Gallup, 6/20: Confidence in Congress: Lowest Ever for Any U.S. Institution (just 12%)

[highplainsdem]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/108142/Confidence-Congress-Lowest-Ever-Any-US-Institution.aspx

PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's annual update on confidence in institutions finds just 12% of Americans expressing confidence in Congress, the lowest of the 16 institutions tested this year, and the worst rating Gallup has measured for any institution in the 35-year history of this question.

Gallup first asked about confidence in institutions in 1973, repeating the question biannually through 1983, and obtaining annual updates since then. This year's update comes from a June 9-12 Gallup Poll.

In the latest update, Congress ranks just below HMOs, for whom 13% of Americans express "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence. Big business, the criminal justice system, organized labor, newspapers, television news, and the presidency all receive relatively low confidence ratings.

In contrast, Americans express the most confidence in the military, as they have each year since 1988 (with the exception of 1997, when small business edged it out). Small business ranks second in the current poll, just ahead of the police. These are the only three institutions that for whom a majority of Americans express a high degree of confidence.

[bdamomma]

1. good timing, and they will just ignore that too, just like us.

[seasat]

2. Interesting looking at the breakdown, though.

They asked if they had a Great Deal, Quite a Lot, Some, Very Little, or None in confidence. While congress ranked lowest among the top two categories, they tied for highest in some confidence. The presidency had the second lowest rating in Some and the high level for both Very Little and None. While I am ticked at congress over their caves in on FISA and the Iraq war, it is at least good to know that Dumbya is viewed worse by more people.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. They put on a good demonstration why this week, didn't they?

We have the best politicians money can buy.
. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-- Mark Twain

[highplainsdem]

5. Yes, they did.

[Mojambo]

4. Not surprising. They're supposed to be the people's branch of government

And they are most certainly not doing the people's business.