Political Hotsheet 
Updated 7:30 p.m. ET
A new CBS News/New York Times poll reveals the declining trust in government representatives and the motives of Congressional members.
The majority of Americans —- 70 percent -— are dissatisfied or angry with the way elected officials in Washington handle the business of the people.
The distaste for the way Washington works cut across party lines, with 85 percent of Republicans dissatisfied or angry compared to 53 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of independents.
Among those surveyed, 80 percent said that members of Congress are more interested in pandering to special interest groups than in serving the needs of people who elected them. Only 13 percent believe that Congress represents the interests of the people.
When asked about Congressional job approval, only 15 percent of respondents thought Congress was effective, down 8 percentage points from January and near the low of 12 percent in October 2008, when the economy was on the brink of collapse and the George W. Bush administration was entering its final year in office.
By a lopsided margin and a final rebuke, the CBS News/New York Times polls shows that 81 percent of Americans believe members of Congress don't deserve re-election.
President Obama comes off somewhat unscathed compared to Congress.
While Mr. Obama's approval rating is 46 percent, which matches his low from early January, 57 percent of respondents indicated that he is interested in serving the interests of the American people, compared to 35 percent who said he favored special interest groups.
Forty-five percent of Americans disapprove of the job he is doing – his highest disapproval rating to date.
The majority of those polled -- 62 percent -- believe that he is trying to reach out to Congressional Republicans, versus 32 percent who have the opposite view. Among Republicans, only 29 percent believe the president is trying to reach across the isle and 62 percent believe he is not making the bipartisan effort.
More Polls:
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Poll: Economy Brings Down Obama's Job Approval Rating
Poll: Who Are the Tea Partiers?
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CBS News Poll Database
However, 50 percent said that the president has made little or no progress in changing Washington. As an example of the gridlock in Washington, 56 percent blame both Congress and the president for the failure to pass health care reform legislation.
But, only 5 percent hold Mr. Obama solely responsible for the lack of progress. Additionally, only 7 percent of those queried blame the Obama administration for the state of the economy and budget deficit. The Bush administration and Wall Street, as well as Congress, are blamed for the financial woes.
On health care, the poll also found that Americans are increasingly concerned about the price tag for reform. Fifty-three percent now say that the U.S. cannot afford to fix health care now, up from 42 percent in September. Forty-four percent think health care reform is needed as part of fixing the overall economy.
Lastly, in addition to expressing a general cynicism about government, many Americans are also saying they want a smaller one.
Fifty-nine percent of Americans think the government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals, a percentage that has been consistent for many years. Fifty-six percent would choose a smaller government providing fewer services over a bigger government providing more services, up from 48 percent last spring and the highest percentage in more than a decade.
Read the Complete Poll
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,084 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone February 5-10, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.
This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. © 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Poll: 70 Percent Angry or Dissatisfied with Washington
(CBS)
A new CBS News/New York Times poll reveals the declining trust in government representatives and the motives of Congressional members.
The majority of Americans —- 70 percent -— are dissatisfied or angry with the way elected officials in Washington handle the business of the people.
The distaste for the way Washington works cut across party lines, with 85 percent of Republicans dissatisfied or angry compared to 53 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of independents.
Among those surveyed, 80 percent said that members of Congress are more interested in pandering to special interest groups than in serving the needs of people who elected them. Only 13 percent believe that Congress represents the interests of the people.
When asked about Congressional job approval, only 15 percent of respondents thought Congress was effective, down 8 percentage points from January and near the low of 12 percent in October 2008, when the economy was on the brink of collapse and the George W. Bush administration was entering its final year in office.
(CBS)
President Obama comes off somewhat unscathed compared to Congress.
While Mr. Obama's approval rating is 46 percent, which matches his low from early January, 57 percent of respondents indicated that he is interested in serving the interests of the American people, compared to 35 percent who said he favored special interest groups.
