guyone
05-15-2007, 06:03 AM
PEW RESEARCH:
As the Democratic-led Congress approaches the 100-day mark, pluralities of Americans approve of the way that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are handling their leadership roles. However, the public gives Democrats mixed reviews for delivering on their campaign promises and for their policies and proposals. Slightly more disapprove of the Democrats' policies than approve (42% disapprove vs. 37% approve).
Today's Democratic congressional leaders are far less visible – but also less controversial – than former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was at a similar point early in the 104th Congress. In April 1995, Republicans were seen as keeping their promises by 59% of the public – far more than the 40% who currently say that about the Democrats. However, Americans were then evenly split in their views of the GOP's proposals.
Gingrich, in particular, was highly visible (fully 85% felt they could rate his performance by 100 days in office), but highly divisive (43% approved and 42% disapproved of his performance). By comparison, three-in-ten do not know enough about Nancy Pelosi to rate her performance. On balance, however, more than twice as many approve of Pelosi's job performance than disapprove (48%-22%).
The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted March 21-25 among 1,503 adults, finds that the public remains satisfied that the Democrats won control of Congress, though positive feelings have declined since shortly after the November elections. A 54% majority says they are happy that the Democrats prevailed in the elections, down from 60% who held that view in the week following Election Day. Similarly, 54% say they expect the Democratic leaders will be successful in getting their programs passed into law, compared with 59% in November.
While enthusiasm for the Democrats' victory has slipped, the party's image continues to improve relative to the GOP's. Nearly half (47%) say the Democratic Party can better manage the federal government, compared with 31% who choose the Republican Party. A year ago, the Democrats' edge on management was just four points. In addition, slightly more Americans now say the Democratic Party, rather than the Republican Party, has stronger leaders, wiping out the GOP's substantial advantage on this leadership trait.
The survey finds that in the wake of reports describing shoddy medical treatment for military personnel at the Walter Reed Army Hospital, the public has a low opinion of how well the government is doing in caring for the troops. Only about a quarter of Americans (26%) say the government has done an excellent or good job in providing medical care to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Opinions of the military remain highly positive. Favorable views of the military outnumber negative ones by more than four-to-one (77%-17%). But this is the first time since the 9/11 attacks that favorable opinions of the military have slipped below 80%. In addition, even fewer people express favorable opinions of "military leaders" than of "the military" (65% vs. 77%).
The survey shows that Rudolph Giuliani and John McCain, the two front-runners for the Republican presidential nomination, are generally viewed as ideological moderates. Majorities of Republican voters and those who lean Republican rate both candidates as close to the middle on a six-point ideological scale. By contrast, most Republican voters rate George W. Bush – and Newt Gingrich – at more conservative points on the ideological spectrum.
While the war in Iraq is the dominant issue in Washington, it is having surprisingly little impact on the presidential nomination contests in the two major parties. For instance, despite McCain's strong public stance in favor of Bush's troop surge plan, he is not demonstrating particular strength among Republicans who say more troops are needed in Iraq. About the same proportions of Republican and Republican-leaning voters who support Giuliani, and who support McCain, believe more troops are needed in Iraq. Similarly, among Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters, comparable percentages of Hillary Clinton supporters and Barack Obama supporters favor withdrawing U.S. troops from as Iraq as soon as possible.
Few Can Cite Congressional Accomplishments
Nearly seven-in-ten Americans (69%) cannot name anything important the new Congress has done so far. This is higher than the 61% who could name nothing after the Republicans' first 100 days in the spring of 1995.
Congress's most visible action has been on Iraq; 16% cite the war and efforts to bring the troops home as the most important thing Congress has done. Oversight and accountability (4%), and challenging President Bush (4%), are the other visible actions on the part of the new Congress.
The Democrats' domestic policy priorities have gotten little notice; just 2% cite legislative action on raising the minimum wage as Congress's most important accomplishment.
The Republicans' domestic agenda received modestly more attention in April 1995. Overall, 28% cited issues or legislation as the most important thing that the new Congress had accomplished, with 8% mentioning the balanced budget or spending, 7% tax cuts, and 6% welfare reform.
