COMMENTARY | How do you find out what Americans think about their elected officials and/or the job they are doing? Simply ask; that's how? But unless you wish to get an earful, it's best to go the safer route of qualifying the answers. In a recent poll, Pew Research Center asked Americans to describe their feelings toward the Congressional budget deficit/debt ceiling debate. From Democrats to Tea Party Republicans, negative comments dominated the survey when respondents were asked to consider how they felt about the legislators with regard to the negotiations over an attempt to lift the debt limit that, if allowed to remain static, would lead to a government shutdown and the possibility of the United States defaulting on its debt for the first time in history.
According to the poll, 72 percent of respondents answered with negative views of the debt ceiling debate. Words like "ridiculous," "disgusting," "joke," "frustrating," disgusting," "disgrace," and "pathetic" were used. Only 2 percent had anything favorable to say. Fourteen percent were neutral in their comments.
Republicans were the most negative (75 percent), with tea party members (or Republicans of like mind) being the most negative of all (83 percent). But that did not equate to a feeling of positivity among the Democratic Party-oriented or Independent respondents. They each answered 72 percent negatively as a group.
When asked if they viewed Republicans, Democrats, and Tea Party members of Congress less or more favorably after the debt ceiling debate, respondents noted that they viewed Republicans 42 percent less favorably than before (11 percent viewed the GOP more favorably). The Tea Party was viewed 37 percent less favorably (11 percent saw the more conservative Republican faction more favorably). Only 30 percent saw Democrats less favorably (with 13 percent having a more positive view after the debt debate).
The acrimonious impasse that Congress locked itself into over the summer months had become a trying situation for Americans and one where many said they wanted to see a compromise deal where spending cuts (the line drawn by Republicans) and revenue increases (what Democrats wanted but Republicans refused to allow into the negotiations) were both considered. The tea party members took an exceptionally hard line to revenue (tax) increases of any kind and even refused to back Republican plans that did not in some way consider provisions such as a balanced budget amendment.
The Pew Research Center poll covering the debt ceiling debate wasn't the only recent poll showing dissatisfaction with Congress' handling of the situation. A CNN/Opinion Research Poll not only found 52 percent of respondents disliking the final deal, but 84 percent finding disapproval with Congress' job performance, with 77 percent describing legislators as acting like "spoiled children." A CBS News/New York Times poll taken as the deal was being passed indicated that 82 percent disapproved of Congress' handling of the talks, with over 80 percent noting that they thought the debt ceiling debate was more about gaining political advantage than about doing what is best for the country.
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