AP-Ipsos polling puts public approval of Congress at 40%
Normally that would be nothing to celebrate, but that's way up from the past year.
Overall approval for Congress is 40 percent. The survey shows Bush's approval ratings remain in the mid-30 percent range, that a striking 39 percent strongly disapproves his handling of foreign policy and the war on terror, and that the public has scant hopes that the president and Congress can work together to solve the country's problems.
So Congress as a whole, and not just Pelosi herself now significantly eclipse approval of the President. It takes time to move mountains, and as the polling shows, Congress has been at ridiculous lows: Last June, disapproval was at 74%, approval at 24%. Contrast that to 40% approval and 57% disapproval today.
The article has some nice things to say:
While the Iraq war has dominated the days since then, Democrats also quickly showcased their domestic priorities and used their power to convene hearings — and issue subpoenas — to embarrass the administration.
And fear not the veto, Dems, the public wants you to go further to stop the Iraq war:
The public opinion split is identical on the issue of Democratic handling of Iraq — 40 percent approve, 57 percent disapprove.
Against that backdrop, the AP poll indicates the public wants Congress to push for an end to a war that has claimed the lives of more than 3,200 U.S. troops.
So the sending the Supplemental with Strings attached did please the public, and they definitely do not want congress to go weak-kneed and follow Levin's thinking. One thing we haven't heard is House leadership talking about Caving and even Reid has co-sponsored Feingold's even tougher bill.
This fight isn't over yet