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Bad news for Reid and Pelosi.
Americans are extremely displeased with Congress, and there are already some signs that this could take a toll on the Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections. Currently, 37% express a favorable opinion of Congress, while 52% hold an unfavorable view. Positive opinions of Congress have declined by 13 points since April and are now at one of their lowest points in more than two decades of Pew Research Center surveys.
What’s primarily driving this discontent? It isn’t what you might think.
On the eve of the 2006 elections, the public preferred the Democrats by 10 points (44% to 34%) as the party better able to manage the government. This lead swelled to 16 points early in 2007. Today the Democrats hold a statistically insignificant 38% to 34% advantage on this question. Independents – who in recent years had viewed the Democrats as better managers – are now divided (32% Democrat vs. 29% Republican).
"Managing the government" is just another way of saying "competence." And it’s pretty difficult to make the case that the Democrats look particularly competent right now.
The GOP’s biggest gains are among independents making less than $30,000 a year (+11) and those over 65 (+12). That makes sense given the still high unemployment rate and the effective disinformation campaign conservatives waged against health care reform, which clearly has worked particularly well with seniors afraid that the government is going to take over Medicare.
The silver lining for the Democrats? They still have double-digit advantages over Republicans on health care (+19), the economy (+10), education (+25) and foreign policy (+13).
Still waiting on the poll that indicates voters want more bipartisanship.
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When will Rip Van Obama wake up?
Dicking around with people’s lives (every 30 seconds someone goes into bankruptcy due to medical bills) is no laughing matter. Since the Dems have control of both House and Senate people are appalled that they are screwing americans as they are (particularly the Blue Dogs). This is what accounts for this very strong shift in the polling.
Progressives put this administration and Congress into power because we realized that this is what it would take for real “change” to occur. Right now what we see is definitely NOT “change we can believe in”.
Grow a spine, Dems and get the job done for the american people or you will be knocked out of office in 2010 and 2012.
*(I am an Independent who was once a Democrat and left the party for PRECISELY this kind of nonsense. Dems are showing just how impossible it is for them to take charge and rule.
Needless to say, if Obama does not come out STRONGLY in favor of a Public Option (which means that real reform is not only a joke but a national travesty), then his numbers will tank as well and he will not be supported in 2012, if he chooses to run.
No more of this wishywashy “preferring the public option” – it’s time to come out forcefully and say that he will veto a bill without a public option.
This would reinstate the progressive left who is deserting him right now.
Progressives (Dems and I’s) are getting pretty darn frustrated but realize that it was not appropriate for him to ‘meddle with congress’ until after the break. After all, we’re the ones to put him into office and that is irrefutible.
Pelosi and Reid are two of the most do-nothing “leaders” I can remember in all my five decades. They’ve been handed the keys to the kingdom, literally, and are afraid of their own shadows.
Do-nothing? No, doing less than nothing. That’s their motto.
I would be counted as someone who is not happy with the Democrats because I don’t like that are giving in to the Republicans. If they don’t find out why people are unhappy they may get the wrong message and give in even more.
The people are left with few options here. The repukes are discredited and likely will not make people thrilled to run out and vote for them. Their message that government is too big is not precise – it’s not working. The dems have proved to be ineffectual, spineless to stand up to the Rs and in the thrall to the corporations which was the claim Rs were tagged with.
Then they voted for the new guy, outsider, black guy who looked like change, promised change and they presumed he would inspire the D’s back on message – they represent the people’s interests. He seems to not have delivered on that hope. Objectively it’s the same old same old.
Meanwhile the nation is slipping into total collapse. When enough people have nothing left to lose they will not be waiting for the elections. And it may not matter which of the two slacker parties dominates, both are delivery america to the door of destruction. If this was Bin Laden’s dream, we are doing it for him. We have gone off into two mad wars which are black hole for our resources. And the MIC wants more. YIKES.
I am sure there will be palpable anger if they don’t deliver on some of these promises. I think they will keep pushing this down the road, and who knows what the conclusion will be. I think we will hear from the people and it won’t be at the elections.
Obama are you listening?
