Americans Scorn Do-Nothing Congress

(CBS)  Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh shook things up in Washington this week, saying he wants out. He said he doesn't like Congress.

Polls show most Americans don't either, because as CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes reports, it can't seem to get anything done.

Bayh isn't the first lawmaker this year to say he doesn't want to work in Washington anymore because Washington doesn't work.

"Congress is not operating as it should," Bayh said in announcing his retirement. "There is too much partisanship. The people's business is not getting done."

To see how stalled the Senate has become, just look at the numbers. Senate Democrats voted along straight party lines an average of 91 percent of the time last year. That's a record high.

Republicans threatened filibusters to block legislation 100 times, far outstripping their previous high of 62.

"That was all to say no because they believe saying no to Barack Obama and to this Congress is a way for them to get elected to office," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. "I think the American people aren't going to accept that."

That obstructionist image has begun to stick.

According to a recent CBS News poll, only 29 percent of Americans think the GOP is trying to work with the president, while 62 percent think Mr. Obama is reaching across the aisle.

Yet that doesn't appear to be hurting the GOP's electoral chances. Thirty-six of the Senate's 100 seats are up for grabs in November. Of those, 11 are considered competitive races in which the seat could change hands and eight of those 11 vulnerable seats are currently held by Democrats.

"The point is Democrats are in power, they can't get anything done," said CBS News political analyst Marc Ambinder. "They can complain that, well it's not our fault, but the American people are going to look at them and say, 'I don't care!'"

The Senate has more trouble passing major legislation than the House. Health care barely passed. Energy legislation never passed, even when Democrats had a supermajority which meant they had enough votes to overcome a filibuster.

[jquinn535]

Please join me in contacting all of the representatives by e-mail/phone asking them to "please show some integrity by doing their jobs between now in November rather than sitting on the sideline. The American people need solutions more than we need any particular representative in office or party in power. Be a leader and show us you care more about the American people than if you get re-elected."

[peregrine3]

so, are you asking the subliminal man to give up working on the tv set for his bathroom in order to save his legacies future and honor the sacrifice of those paying the ultimate price so we can buy cell phones for our kids and viagra for ourselves. well well, I shall have to think about that. If only my car wasn't two years old and I didn't have to work harder to get the new buggy, I might not be to tired to care about anything besides light entertainment like the steel cage match this week between the countdown commie and the red ass O'reilly. Oh dear oh dear, I don't know, if it were any other time. I'm sure my neighbor with the minnie pearl hats decorated with earl grey bags will take care of it.

[jquinn535]

We all know the problem. Let's discuss some possible, pratical solutions. What if we put pressure on ALL of the November candidates by asking things like list some times when you voted NO on a good solution by the other side and YES on a really bad one. Have them defend those decisions. Tell them you want them to publicly come out and say that they will not always vote according to the party line, and that they will hold to that even if it means they won't be re-elected. Have them acknowledge/discuss the fact that sometimes you need more taxes, sometimes less. Sometimes you need government regulation, sometimes less. Emphasize that we pay them to not go to Washington with the answers but rather research the policies under consideration, think critically and objectively, revise the policy and/or their view based on new information, and THEN vote.

[apuan777]

You mean we have check and balances in our system?

[myopinionpal]

Its the American people own fault for continuing to elect the same old gray headed people that goes to Washington to keep doing the samething over and over again which is get rich off the taxpayers and do nothing,I will not vote for any more incumbents only new blood.

[wjksea]

If only throwing the baby out with the bath water would work. Unfortunately voters do that more than take the time to learn how politicians have voted and how their decisions impact positive or negative, 90% + of the american people. As a result we get a pendulum swinging do nothing corrupted system.

[askagain]

correction

reveal4 - It is quite an accomplishment if the Republicans can stop things when the President is a Democrat, the senate had a Democratic super majority, and the House of Representatives is controlled by the Democrats. Now for the truth. The Republicans would need the help of Democrats to stop or slow things. Why not put the blame where it belongs. It belongs to the Democrats who can't agree with each other and get things done.

[jckbrn-2009]

No need to (or benefit in) blame - - just recognize incompetence and inability to properly govern. Party 1st is the problem. It's not cooperation it's control - and neither "party" should be absolute.
Balance is the answer - and "reigning' instead of participating is never beneficial. All our "elected elite" are to blame for the condition of this nation and not just the current group of nitwits - - term limits are available at every election and they must be made to participate fully in all programs they enact for taxpayers (H-Res 615) - - or by constitutional amendment - -

[flsunjnky]

Oh, but, we have a thousand points of light for the homeless man, and there are many these days.

Repucks, got an answer to that?

[flsunjnky]

Hey, this is the Republican chant!

Enjoy: Spoken by Republican Andre Bauer!

"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed! You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that."

[flsunjnky]

Well, CBSisCommunist5 , tell me who to blame.

[jckbrn-2009]

Blame solves nothing - - start thinking instead of blaming ! !

[CBSisCommunist5]

Blame BUSH/CHENEY.


Surely Obama does nothing wrong

[CBSisCommunist5]

Dems had full majority.

Blame the republicans/Bush/Cheney ?

[jckbrn-2009]

Stupidity means "without intelligence" - -
Ignorance means "without knowledge" - -
Blame is both stupid and ignorant - -

[andacar]

This seems to happen like clockwork every few years. The government seems to grow increasingly partisan and deadlocked, and a grassroots movement of angry right wingers takes to the streets under various leaders: Barry Goldwater, Ross Perot, now Sarah Palin, though I hate to put her in the same category of these candidates that were, while extreme, at least intelligent. Now the hue and cry roars up again to "throw all the bums out," with little or no regard to even the recent past. And we will throw them out, to replace them with more grinning brainless faces who will act exactly the same as all their predescessors. I will be saddened but not a bit surprised if Americans put Sarah palin in the White House in two years, and then we will truly get what we deserve.