Yes, America is displeased with Congress, but why?
Reuters is spinning the dismal Congressional approval numbers as evidence that Americans want Congress to move faster on ending the war in Iraq. But notice that all the "evidence" tying Congress's low approval ratings to failure to accept retreat and defeat in Iraq comes from Democratic Party leaders with whom the public is now displeased -- not from the poll itself. In the following excerpt from Reuters, I've highlighted the portions of the report that appear to be coming from Democrats and mainstream media sources attempting to spin the poll -- not from the poll itself:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new Democratic-led Congress is drawing the ire of voters upset with its failure to quickly deliver on a promise to end the Iraq war.
This is reflected in polls that show Congress -- plagued by partisan bickering mostly about the war -- at one of its lowest approval ratings in a decade. Surveys find only about one in four Americans approves of it."I understand their disappointment," said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) of Nevada. "We raised the bar too high."
In winning control of Congress from President George W. Bush's Republicans last November, Democrats told voters they would move swiftly to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.
But they now say voters must understand they need help from Republicans to clear procedural hurdles, override presidential vetoes and force Bush to change course.
Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record) of Delaware said he explained this recently to anti-war demonstrators. "'We know. We know,"' he quoted them as replying. "But we are so disappointed."'
Biden, seeking the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, said: "Voters are going to be mad with us until we end the war."
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) said some Democrats understand "we can only do so much."
"Others are just very unhappy. I include myself among them," Pelosi, of California, told The New York Times.
This story is loaded with quotes from Democrats, but it offers no internal polling support for its claim that Americans want a quick retreat from Iraq. You'll search this story in vain for any proof that failure to end the Iraq war is behind public dissatisfaction with Congress. For all we know, the public is outraged at Harry Reid's and Nancy Pelosi's eagerness for America to accept retreat and defeat.
Let's look at the underlying poll itself and see if it sheds any light on this issue:
8. Who do you trust to do a better job handling (ITEM), (Bush) or (the Democrats in Congress)?
6/1/07 - Summary Table*
Both Neither No Bush Dems (vol.) (vol.) opinion a. The situation in Iraq 35 51 2 10 3 b. Immigration issues 31 48 2 13 5 c. The economy 36 54 1 6 2 d. The U.S. campaign against terrorism 40 46 2 9 3 *Items a-b asked of all; c asked of half sample, d asked of other half.
Trend:
a. The situation in Iraq
Both Neither No Bush Dems (vol.) (vol.) opinion 6/1/07 35 51 2 10 3 4/15/07 33 58 1 7 1 2/25/07 34 54 * 9 2 1/19/07 33 60 1 4 2 1/10/07 36 47 1 12 4 12/11/06 32 56
What is the trend here? As compared to six months ago, right after Democrats were elected to control of Congress, a few more Americans trust Bush to better handle the situation in Iraq (from 32% to 35%) and a few less Americans trust the Democrat-controlled Congress (from 56% to 51%).
What can we conclude from this?
Americans want to end the Iraq war -- sooner or later. Preferably sooner. But that's a given. Even President Bush wants to end the war. The question is how to get there from here.
The answer to that question is simple. As General Douglas MacArther told Congress in 1951:
"War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision. In war there is no substitute for victory."
So why is America unhappy with Congress?
I think the answer is fairly simple. For those who want immediate withdrawal from Iraq, Congress has accomplished little. For those who want to win in Iraq, Congress has been worse than useless. For those who care most about issues other than Iraq, Congress has, again, accomplished virtually nothing.
The expression "What's not to like?" comes to mind -- except that the inverse applies here.
When it comes to the current Congress, what's to like?
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