Most critters don’t get it. Most of them think of corporate interests as important as the people’s interests and none of them will put the breaks on the free market which is fueling this train right over the cliff.
They are afraid of corporations. They are dependent on them. They can’t imagine america without them. They don’t know how to reign them in. That seems unamerican to them. They can’t see that corporations and special interests bought/stole America. They don’t see it.
If they don’t see it, they can’t fix it.
And of course the battlefield here is not the least bit level. Money talks and the people can’t compete with the deep pockets of lobbyists. They are organized and get to frame everything for congress. The people get to support their vision with nickles and dimes, which frankly are not noticed and not effective.
When the ticket became money, the rich won the game.
Let’s be real clear about this. Obama and the Democrats are doing exactly what they wanted to do. This isn’t about obstructionist Republicans or Obama only being in office a few months. Democrats were given a vast mandate to enact sweeping changes, to take us in a new direction, and to run over the Republicans if they got in the way. Instead they are taking us in the same direction with only marginal changes, some positive some negative, around the edges. They are losing support because they flat out lied: Obama, Pelosi, Hoyer, Reid. Their arrogance in thinking that they could do this and that we would have nowhere to go or nothing to do except accept it is as brazen as anything done by Bush or Cheney.
As I keep saying, the Democrats don’t represent us. They are not our leaders or our allies. We should look on and treat them in the same way we view the Republicans, as opponents. We need to break with them for once and all. Anyone who believes in the rule of law, the Constitution, economic fairness, and healthcare for all, not some, is not and can not be or stand with the Democrats.
I second that.
The important question to ask is, “How have the D’s acted incompetently?” The answer is that they have utterly failed to create a democratic bill–for whatever reason. When Harry and Nancy start working for the people instead of big insurance, the poll numbers will change.
Following up on my previous comment, we need to go to our grass and netroots organizations and recruit progressive, populist reform candidates. Run them as Democrats to coopt the obstacles the two parties have put in the way to discourage other parties, but make it clear who they are and what they will fight for. We need people who will stand up and unequivocally say no to bad sellout deals. We need fighters who will raise hell when the two parties engage in their flimflam. We need that change that Obama lied to us about.
Don’t bother me, I’m sleeping. Besides, it’s nice here in the Vineyard.
I am becoming very disenchanted, to say the least. Everywhere I go I hear people stating that the government has nationalized the banks, the car industries, and, yes, the insurance companies. Not to mention, of course, the nonsense about the death panels, nationalization of health care, health care rationing, etc. One woman, unfortunately my daughter-in-law’s mother is firmly convinced that we will be taxed hundreds of dollars for even being alive, amid other absurdities. I pointed out to her that since she is on Social Security disability and Medicare, and does not pay any taxes. This, however, did not deter her from believing blatant lies. If the American public is this gullible, I see no hope for our nation. Naturally the Republicans miss no opportunity to shout out gleefully that they do not have to work on the legislative process, as the Democrats are in charge. I have come to the conclusion that many Americans actually would prefer being ruled by a dictator. I’m sure they’re looking back wistfully to the wonderful days of “the decider”, when they did not have to make any decisions, and simply did what they were told. Ironically these are the same people who keep demanding that government should stay out of our business. Good day, and good luck.
I just read at Media Matters that Home Depot was running ads on Beck’s radio show today. Home Depot’s website has an easy “contact” mechanism so I used it to tell them I’ll be doing all my shopping at Lowe’s due to their support of the Beck show. Please consider doing the same.
We should not care what the Democrats’ poll numbers are. They deserve them and more importantly they are not us. We need to stop identifying with them. It’s like worrying about the Republican Party not doing well. Why should we care?
The problem, it seems to me, is that Obama does not want to lead; he wants to inspire. There’s a big difference. He wants us to lead ourselves, hence the disjointed way things are going right now.
Oh, for a real leader who actually wants to take the reins and restore the rule of law and enforce the laws that have been allowed to be ignored for the last decade at least.
