All I really know about Congress is that I dislike it

From the morning e-mail ... Lee Hamilton. a former Democratic congressman from Indiana and co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, reports that many of us don't understand how Congress works but possess negative views of the institution regardless:

Bloomington, IN - While Americans acknowledge that there are substantial shortcomings in the public’s knowledge of and engagement with Congress, this doesn’t restrain them from taking an extremely negative view of the legislative branch, according to a public opinion survey commissioned by the Center on Congress.

Asked to grade Americans on “following what is going on in Congress,” 71 percent of survey respondents gave the citizenry either a D or F. And on “contacting members of Congress on issues that concern them,” 69 percent of those surveyed gave citizens either a D or F.

"The public doesn’t believe it lives up to its civic responsibilities, but it is even more negative in evaluating the performance of Congress,” said Edward G. Carmines, Director of Research for the Center on Congress.

Survey respondents were asked to grade Congress’ performance in seven areas, and by far the most frequent grades given were D’s and F’s. Seventy-seven percent of those surveyed gave Congress a D or F on “controlling the influence of special interests” and almost as many (74 percent) gave Congress a D or F on “holding its members to high ethical standards.”

Even the areas in which the public was most generous in its grading of Congress — “carrying out effective oversight of the President and executive branch” and “conducting its business in a careful, deliberate way” — 63 percent gave Congress either a D or F.

The public’s dim view of Congress as an institution brightens little when people are questioned on the integrity of individual members. Asked, “Are members of Congress honest people, of good character,” only five percent of respondents said “almost all” are honest, and 42 percent said “few are honest.” The remaining 53 percent said “some are honest.”

When those surveyed were given five characteristics — honesty, positions on issues, good judgment, religious convictions, and ability to get things done — and asked to rank what they look for in a member of Congress, honesty came out far ahead. It was rated a 1 (most important) or 2 by 80 percent of respondents. Good judgment was rated a 1 or 2 by 48 percent, and positions on issues a 1 or 2 by 47 percent. Trailing in importance were ability to get things done (rated a 1 or 2 by 17 percent) and religious convictions (rated a 1 or 2 by nine percent).

One bit of good news for Congress is that a large majority of the public (88 percent) thinks the national legislature has a “major impact” or at least “some impact” on their lives.

However, 51 percent think Congress does not “listen and care about” what people like them think, and 90 percent think Congress “listens more to the lobbyists” than to “the voters back home.” In a similar vein, 82 percent of respondents said that members of Congress contact them “only around election time,” not “regularly.”

The survey evidence suggests that one way to close the communications gap would be for members to make more use of online outreach tools. Seventy-three percent of respondents said they would more likely use an online survey than a mail-in questionnaire if members of Congress wanted to get their opinions on issues. And 63 percent said they would more likely participate in an online, virtual forum than attend a public meeting held by a member of Congress.

The findings are based on a March 2008 survey of 1,000 people nationwide conducted by the internet polling firm Polimetrix, as part of a yearlong, multi-phase public opinion study of the 2008 elections. For complete survey data, go to www.centeroncongress.org.

About the Center

The Center on Congress is a non-partisan, educational institution established in 1999 to help improve the public's understanding of Congress and to encourage civic engagement.

The Center developed out of Lee Hamilton's recognition during his 34 years in the U.S. House of Representatives that the public should be more familiar with Congress’ strengths and weaknesses, its role in our system of government, and its impact on the lives of ordinary people every day.

The Center seeks to inspire young people and adults to take an active part in revitalizing representative government in America. To that end the Center offers an extensive array of civic education resources and activities, including: print publications; Web-based, interactive modules and other online learning tools in English and Spanish; commentaries for newspapers, radio stations, podcasts and a Web log; video and television in the classroom resources; survey research; teacher awards; and seminars, conferences, and a lecture series.

For more information about the Center, go to www.centeroncongress.org.

Comments?

Comments

[DanielC]

Note:

The first link to Center on Congress is incorrect. It has 'gon' after the 'CenterOn'. The second link works.

