Congress poll at a glance

OVERALL: Most Americans disapprove of Congress, although the congressional image has shown a modest recovery since the November elections. About a third, 34 percent of Americans, approve of the way Congress is handling its job, according to the latest AP-Ipsos poll. The approval rating of Congress was essentially unchanged from its 32 percent rating in early January despite the legislative agenda of the new Democratic majority.


CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL: Congressional job approval hit a low of 24 percent in AP-Ipsos polling in June, 2006, when 73 percent disapproved of Congress. Immediately before the 2006 congressional elections, Congress had a job approval rating of 25 percent, with 72 percent disapproving. Since then, the image of Congress improved steadily each month, with a modest 5-point jump between early December, 2006 and early January, 2007, right after the new Congress took office.

WHO MOVED: Support for Congress among Democrats increased dramatically in the AP-Ipsos poll compared with pre-election levels. But a majority of Democrats, 52 percent, still disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job. Just 39 percent of Democrats approve of Congress, although that is up 30 points from the 9 percent who approved in mid-October of 2006. Those who have shown the largest increases in approval of Congress since the elections are women, up 12 points to 34 percent; those in the Northeast, up 21 points to 40 percent; those with household incomes of $75K or more, up 18 points to 43 percent; and those with college degrees, up 12 points to 37 percent. Not surprisingly, Congressional approval among Republicans has declined, although not nearly as much as approval has increased among Democrats. A third, 33 percent of Republicans disapprove, of the way Congress is handing its job, down 8 points from where it was in mid-October 2006.

Can we fathom a guess here? Granted, the new congress did more in the first 100 hours than the old did in years. However, with Iraq first and foremost on the minds of the majority of Americans and now the whitehouse is making a case against Iran, the new majority is acting like the scared minority.

Thoughts? Suggestions?