Somehow, I don’t think that Rahm (Former Congressman from Corporateland) will interpret these numbers the way we do. After all, he’s the one who told off the progressives while courting and caving to Blue Dogs. He thinks his power is due to the “centrists” and the Heath Schulers of the world, and takes the actual Democrats for granted. After all, says Rahm, who they gonna vote for?
This is a big part of the problem.
Bayh is weak, a third party single payer candidate could split the conservative vote and win the Senate seat.
Oh, and count me as one of the Americans who is losing patience with Congress.
I think Obama could care less about inspiring except as an ego thing. Bottomline he wants to govern as a Republican. We should view him and treat him accordingly.
I agree that we need some serious change. As a member of the Green Party since Gore rolled over (and yes, I voted for R Nader), I’m still hearing blather about the ignorant backwardness of breaking with the D Party in 2000. Moving in a direction of a 3rd party is a hard sell.
IMO campaign finance reform is step one to changing the system.
Buh Bayh!
Your sentiment seems to be a common one. The public prefers Democrats on health care by 20 points, but they’re slipping.
The logical conclusion is they’re slipping because they’re perceived as mismanaging the process (’managing the government’ question) and because they’re caving to the incredibly unpopular GOP.
“As I keep saying, the Democrats don’t represent us. They are not our leaders or our allies. We should look on and treat them in the same way we view the Republicans, as opponents. We need to break with them for once and all. Anyone who believes in the rule of law, the Constitution, economic fairness, and healthcare for all, not some, is not and can not be or stand with the Democrats.”
Seconded.
What does “losing patience with Congress” mean? Doesn’t that imply giving them, and Obama, the benefit of a doubt they don’t deserve? Obama may have been President for 8 months but those have been 8 months where he has acted as a Republican in all but name. As for the Congress, they have been acting this way for the last 10 years, whether Democrats were in the minority or the majority.
So Palin-Bachmann (or Beck) in 2012, then? Great. Something to look forward to…
Agreed that little will change until campaign finance reform gets corporate money out of our government, but if you think the battle over health care is tough, wait until we try that!
They (corporations) have just begun to fight.
But the people who are in Congress right now are precisely the people who will oppose any serious reform. We can’t change the system until we change the personnel. And right now is the best time I have ever seen to do this.
The poll numbers are important to the extent that they show how wrong the D leadership is. If they worked for us instead of against us, then the numbers would be different. Just sayin’
False choice. We should be party building now so that we don’t have tto face the choice of the lesser of two shits in 2012.
It’s really humorous that memories of the boogie man are still lingering.
Dickless Cheney and Twitchy Bush, The Hague ‘10
But they aren’t working for us. They aren’t going to work for us. We need to accept that and think about a future without Democrats.
John Bush needs a job and intends to be on the ticket.
I was being facetious, of course. I agree that we should be building a movement. However, I am stumped (in terms of the nuts and bolts) as to how to get that thing rolling. The first thought is to get all the progressive bloggers on the same page. It’s a cinch that the MSM won’t be cooperating with any such mutiny…
Maybe because it ain’t gonna happen. The deal is rigged and all the bitching in the world won’t change it.
Still waiting for an explanation as to why Harry Reid remains the Majority Leader.
No kidding. And I see no scenario where the corporations would just stop funneling money into the political machine without new rules. It’s the ol’ chicken and egg dilemma.
some related o/t
POTUS to uh, re-state his case for Healthcare at AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic in Cincinnati – John Sweeney and Richard Trumka will be there –
guess we’re gonna know right quick if AFL-CIO is gonna succumb to their half a loaf bs and pull the bygones schtick or if Rahm rides home in the trunk
linky
wow. so good to see you here :D
Our constitution has allowed special interests – wealthy corporations to control the congress, the nation and the world.
Check mate.
Because of that really folksy picture at the top of this page, maybe? Or more likely, that he fulfills the same “Fredo” role as AGAG did for Duhbyah…
That’s what the BS we had to listen to BinLaden wants American to collapse.
Heck, he’s not the only one.
We have a productivity index to see how much money we are making for the owners of industry. We need one for congress. For republicans it would have to be a counter productivity index.
