I just saw a Rasmussen poll that indicates over seventy percent of likely voters think that Congress is doing a “poor” job.
The problem with polls like this is that they’re subject to multiple interpretations (like “right track, wrong track” polls). I’ve thought that the country has been on the wrong track all my life, but it would be stupid to interpret that, during a Republican administration, as an indicator that I’m going to be nutty enough to replace them with Democrats, who would slam down the throttle on the wrong track.
I wonder what people think that Congress’ job is? If you foolishly think that it’s simply to pass legislation, regardless of its benefit to the nation (as many seem to, including many in Congress, who tout their records of bill passing), then you’ll be frustrated by “partisanship” and “gridlock,” that prevents legislation from being passed. On the other hand, if you think their job is to defend the Constitution and to actually solve, rather than create, problems, then you will cheer for their inability to do anything, given that almost anything they’re likely to do will be a disaster. Given the kind of job that they’ve been doing, and are likely to do, I’d approve of them more if they’d stay home. I’d even triple their salaries.
Approval of Congress would go up if members of Congress actually had to function in the real world:
– Congress has exempted itself from equal-opportunity and affirmative-action laws.
– Congress does not fall under the occupational safety and health (OSHA) regulations that greatly frustrate other employers.
– Minimum-wage laws do not protect the 15,000 people who work for Congress.
– Congress has exempted itself from equal-employment laws
– The laws requiring safety equipment such as fire sprinklers and laws requiring accommodations for people with disabilities do not apply to the Capitol or other federal buildings.
– Congress has their own retirement system instead of Social Security.
– Congress has their own health care system
– Congressmen and their staffers who become lobbyists do not fear the Ethics in Government Law because the law does not apply to them.
It’s even simpler than that Jiminator.
If the first steps government took were 1) a nearly across the board pay cut (Exemptions: active duty troops, police (not police bureaucrats), truck/plane riding firetypes, classroom teachers), 2) hiring freeze, 3) fewer junkets, they’d at least have a shred of credibility.
As it is, they whine about private industry going to Vegas – then they hit Vegas. Complain about pay bonuses (in fields where sometimes your entire pay is based on commission), then get raises, increased perks, etc.
Keynesian Economics is about improving infrastructure not just spending more. Since they fundamentally don’t get that, they don’t see any reason at all for scrimping – the honest goal is to spend more. “Why would I want to do that?” (IIRC) was a puzzled response from Obama at one point.
One start to fix the problem: Remove airconditioning in the Capitol and Congressional offices.
A mistake to allow it in the first place, it gave Congress 6 more months to screw with our liberties
Limiting the power of the federal government would make Congress more effective at what it’s supposed to be doing. When they waste time pandering to the whims of (some) constituents on sports, ersatz reforms, etc., they do so because they are perceived and perceive themselves as having the authority to “do something” about everything.
The whole point of the Constitution was to start with a baseline of empowering government only to do a few, specific things. It’s almost useless today, and the federal government in many ways has become truly tyrannical. It’s only because we aren’t being locked up en masse or otherwise overtly oppressed (that’s debatable) that many people don’t realize that.
In fewer words, it’s no wonder Congress is unpopular, particularly it’s latest iteration, which seems more useless and power-hungry than any in recent memory.
Charles,
Take the heating out too…
There are few problems so dire that Congress can’t and won’t make matters worse.