Poll: Nearly 60% of voters would toss out Congress

[bemildred]

If you could throw out every member of Congress, would you do it?

Nearly 6 in 10 voters, or 57%, say they would defeat every lawmaker -- including their own representative -- if they had that chance, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Wednesday. That compares with 39% who would not and 4% who say they aren't sure.

The "throw the bums out" mentality shouldn't be surprising, since Congress has been sinking to new lows in the eyes of the public. One poll that got a lot of attention earlier in the year showed cockroaches and traffic jams got better numbers than the Mr. and Ms. Smiths who are serving in Washington.

When voters were asked what makes them most unhappy about the federal government, "partisanship and inability of Congress to get things done" was the most frequent response.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/onpolitics/2013/07/24/congress-poll-re-election-nbc/2584041/

[Drunken Irishman]

1. So they say, but we know that's not going to happen...

In 2010, roughly only 11% of Congress lost their job. That means, nearly 90% won reelection. 57% won't be losing their jobs come November, 2014. It'd be nice - but it won't happen.

[bemildred]

3. Yes, of course, the future must be like the past. nt

[Drunken Irishman]

11. Pretty much...

[bemildred]

12. History is just a long story of growth, stability and order?

We are in a period of slow change?

Do go on. We just came out of the bloodiest century in human history, and are off to a great start on surpassing it in this one. We started right off with the worst terrorist attack in our history, and it's been all downhill since then.

Meanwhile our country is being run by ignorant, self-important people who think that's all good and things are swell the way they are. Well, maybe a tweak or two, but definitely them still running things.

[Drunken Irishman]

13. Yeah and?

It doesn't change the fact that it's extremely unlikely the voters will turn around and oust a majority of their elected officials. It's never happened before, so, why should anyone expect it to happen in 2014? That's like expecting a third-party candidate to win the White House.

Only the naive would expect such an outcome.

[bemildred]

14. And just because something happened in 2010, that doesn't mean it will happen in 2014.

"Past performance is no guarantee of future results."

[Drunken Irishman]

15. No...but considering it's never happened tells me there is a good chance it won't just change in '14

There is no precedence for this. None whatsoever. In no midterm has 51%-plus in congress lost their jobs.

The fact it hasn't happened tells me there is a good chance it won't happen. Considering in 2006 and 2010, congress held extremely bad approval ratings and neither election came close to ousting a majority of members, only a fool would expect it to happen in 2014.

[Cosmocat]

10. YEP

either not voting or will vote their own guy/gal in while saying they all suck ...

[dorkulon]

2. Well, gee, maybe they should vote.

[bemildred]

4. +1. NT

[bigwillq]

5. I do agree with this

""partisanship and inability of Congress to get things done""

The two-party dog and pony show has crippled America.

[bemildred]

6. Yes, I agree, we need to throw them all out and start over.

Complete new Congress. That will wake them up.

[bigwillq]

7. I just think they need to start acting like adults (nt)

[bemildred]

8. That would be nice, but this we have now is all they know.

We are going to have to educate them to their new roles as representatives of people, not money

[awoke_in_2003]

9. "America could use a third party...

and it desperately needs a second". Jim Hightower