He is because Democratic Senators want him to be, because he is doing what they want him to be doing. He isn’t an aberration. He is what the Democrats are.
Let’s all step back for a moment and think about just how piss poor Democrats in Washington have to be for this to happen.
First, they have no real competition!
Quick now, tell me one GOP proposal for anything this year, just one.
Still waiting…..
To save us all time lemme help you out — there hasn’t been any.
The stimulus seems to be working, cash for clunkers was a big success, at least they’re working on health care, Republicans were against all of it, and they’re losing support in the polls!
That would be because of the Democratic leadership’s tendency to search for defeat when victory is at hand, instead of running with the Progressive wind at their backs and get health care done right.
What’s the downside of good health care reform — people complaining about their premiums not going up so fast?
Or all the choices they’d have after reform; maybe some would miss the need to lie about pre-existing conditions.
I’m with you, actually.
Initially when I voted for Nader in 2000, my intention was to register protest with the D Party. When Gore let Bush steal the election, and Dems everywhere starting pointing fingers at Nader voters, I knew it was time to leave the Dem Party permanently because they really really don’t get it. Now I vote Green locally and vote my concience upticket.
Change comes from the bottom, so changing the D’s to G’s (or insert your party here) starts locally.
Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that I live in hippyland where Greening is possible.
I was half way thinking about writing a diary on that. But I have laid out most of the ideas in bits and pieces here. Step one is easy though. We break with the Democrats.
Losing patience with Congress??!!
I think we ought to start planning on a presidential primary for 2012.
Not gonna happen that way.
We need to marshall together people who can see each other and know that they can be a new force. We are a handful of complainers with inconvenient facts.
The large organized blocks need to back out of the dems – labor and announce a new approach is in the offing. The outreach to other blocks / groups etc.
I don’t think we can not do anything. We need some real ACTION. Direct action. We need to give people something to DO.
Having gone to town halls and other rallies, written E-mails, sent money and made phone calls what else do you suggest?
Hugh,
Since all of us progressives are DFH’s,
Can we call the new party the “People’s Constitution Party?”
Also to be known as PCP? *g*
Seriously, If this Health Issue works out like the CW says, I am through with the Democratic Party after 36 years.
I’ve taken down the Obama sign I had in our front window and off my cars. I’ll put them back up when he starts acting like a Democrat.
But, I’m to the left of the current Democratic Party and probably would’ve felt more at home with LBJ.
Like Teddy said, “the last thing we need is two Republican Parties”.
I’d like to add a few things I’m aware of that many aren’t up to par about.
To begin with, we don’t have a two main party system. The Dems and Repubs are actually One Group WHO ARE NOT for our Constitution. There is actually a battle going on between those who WANT OUR CONSTITUTION and THOSE WHO DON’T. This has been going on for a long time and lately since 911 moved into a more aggressive role per their plan.
The reason for this in part is, mind control to keep us all busy when in fact deeper more important things are taking place. Some of the backdoor stuff can be read here.
We are actually in the middle of a White House Coup put on mainly by the Big Banks and Financial Groups similar to what happened in 1933 Business Plot. The history of this is available on the internet and please read further to learn how this related to WWII and WHO were involved. Much of this was released last year if I’m not mistaken and was held secret until.
How I know this is because I was in a family for more than 26 years who joined in the later 70s and have a high level role in supporting this effort. Eventually and hopefully soon much more of this will surface.
As for Obama, he’s a TEAM MEMBER. How I know again is because of the time spend in the family. The family used a certain law firm who Obama worked for to setup their Drug Distribution business in Florida. This law firm has a direct link with “The Combine” also known as “The Shadow Government” here in the Chicago area. By the way, Chicago was a is/was a major drug hub and laundering area for CIA operations including Drug smuggling which is where some of the money comes from that is FUNDING the White House Coup. How I know again, is because I was in a family who are directly involved.
On a more positive side, if you’ve been watching the news and know what to look for, you would see an opposing group who are working at dismantling this Coup attempt. Being so huge, it’s expected to take a while and in my opinion the Coup is loosing it’s grip and won’t last. Eventually we all will see daylight and it’ll be a happy day for all.
