The Public Congress: Congressional Deliberation in a New Media Age by Gary Lee Malecha & Daniel J. Reagan

Author:Gary Lee Malecha & Daniel J. Reagan [Malecha, Gary Lee & Reagan, Daniel J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Journalism, Legislative Branch, Political Science, Political Process, American Government, Language Arts & Disciplines, General
ISBN: 9781136657726
Google: MCSpAgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2012-05-22T12:57:02+00:00

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A harsh dose of political reality hit congressional Democrats early in the first session of the 107th Congress. Despite having just reclaimed control of both chambers for the first time in twelve years, polls showed that, after a modest uptick following the election, public confidence in Congress had once again declined to alarmingly low levels. By May 2007, Congress’s job approval rating had fallen below 30%. More than half of those polled had unfavorable perceptions of congressional Democrats. News for their leaders was especially brutal; only 30% approved of Speaker Pelosi’s performance, while just 22% rendered a favorable judgment on Majority Leader Reid. More disconcerting were public opinion trend lines that appeared as subsequent polls were released. They showed that near the end of July approval of Congress’s performance had fallen to a historic low of 18%. Just as surely unnerving was the finding that only 21% of those who identified themselves as Democrats gave Congress positive marks.89 Surveys intimated that many in the base felt the president and Republicans were outwitting the party on critical issues like the war in Iraq and national security and important domestic initiatives on health care, the environment, and the economy. Activists and a few at the netroots were especially unhappy and at times even described Democrats as “panicked,” “weak,” and “spineless.”90

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