakine01 @ 68
Hey dakine! How ya bean?
kym @ 76
Kym, I grew up listening to the early Temps and fourtops on Motown as well as Aretha. But the best (for me) was the music outta Memphis on STAX/Volt records. Otis Redding, Booker T & The MGs, Sam and Dave. Isaac hayes produced a lot of the stuff and wrote before starting his own recording. Rufus and Carla Thomas. Great Great music
Kathleen @ 47
WOuldn’t that be great? What a spitfire he is!
wangdangdoodle @ 84
As jerry jeff sang “Just gettin’ by on gettin’ by’s my stock in trade…”
Cozumel @ 70
I think Chertoff (sp?) was one of the zombies in the Thriller video. No, no…I’m serious. Look real close the next time you’ll see him.
marymccurnin @ 83
I read a NOAA report today about dead zones in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of TX & LA, due to excess nitrogen run off. So how long before the dead zones are, like, in our air? Great googly moogly, I’m in such a funk today.
Draft College Republicans!
marymccurnin @ 78
Everybody does their speciality. If they don’t contribute, they get kicked out. TexB is in charge of desserts.
ccmask @ 90
Now that’s a movement I can get on board with.
TexB @ 77
OT ….. more crappy news –
FEMA Suppressed Health Warnings for Workers, Katrina Vic