The latest Washington Post/ABC News poll shows that even more Americans disapprove of how the Republicans are handling the budget negotiations. This, combined with evidence that the GOP’s favorability has dropped, suggests that the Republicans are already in trouble for 2014 and maybe beyond. In the New York Times, Jeremy […] Read more »
Will Republicans Pay a Price for the Government Shutdown?
The ongoing Tea Party-induced crisis over the Affordable Care Act, the government shutdown, and the debt ceiling appears to be taking a substantial toll on the Republican Party’s popularity. … So the big question remains: Will Republicans pay a price for this? Can you stage a very public protest that shuts […] Read more »
Republicans losing no-win game
All of Washington’s elected leaders earn negative marks for handling budget negotiations, but the public’s ire toward Republicans in Congress has hardened quicker than disapproval of President Obama and Democrats through a fortnight of failed negotiations. [cont.] Scott Clement & Peyton M. Craighill, Washington Post Read more »
Disapproval of GOP Peaks in Blame for the Budget Crisis
A new high of 74 percent of Americans disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling Washington’s budget crisis, up significantly in the past two weeks and far exceeding disapproval of both President Obama and congressional Democrats on the issue. [cont.] Gary Langer, ABC News Read more »
Americans Say Creating Jobs Is Key to Improving Economy
As lawmakers in Washington focus on opening the government after the Oct. 1 partial shutdown, raising the debt limit, and debating the merits of the Affordable Care Act, Americans say creating jobs is the most important way for the federal government to improve the economy. These results are based on […] Read more »
Envy, Scorn and Shutdown
“Dysfunctional” is a word often applied to the federal government shutdown. If only we had a functional understanding of the causes of dysfunction. Many explanations offered point to the effects of increased income inequality on political institutions. But increased inequality may have even more direct effects, undermining trust and driving […] Read more »