Congress approval rating stinks

October 28, 2007

Washington, DC - The Democrats' failure to stop President Bush's war in Iraq has led to a disapproval rating of 75% for Congress.

A new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll says Congress' approval rating is a dismal 22 percent.

A year ago a similar poll found the numbers to be 28 percent approval, 63 percent disapproval.

"The ratings for Congress overall have been mired in the mid- to low 20s for several months, but for most of the year, Americans have had a positive view of the Democrats in Congress," said CNN polling director Keating Holland. "That's not true any longer -- this poll is the first time we have found majority disapproval for the Democratic leaders' track record since they took control of Congress."

"The big issues of the day just don't seem to be being addressed," said Sarah Binder, a political science professor at George Washington University who studies Congress. "The issues that matter most to people -- the economy, health care, the environment and the larger war in Iraq -- it is so difficult for Congress to move on those issues that I believe the public looks and says, 'Why aren't they doing anything?'"