Poll: U.S. On Wrong Track

Iraq, Economy Named Top Concerns; Bush, Congress Get Low Marks

(CBS) 
Views were more positive in 1995, just after the Republican takeover of the House. Then, 48 percent thought what the Republican Congress had accomplished was good for the country, and 33 percent thought it was bad.

Some of the current negativity about Congress may be attributable to the legislature's involvement in the Terri Schiavo matter. When asked which one thing that Congress has done over the past year sticks out in their mind, the top response is Congress' involvement in the Terri Schiavo case, volunteered by 9 percent. 3 percent name the war in Iraq — an issue at the top of Americans’ priority list. For many Americans, NOTHING Congress has done this year sticks in their memory — 4 percent said Congress had accomplished nothing, while 68 percent said they could not name anything it had done.

ONE THING CONGRESS HAS DONE THAT STICKS OUT IN MIND

Terri Schiavo
9%
Iraq war
3%
Nothing
4%
Don’t know
68%

The impression on public opinion of Congress’ association with the Schiavo case seems to have been more negative than positive. Half of those who name the Schiavo matter as the most notable Congressional accomplishment think that what the Republicans have done so far has been bad for the country, nearly two-thirds of them disapprove of the job Congress has done, and six in ten have an unfavorable view of the Republicans in Congress.

Among one important Republican constituency — Republican evangelical Christians — there wasn't any more mention of the Terri Schiavo case as Congress' most notable action than there was among all Americans. Nine percent of them volunteered that as the most memorable congressional action, while 4 percent named any actions concerning the war in Iraq.

The Terri Schiavo case and its related issues don't merit mentions on Americans’ priority list today. When asked to name the most important problem the country is facing, the war in Iraq ranks on top, mentioned by 16 percent, followed by the economy and jobs at 15 percent, Social Security and terrorism (each with 6 percent), and health care and gas prices (each with 5 percent).

MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM

War in Iraq
16%
Economy/jobs
15%
Social Security
6%
Terrorism
6%
Health care
5%
Gas prices
5%

But few Americans think Congress pays a lot of attention to the wishes of voters anyway. Only 8 percent think members of Congress pay a good deal of attention to the people who elect them when they decide what to do in Congress. Forty-three percent think they pay some attention to voters, and 43 percent think they pay not much attention. These percentages are similar to views found in this poll in 1993, the year before the 1994 Republican takeover.

HOW MUCH ATTENTION DOES CONGRESS PAY TO PEOPLE WHO ELECT THEM?

A good deal
Now
8%
12/1993
9%

Some
Now
43%
12/1993
41%

Not much
Now
43%
12/1993
45%