Marty Didier
Northbrook, IL
Billionaires for Wealthcare!
My daughter and her husband believe that we are truly on our own, and that each family must prepare individually for whatever is to come. My son, who once was a staunch Republican now believes that you can’t trust any politician. Even my exhusband, who was as Republican as you can be now believes that we are at the mercy of the few individuals who make all of our decisions, including our congress and our president. Though we are many compared to these few, it appears that somehow we have surrendered our power to the corporations, and are only now beginnning to realize the true impact of our faith in the institutions we have considered to be sacred. I was born and raised in Germany, and became an American largely because I felt I could not be part of a country in which people could be so deluded and manipulated. I was totally convinced that this could never happen in America under any circumstances. I have lived here for 42 years. I am no longer sure what I believe.
Heard Reid told papers he hoped they went broke. That cannot help him.
How right you are, along with Ayers, Wright, Jones and BO. http://www.weaselzippers.net/b…..ation.html
WHY? Because Glenn is
“connecting the dots where all the tax monies went to?”
or because his ratings and his conterparts wrap around all the others TWICE?
WHY? Because the Truth hurts?
I Agree, some sort of reform is needed, yet not merely for the 12 million that are legally un-insured, but for the entire nation?, yet tracking history..
Government Controlled Failures
Fannie Mae
Freddie Mac
Social Security
Medicare
Medicaid
Obama is fighting new Reagan wars that have already been won.
I want my physicians to be researching, sharing, developing and using new technology, not worrying about where they will get next months rent. We all want the filling up of the medical universities, as the FREE MARKET created the best care in the World. (Where will the foreigners go if the current bill is passed?)
It did not happen by chance, it happened due3 to competition in a FREE WORLD.
Place it in our Goverment hands whom have called all citizens “astro-turfers” “un-American” “talibanis” and “birthers” instead of saying
“We hear you. The whole world hears you.!” is against everything America stands for.
I am an Independent, and if people do not see that Obama has a “Socialism Ideology Agenda” That he is forcing on the National Endowment of the Arts and now upon our children next week and one would think I was referring to Chavez or Castro!
Why are three proclaimed communists whom are convicted felons, in the White house advising (one is special advisor) our President?
How many millions of dollars did Rahm Emanuel pocket from the sale of GM?
Acorn already indicted in some states, more pending.
Why are they paying people $11 to $15 per hour with tax money to protest against those exercising their First Amendment Rights at Town Halls?
Stick with Beck if you can handle the TRUTH.
We already have socialized care, the government named it MEDICARE and MEDICAID!
We need tort reform limits on malpractice suits and everything will level off.
Pre-existing conditions?
I am a cancer survivor and just bought a NEW plan that was less than my old plan for my entire family, covering us all to the hilt with NO deductibles. Including my 79 year old mom whom has never used Med Part D due to the plans I include her on at NO extra cost.
We need a MANDATE for the entire 545 reps to READ THE CONSTITUTION!
Many Bessings!!!
With no apologies for the rudeness to come:
This comment is the very definition of fact-free talking-point-laden BS, and has no place in an honest discussion about health care. I don’t even know where to begin, but I guess here would be a logical place:
Just how blitheringly stupid do you think we are? It must come from practice, this ridiculous commentary.
Stand up and tell us how you achieved this miracle.
Oh, I forgot… please.
I agree and look at what they are going to attempt next..
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?f…..eId=108648
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?f…..eId=108696
How many civil rights and Constitutional rights violations did you count?
Next week, Sept 8, many parents are keeping their kids out of school up to the 6th grade to “avoid” The Obama Indoctrination
Does anyone see a pattern here? Similar to 1936 Germany?
Gee, can I have some of what you are smoking? The President of the US is giving a talk to schoolchildren is similar to Germany in 1936? Did you respond in this way when President Bush spoke to schoolchildren? Did you respond in this fashion when the spying on US citizens through their email was being done by the Bush Administration?
No, I didn’t think you were concerned by Bush were you? After all, the mantra was “why are you worried if you have nothing to hide?”