As the Democratic-led Congress approaches the 100-day mark, pluralities of Americans approve of the way that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are handling their leadership roles. However, the public gives Democrats mixed reviews for delivering on their campaign promises and for their policies and proposals. Slightly more disapprove of the Democrats' policies than approve (42% disapprove vs. 37% approve).
Today's Democratic congressional leaders are far less visible – but also less controversial – than former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was at a similar point early in the 104th Congress. In April 1995, Republicans were seen as keeping their promises by 59% of the public – far more than the 40% who currently say that about the Democrats. However, Americans were then evenly split in their views of the GOP's proposals.
Gingrich, in particular, was highly visible (fully 85% felt they could rate his performance by 100 days in office), but highly divisive (43% approved and 42% disapproved of his performance). By comparison, three-in-ten do not know enough about Nancy Pelosi to rate her performance. On balance, however, more than twice as many approve of Pelosi's job performance than disapprove (48%-22%).
The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted March 21-25 among 1,503 adults, finds that the public remains satisfied that the Democrats won control of Congress, though positive feelings have declined since shortly after the November elections. A 54% majority says they are happy that the Democrats prevailed in the elections, down from 60% who held that view in the week following Election Day. Similarly, 54% say they expect the Democratic leaders will be successful in getting their programs passed into law, compared with 59% in November.
While enthusiasm for the Democrats' victory has slipped, the party's image continues to improve relative to the GOP's. Nearly half (47%) say the Democratic Party can better manage the federal government, compared with 31% who choose the Republican Party. A year ago, the Democrats' edge on management was just four points. In addition, slightly more Americans now say the Democratic Party, rather than the Republican Party, has stronger leaders, wiping out the GOP's substantial advantage on this leadership trait.
The survey finds that in the wake of reports describing shoddy medical treatment for military personnel at the Walter Reed Army Hospital, the public has a low opinion of how well the government is doing in caring for the troops. Only about a quarter of Americans (26%) say the government has done an excellent or good job in providing medical care to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Opinions of the military remain highly positive. Favorable views of the military outnumber negative ones by more than four-to-one (77%-17%). But this is the first time since the 9/11 attacks that favorable opinions of the military have slipped below 80%. In addition, even fewer people express favorable opinions of "military leaders" than of "the military" (65% vs. 77%).
The survey shows that Rudolph Giuliani and John McCain, the two front-runners for the Republican presidential nomination, are generally viewed as ideological moderates. Majorities of Republican voters and those who lean Republican rate both candidates as close to the middle on a six-point ideological scale. By contrast, most Republican voters rate George W. Bush – and Newt Gingrich – at more conservative points on the ideological spectrum.
While the war in Iraq is the dominant issue in Washington, it is having surprisingly little impact on the presidential nomination contests in the two major parties. For instance, despite McCain's strong public stance in favor of Bush's troop surge plan, he is not demonstrating particular strength among Republicans who say more troops are needed in Iraq. About the same proportions of Republican and Republican-leaning voters who support Giuliani, and who support McCain, believe more troops are needed in Iraq. Similarly, among Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters, comparable percentages of Hillary Clinton supporters and Barack Obama supporters favor withdrawing U.S. troops from as Iraq as soon as possible.
Few Can Cite Congressional Accomplishments
Nearly seven-in-ten Americans (69%) cannot name anything important the new Congress has done so far. This is higher than the 61% who could name nothing after the Republicans' first 100 days in the spring of 1995.
Congress's most visible action has been on Iraq; 16% cite the war and efforts to bring the troops home as the most important thing Congress has done. Oversight and accountability (4%), and challenging President Bush (4%), are the other visible actions on the part of the new Congress.
The Democrats' domestic policy priorities have gotten little notice; just 2% cite legislative action on raising the minimum wage as Congress's most important accomplishment.
The Republicans' domestic agenda received modestly more attention in April 1995. Overall, 28% cited issues or legislation as the most important thing that the new Congress had accomplished, with 8% mentioning the balanced budget or spending, 7% tax cuts, and 6% welfare reform.