Congress’ popularity nose-dives in poll

WASHINGTON – Fueled by disappointment at the pace of change since Democrats assumed the majority on Capitol Hill, public approval of Congress has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll.

Just 27 percent of Americans approve of the way Congress is doing its job, the poll found, down from 36 percent in January, when Democrats assumed control of the House and the Senate.

And 63 percent of Americans say the new Democratic Congress is governing in a “business as usual” manner, rather than working to bring fundamental change – a promise of the party’s leaders after November’s midterm election.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the first woman to hold that position, also has failed to impress. Only 36 percent approve of the way she is handling the job, the poll found.

In contrast, 46 percent of Americans in the current poll said they approve of the way former Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich handled the job after he led the GOP into the majority in 1994.

The poll also found continued unhappiness with President Bush, whose approval ratings have been stuck below 40 percent since last year.

But public disappointment with Congress, which swelled before Republicans lost power in November, has erupted again as Democratic lawmakers have struggled to challenge the White House’s management of the war.

Democrats swept into power on promises to end the war and tackle a host of popular domestic issues, including raising the minimum wage, reducing prices on prescription drugs, promoting stem cell research and ending corruption.

While Democrats have passed some initiatives in the House of Representatives, few have won passage in the Senate, where the party holds a one-vote majority.

And Bush and his Republican allies on Capitol Hill have managed to block every Democratic attempt to force a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, much to the chagrin of Democrats.

The poll of 1,183 adults was conducted Thursday through Sunday. The margin of error was plus or minus three percentage points.