skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Mediaite.com:
Congress is less popular than car salesmen (the used variety).
They are less popular than canals (the root variety).
And less popular than colonoscopies (it’s assumed they’re referring to the prep portion).
In the end, Congress’ approval rating currently stands at about 10 percent,
according to a September 30th CNN poll. The government shutdown will
drop that number even further. As a result, we keep hearing the same
question asked on cable news this week: Why would a body so unpopular
not try to do something, anything…to make themselves more likable?
On the shutdown front, reports say there is no sense of urgency from
either side of the aisle for a resolution.
Sure, the President just
shortened a trip to Asia, but since declaring he isn’t willing to
negotiate on anything, what’s the point in sticking around if meaningful
dialogue (within these borders, anyway) is off the table?
Back to the main point: So really, why would Congress risk sinking
even further in the polls by allowing this shutdown to happen on its
watch?
Simple.
There is no risk.
Despite all the horrific poll numbers, did you know that 91 percent of
members of the House get re-elected? The Senate is only slightly more
of a ballgame, with 80 percent of its members getting another six years
in power. In fact, in the past few election cycles, more incumbents have
died in office than lost bids for reelection.
So when people ask why nothing changes inside the beltway, you now
have your answer. Not unlike weathermen, they can be wrong more often
than right and still get to keep their jobs. As noted in my last column that focused on the general public apathy around the shutdown, only 1/3 of Americans can name their member of Congress.
Ah, but it’s better on the Senate side, right? Higher profiles and
only two big names to remember for an entire state must be as easy to
recall as the last two Super Bowl winners.
OK, you saw this coming: Only 27 percent of the public can pass that test, according to a survey conducted by the New American Democracy last year.
So while the public loathes Congress and the Senate, respectively,
they aren’t particularly compelled enough–or inspired enough–or perhaps
are too distracted–to actually do anything about it.
As you know, branding is everything in this country: It’s
what makes the Hillary Clinton machine so formidable (nearly 25 years in
the national spotlight as First Lady, Senator, Presidential Candidate
and Secretary of State). On the state and local level, it’s why an
unknown has such a tough time knocking an incumbent out when trying to
unseat him or her in the House or Senate. Very few folks vote in
Congressional and Senate primaries (about 15 percent), making the wave
of support needed to win almost impossible to form.
Many in the media continue to ask how Congress can allow a shutdown
to happen (and to a lesser extent, the President), who’s to blame, and
most notably, who will pay the price at the polls come next year’s
midterms.
The answer to the last question—if history is any indication—is quite simple:
Hardly anyone.
RELATED: Shutdown crisis ignores the real problems
Posts
