An October 6 Harris poll found that 94 percent of people have a negative view of Congress.
An October 5 Gallup poll found that a declining percentage of the population believe that the government should promote traditional values, falling 10 percentage points in the last 10 years. The biggest decline was among Republicans.
On October 5, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the role of judges under the Constitution.
An October 4 Harris poll asked Republicans and Democrats their most important issues. For Republicans it is cutting government spending, for Democrats it is increasing educational spending.
In an October 3 commentary, Princeton historian Julian Zelizer analyzed political gridlock – the White House and Congress being under different party control. He believes that it inherently helps Republicans and harms Democrats.
An October 3 CBS News poll found that 80 percent of people disapprove of Congress; only 11 percent approve. It also found that two-thirds of people believe that the impact of government on their lives is mostly negative; only 13 percent believe it is positive.
On September 28, the Census Bureau reported that Hispanics constituted 7 percent of voters in the 2010 congressional elections.
A September 27 CNN poll found that 48 percent of people have an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party and 54 percent have an unfavorable opinion of the Republican Party.
On September 20, the Congressional Research Service issued a reported on the presidential nominating process.
I last posted items on this topic on September 28.
Bruce Bartlett is an American historian and columnist who focuses on the intersection between politics and economics. He blogs daily and writes a weekly column for The Fiscal Times. Bartlett has written for Forbes Magazine and Creators Syndicate, and his work is informed by many years in government, including as a senior policy analyst in the Reagan White House. He is the author of seven books including the New York Times best-seller, Imposter: How George W. Bush Bankrupted American and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy (Doubleday, 2006)
