Poll: Creepy crawlers and Congress
BY MIKE JONES Associate Editor
Sunday, January 13, 2013
1/13/13 at 7:02 AM
Our newly minted U.S. Republican congressmen - Jim Bridenstine in the First District and Markwayne Mullin in the Second - are surely bright-eyed and optimistic as they begin their terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
There is, however, some sobering news. They, along with their colleagues in Congress, are less popular than head lice. Or root canals. Or cockroaches. Or Nickleback. For most of readers of this page, I'll explain that Nickleback is a rock band. Evidently not a very good one.
It might be unfair to include Bridenstine and Mullin since they had nothing to do with the 112th Congress. I don't, however, expect much to change in the 113th Congress.
Stop the bleeding
There is some good news for Congress in the poll. Americans see Congress more favorably than North Korea. Or Lindsey Lohan. Or lobbyists. Or the ebola virus - and that makes you bleed from your eyes.
The results were published by Public Policy Polling. For the complete results of the poll go to tulsaworld.com/policy.
The overall opinion of Congress is 85 percent unfavorable, 9 percent favorable and 6 percent not sure.
Of the 830 voters polled, 25 percent described themselves as moderate, 25 percent very conservative, 19 percent somewhat conservative, 18 percent somewhat liberal and 13 percent very liberal.
Of those answering the poll, 52 percent were men and 48 percent women. Democrats made up 39 percent, Republicans 35 percent and independent/other 26 percent.
In the unfavorable to Congress category it was close between Nos. 1 and 2. The question was posed as, "What do you have a higher opinion of?" No. 1 had a remainder of 48 between favorable and unfavorable opinion (I didn't count those who were undecided). The winner was lice - 67 percent favorable rating for lice compared with 19 percent favoring Congress. The 15 percent who were "not sure" would have made little difference either way. Remember, this doesn't mean that 67 percent of those polled really like lice, they simply like lice better than Congress.
Sprouts win
Coming in at No. 2 was brussels sprouts with a 46-point spread, 69 percent to 23 percent. I can understand this. After all, the country is moving more and more toward healthy eating habits. And there's that guilt about obesity. So, brussels sprouts seems an easy choice. Lice, however, I have no explanation for other than lice are easier to get rid of than members of Congress.
Congress came closest to respectability in the tie for last place at No. 12 between cockroaches, 45 percent to 43 percent and Donald Trump, 44 percent to 42 percent. And I like the fact that Trump tied with cockroaches. To boot, the cockroaches' hair was favored over Trump's, 52 percent to 48 percent. (OK, I made that one up.)
Lest we forget that Congress actually won a few categories, let us proceed. Coming at No. 1 in the favorable category for Congress was a smashing 39-point victory - 60 percent to 21 percent - over (drum-roll) meth labs. The poll didn't list the states in which the voters reside.
In the No. 2 spot with a 35-point differential was Congress, 61 percent, over North Korea, 26 percent. There must have been a backlash over Kim Jong Un's decision to test rockets capable of reaching the United States. In a sub-poll, the cockroaches voted overwhelming that Kim also has better hair than Trump. (I made that one up, too.)
The closer calls were at No. 11, Congress 43 percent favorable and playground bullies, 38 percent, a 5-point difference. At No. 12 was Congress at 45 percent and Lindsey Lohan at 41 percent, 4 points. Best explanation: Most of Congress acts like playground bullies (maybe some payback from when they were kids) and Lohan is simply a mess.
Of the 26 questions dealing directly with favorable and unfavorable choices, 14 had unfavorable responses toward Congress and 12 were favorable. There were two ties in the unfavorable category and one in the favorable list.
Fear factor
The results of this poll are not surprising. Americans are almost constantly in a state of fear and disgust thanks to fiscal cliffs, gun debates, a health-care crisis, fear about which party is going to cut the most from either Medicare or Social Security or both, among other important issues. Now we're facing a debt ceiling "crisis." Don't forget the flu near-epidemic sweeping the country.
The leaders in Washington, D.C., seem undetermined to do anything at the Capitol other than nothing.
Finally, coming in at No. 11 in the unfavorable list with a 3-point difference, was a 37 percent favorable rating for political pundits to 34 percent unfavorable rating for Congress.
Just thought I'd mention that, although the cockroaches had a 45 percent favorable rating. The roaches got me by 8 points.
Original Print Headline: Survey says
Mike Jones, 918-581-8332
mike.jones@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Donald Trump and cockroaches get no respect from the American public. DONALD TRAILL/Invision/AP
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