BTW: Thanks for the information.

dsc

[Dr. James E. Dunn]

Regrettably, it is the political inactivity of the average American citizen that is causing Congress to act the way it does!

They act this way because they can get away with it, and because they profit from it.

Just a little over 50% of all Americans are even registered to vote, and of those who are registered, only a bit more than 50% of them voted in the last Presidental election!

People tell me they aren't registered, and/or don't vote, because "politicians" are so crooked and/or corrupt, but these "politicians" are going to remain corrupt and/or crooked until the average American gets off their duffs, and raises some hell by becoming involve in a political party - any party - and then voting!

DrJED

[Dr. James E. Dunn]

In fact, I'll bet any of you that the vast majority of Americans can't even tell you who their Congressman is!!!

DrJED

[Denney Clements]

Good catch. Daniel. It's fixed.

dc

[DanielC]

Henry E. Brown
http://brown.house.gov/
Voted YES on FISA Act 2008

Jim DeMint
http://demint.senate.gov/public/
Voted YES on FISA Act 2008

Lindsey Graham
http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/
Voted YES on FISA Act 2008

I know I'm not a "normal" American Dr. JED.

DSC

[Joe]

The fact is that while most Americans disapprove of Congress, they do approve of their representatives as evidenced by a greater than 90% re-election rate. We like OUR pork!!!

[Joe]

BTW, they are really not our representatives. We vote for them, but big money interests like oil, defense, and insurance companies get them elected. That's who they represent.

[Denney Clements]

Amen Joseph. We LOVE our pork, especially here on the Coast, where we traditionally have gotten too little of it. Indeed, I would argue -- and have argued -- that since pork is the name of the game (as you note, that's what garners votes for congressional incumbents), we need to focus more, not less, on what our Washington representatives and senators have done for us, and now less.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., has sworn off this game -- to his credit. As he says, it is expensive and, at times, dishonest. David Wren's own reporting on Rep. Clyburn's pork-mongering, without peer among most Congress persons, has shown the relationship between pork and power. It will be interesting to see whether voters reward or punish DeMint for his principled stand. He comes up for re-election in '10.

dc

[PREFAB SPROUT]

If you really believe that bringing home the pork is the main function of your representatives (a warped position in my view) than I assume the Sun News will acknowledge that it is in the areas best interest to elect DEMS to these jobs as its widely acknowledged they will control the House and Senate for at least the next decade. And with that power comes the ability to set aside the pork to its members first---GOP gets sloppy seconds.

[Dr. James E. Dunn]

Patrick, "missle" as you spell it, is really "missile."

And a (.) always goes inside of the quotes, so does a comma. ? and ! go outside.

DrJED

[Dr. James E. Dunn]

Oh, and Partrick, Webster's Dictonary has BOTH spellings as being correct: "Muslem" and "Moslem."

If you own a dictorary, check it out!

DrJED

[Patrick Hill]

No Jed. "Muslem" is not even saluted by Websters. "Moslem" is derided only as a "variant of "Muslim" with no definition given. If you want a definition use "Muslim." It is mostly accepted.

Your correction duly noted on the iota's used by me.

[PrincipalLocalSchool]

When the media are not interested in finding out how many times their congressman voted for a payraise, then the media are helping to insulate their representative from things they supposedly don't understand. Only the elite media know what is good for us.

I imagine that many a person has swallowed this arrogance and turned their attention to other topics. This Blog's editor called the question, "bogus."

[jeremy]

Thanks Daniel for the votes of our representatives. Too bad the media is not as responsive when someone asks how many times these rep.s have voted for a pay increase.

The media have helped insulate these guys from information that we regular people probably do not understand, as the elite media seem to treat that issue.

I guess some have taken the hand to the face and have gone on with their life. Others haven't.

They toy with spending issues, such as on a type of train, then set a pic on the pay increase issue.

[jeremy]

I personally have looked those words up.

"Moslem" is called a variant of "Muslim," which is the word earning the definition.

"Muslem" generates suggestions for alternative spelling.

Patrick correctly advocated "Muslim."