It’s hard to fathom anyone could be more unpopular than President Bush, whose approval rating is hovering just below 30 percent. But Congress is, according to a new poll.
Their sagging popularity is a gauge of the public mood, with Congress and the president continuing to wrestle over immigration and Iraq. It’s a critical time for both, as Bush tries to revive his comprehensive immigration reform bill and Democrats deal with their first major energy bill. And lest we forget summer in Iraq, it’s the time during which the success or failure of the “surge” will be judged.
An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that only 23 percent approved of the job Congress is doing, while 64 percent said they disapproved. Bush’s approval rating fell to 29 percent from 35 percent in April.
Some Americans might wonder at what point the ability to govern is lost. We don’t have a parliamentary system of government where, if it loses a vote of confidence, a new election is held and the government gets kicked out of office.
While polls here can be viewed as a vote of “no confidence” of sorts, they merely gauge sentiment on an issue at a certain point in time. Analysts say poll ratings don’t undermine the ability of Congress and the president to govern, despite the perception. But they could impact how they govern and whether they continue to do so when an election rolls around. Last October, Congress’ ratings hovered around 16 percent just before Republicans lost control of the body.
University of Colorado political scientist Scott Adler said polls gauge the political landscape and whether Congress and the president are doing what constituents are demanding. Historically, Congress has gotten lousy ratings from the public, he said.
Bush’s May 1 veto of Democratic legislation calling for a timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq led the public to view the new Congress as ineffective. Its failure so far on immigration hasn’t helped.
Polls aren’t alone in shaping public debate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are vowing to revive the battle over Iraq policy with the White House in response to liberal bloggers, who want Congress to end the war. Reid admitted bloggers have been “driving the debate” on Iraq.
The new majority has time to prove its mettle, the legislative battles will continue and polls will continue to shift, but democracy will be best served if Americans continue to speak out.
