Scott Neuman, NPR:
A Gallup poll published earlier this month found that just 11 percent of Americans approve of Congress’ performance. A whopping 86 percent gave a thumbs-down. That’s the lowest rating since Gallup started taking the public pulse on this issue in 1974. A similar poll conducted by The Associated Press registered a 12 percent approval rating, and a CBS/New York Times poll in October placed Congress’ approval rating at 9 percent.
Think about how staggeringly bad this reflects on Congress. In any company, if only 11% of shareholders approved of corporate leadership, you can rest assured they would be expediently removed from power. Yet in America, the public keeps re-electing the same people and expecting different outcomes. Perhaps 2012 will be the year in which incumbents are fired - regardless of party. Color me skeptical.
“There have been plenty of times when the rhetorical heat has been high, sometimes higher than now,” Feller says. “What’s most amazing today is not fiery words, but the inability to do necessary business.”
Rhetoric is what makes politics in America. Polarizing, and often shocking words have always been used to create a partisan divide. In a two-party system, each must resort to such tactics to gain strong bases. In the past, though, leaders would set differences aside, compromise, and try to get the very best deal (from their perspective) for the American people. Now it seems that compromise is refused in favor of obstructionism. Only when the public yells loud enough do politicians relent and do their job. This last- minute addiction will eventually sever our faith in the democratic process - if it hasn’t already.