(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Few adults in the United States hold positive views on their federal lawmakers, according to three recent public opinion polls. In a survey by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media released by the Associated Press, 24 per cent of respondents approve of the way Congress is handling its job.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Few adults in the United States hold positive views on their federal lawmakers, according to three recent public opinion polls. In a survey by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media released by the Associated Press, 24 per cent of respondents approve of the way Congress is handling its job.
The approval rating for the U.S. legislative branch stands at 21 per cent in a study by Hart/McInturff released by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News, and 20 per cent in a poll by Opinion Dynamics released by Fox News.
American voters renewed the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate in November 2006. In January 2007, the Democratic Party took control of the lower house for the first time since 1994, with 233 lawmakers. A victory for the Democratic candidates for the Senate in Montana and Virginia also gave the party a majority in the upper house. Democratic California congresswoman Nancy Pelosi became the first female speaker of the House.
A new congressional election took place on Nov. 4. The Democrats will control 257 seats in the lower house and at least 56 in the upper house when Congress convenes on Jan. 6, 2009.
In American presidential elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. On Nov. 4, Democratic nominee Barack Obama secured a majority of electoral votes, defeating Republican candidate John McCain. Obama will become the first African American president in U.S. history when he takes over from George W. Bush—who served two four-year terms—on Jan. 20, 2009.
On Dec. 19, Pelosi expressed satisfaction with Obama’s cabinet choices, adding, "I look forward to working with the president’s entire cabinet to address the urgent issues facing our nation, including the creation of millions of jobs, the restoration of our economic leadership, and the strengthening of our security."
Polling Data
a) Overall, please tell me whether you approve, disapprove, or neither approve nor disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job.
|
Dec. 2008 |
Nov. 2008 |
Oct. 2008 |
|
|
Approve |
24% |
31% |
23% |
|
Disapprove |
67% |
71% |
74% |
|
Neither |
2% |
3% |
1% |
|
Unsure |
8% |
6% |
2% |
Source: GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media / Associated Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Dec. 3 to Dec. 8, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
b) In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job that Congress is doing?
|
Dec. 2008 |
Oct. 2008 |
Sept. 2008 |
|
|
Approve |
21% |
12% |
15% |
|
Disapprove |
69% |
79% |
73% |
|
Unsure |
10% |
9% |
12% |
Source: Hart/McInturff / Wall Street Journal / NBC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 500 American adults, conducted from Dec. 5 to Dec. 8, 2008. Margin of error is 4.4 per cent.
c) Do you approve or disapprove of the job Congress is doing?
|
Dec. 2008 |
Nov. 2008 |
Oct. 2008 |
|
|
Approve |
20% |
18% |
17% |
|
Disapprove |
71% |
75% |
76% |
|
Unsure |
9% |
7% |
6% |
Source: Opinion Dynamics / Fox News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 900 registered American voters, conducted on Dec. 9 and Dec. 10, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