Forty-five percent of Americans disapprove of the job he is doing – his highest disapproval rating to date.
The majority of those polled -- 62 percent -- believe that he is trying to reach out to Congressional Republicans, versus 32 percent who have the opposite view. Among Republicans, only 29 percent believe the president is trying to reach across the isle and 62 percent believe he is not making the bipartisan effort.
More Polls:
Overview of all the New Polls
Poll: Economy Brings Down Obama's Job Approval Rating
Poll: Who Are the Tea Partiers?
Support for Gays in the Military Depends on the Question
CBS News Poll Database
However, 50 percent said that the president has made little or no progress in changing Washington. As an example of the gridlock in Washington, 56 percent blame both Congress and the president for the failure to pass health care reform legislation.
But, only 5 percent hold Mr. Obama solely responsible for the lack of progress. Additionally, only 7 percent of those queried blame the Obama administration for the state of the economy and budget deficit. The Bush administration and Wall Street, as well as Congress, are blamed for the financial woes.
On health care, the poll also found that Americans are increasingly concerned about the price tag for reform. Fifty-three percent now say that the U.S. cannot afford to fix health care now, up from 42 percent in September. Forty-four percent think health care reform is needed as part of fixing the overall economy.
Lastly, in addition to expressing a general cynicism about government, many Americans are also saying they want a smaller one.
Fifty-nine percent of Americans think the government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals, a percentage that has been consistent for many years. Fifty-six percent would choose a smaller government providing fewer services over a bigger government providing more services, up from 48 percent last spring and the highest percentage in more than a decade.
Read the Complete Poll
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,084 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone February 5-10, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.
This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
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I wish they'd ALL quit. And they can take their lobbyist friends with them. Good Americans have been screwed enough!!! Run cowards, run.
You can attack Fox News and talk radio all you want but the fact remains that there is a huge conservative movement taking place in this country. The American people want someone who will do something besides recklessly spend the people's money and grow government. Lakota you are in the minority. Why do you think a Republican won in Massachusetts?
"The Obameter Scorecard"
Rating Obama on how well he is keeping his campaign promises. (Better to go here than to Rush Limbaugh, who will breathlessly assure you that "Obama has broken every single one of his campaign promises, folks. Yup. That's right. Every single one.")
91 Promises kept.
33 Promises compromised on.
14 Promises broken.
86 Promises stalled.
277 Promises "in the works".
2 Promises not yet rated.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/
Obama has studied this time of our history closely though and is trying to prolong this recession in an attempt to pass his radical agenda. Hence the phrase by Rahm Emmanuel that you shouldn't let a good crisis go to waste.
It is generally agreed that if you truly want to stimulate the economy, you slash taxes across the board and try to provide a stable environment for business. Stimulus packages haven't worked here in the past and neither have they worked in other countries. It does make a good slush fund though.
I'm not a big fan of Bush, but he didn't really cause this recession. If you took out the normal effects of the business cycle and the sub-prime mortage fiasco that was due to democratic policies, there would have only been a mild turndown... I do agree that Bush should have had the foresight to see a problem with lending people money who couldn't afford houses money... He just didn't have the ability though.
You know you really need to do some reading about what has actually happened. You are entitled to your own oppinion but not your own facts.
Now don't I feel silly.
I meant Politifact.com, the fact checking website.
Politico is great, but it's much more partisan, and I'm not sure you'll get the balanced picture there.
Try PolitiFACT.com:
http://politifact.com/
The defenders of the so called free market seem to forget that the founders never desired that kings could buy the United States out from under the people.
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Nor did they envision such a thing as a "professional politician".
One term and out for all.
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Yet the najority are registered with the two major parties that are owned by special interests.
When the majority leave these two "bought and paid for" parties and the Dems and Repubs are both reduced to a minority status, things will begin to change.
Until then, these folks are like complaining spouses who would rather complain chronically than divorce and find happiness.