CPSIA - People are Starting to Notice . . . .

According to a new Pew poll, the current Congress is the least popular Congress in 24 years. In fact, dissatisfaction with this Congress could be even more historic, since I think the Pew polls only go back a bit more than two decades. It must be nice for Congress to achieve something notable in this difficult year. Their current approval rating is even lower than during Clinton's impeachment trial or the shutdown of the Federal government in 1995, other epic deep dives in public regard for Congress. Kudos, guys! Ms. Pelosi became Speaker in January 2007, so it's taken her only two-and-a-half years of concentrated effort to sharply erode confidence in our government. Let's not forget the significant contribution of the folks behind the CPSIA, too. After all, this Congress had a 50% apoproval rating as late as April, the early days of the knucklehead law on safety, but now it is only 37% . . . and sinking. Even Democrats are losing their faith in this Congress, down by 11% (to 55%) since April.

Notably, the significant advantage gained in the Obama Revolution has been largely extinguished. The generic intention to vote Democratic versus Republican is now only 45% to 44%. Four years ago, at the near peak of national revulsion over our last try at Federal government, the score was 52% to 40% in favor of Democrats. Hmmm. The report states: "The new survey . . . finds that the Democrats’ dimmer electoral prospects are more a matter of disillusionment with the party that controls Congress than a revival of the image of the Republican Party." Maybe people prefer governments that listen. Just a guess . . . .

Other notable shifts:

a. Which party better manages the Federal government?

October 2007 Dems over Reps by 12% (44/32)
August 2009 Dems over Reps by 4% (38/34)

Maybe no one can do it!

b. Which party better manages the economy?

October 2007 Dems over Reps by 19% (53/34)
August 2009 Dems over Reps by 10% (42/32)

My suggestion: Give 'em a few more months and poll again.

Another ominous sign: concern over the deficit and national debt shot up from 1% of respondents last Fall and 4% in February to 6% now. Interest in this topic will grow as time ebbs on. Watch out, drunken sailors in Congress. The public can still add out here in Reality World.

We can only hope our little controversy about the devastation of the children's product industry by a poorly-conceived law designed to solve an imaginary regulatory problem has made a contribution to the remarkable decline in the public's approval of this Congress. Perhaps if Congress wasn't so arrogant about people opposing its agenda, they wouldn't have such public relations problems. The stiff-arm approach of Democrats toward their "historic achievement", the CPSIA, is emblematic of their approach to any issue where there is disagreement. Collegial it ain't. Turns out people notice this kind of thing.

Hey, Congress, are you listening? Of course not . . . .