Republicans are to Blame for Low Congressional Approval

This week's NBC Wall Street Journal poll indicates serious disdain for Congress, but the poll's questions released in headlines don't explain any specific cause and effect. Of course, the cumulative impact of consistent obstruction, blocking one public policy iniative after another, seems to be a reasonable conclusion.  But, everybody in Congress isn't responsible for this public poll scolding.  It's Republicans who cause the problems, acting out on a litany of issues, while the entire elected group takes the public hit - it's like your mother told you, "Watch the company you keep".  

Congress wasn't created by our US Constitution for the purpose of obstructing government.  Yet, in spite of a pitiful 12 percent approval rating, Congress continues wasting time and creating problems that don't need fixing- like the numerously wasteful votes to repeal Obamacare, for example. Yet, Congress won't act to repeal the stupid budget sequester that impacts the poor and furlough's government employees. They waste time and get paid for creating angst. 

According to the survey, 83 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing in Washington, an all-time high in the poll. Just 12 percent approve of Congress' job, while 57 percent they would replace every member of Congress if they could.

With this kind of "no confidence", it seems logical for Americans to request a special election to replace the dysfunctional Congress.  

Nevertheless, it seems unfair to throw good people out, when it's really the Republican leadership who needs replacing.  First on the list, House Speaker John Boehner should certainly be fired because, frankly, he's getting absolutely nothing done.  Boehner looks grouchy all the time and his lack of collegiality contributes to political acrimony.

So, this is my recommendation to Congress.  It's human nature to want to be liked and people tend to prefer leaders who are likable  Therefore, improving Congressional poll numbers can begin by creating likable people.  Let's send Congress to Toastmaster's International school, where they can learn leadership and communications skills - plus, infuse their personalities with a likeability factor.

Second, Congress can instantly improve it's poll numbers by voting to support President Obama's Job's Act, an initiative that's collecting dust, ever since he introduced it in his 2012, State of the Union Address.  Jobs equal approval.  It's that simple.

Seriously, Congress must learn to be likable  (meaning, Speaker Boehner smiles often) and call for passing Jobs, a piece of legislation that has a positive impact for all Americans.  Doing so will improve Congressional poll numbers and mitigate calls for special elections to replace all of them.  

Seems simple, doesn't it?  Well, to do nothing is certainly unsustainable.  Americans deserve a Congress that works.

Republicans must accept responsibility for low Congressional poll numbers. Moreover, they are accountable to do something to change this destructive and spiraling out of control public opinion, before loss of confidence implodes morale and effectiveness for all of government.  

"It's the company you keep".

Such low poll numbers are unworthy of those in Congress who are competent but tainted by unpopular Republican leaders.  

Congress: Wasting Taxpayer Time - Put Them on Unemployment

When employees waste time on the job, the result shows up in performance reviews, presuming the boss keeps them on long enough to evaluate their productivity.  The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll is the job performance review of our US Congress. It seems the public is totally fed up with Congress in the poll results, where only 12 percent approve of their performance.

NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released in July 2013, finds that Americans' disapproval of Congress has reached unprecedented low levels.  According to the survey, 83 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing in Washington, an all-time high (or low) in the poll. Just 12 percent approve of Congress' job, while 57 percent say they would replace every member of Congress, if they could.

So let me get this straight.  Taxpayers are paying for unsatisfactory performance!  While we express disapproval for Congress, we're continuing to pay them.

It's irresponsible for Americans to continue paying big bucks for dismal representation in Washington DC.  Surely, it's time to give Congress a collective pink termination slip.   

Cause for termination include the following:

1.  Lack of team building - obstructionism rather than cooperation, collaboration and collegiality in support of public policy to improve the human condition.

2.  Inability to prioritize -  instead of a focus on what's important to Americans, the Congress continues to inappropriately obsess on the repeal of Obamacare and refuses to support reasonable Second Amendment regulations to reduce preventable deaths by gun violence.  Yet, Congress won't vote to remove the stupid budget sequester whereby hundreds of programs have received unnecessary cuts and employees have experienced cruel furloughs.

3.  Attendance on the job -  Congress is never there!  They take long session breaks and are hardly ever seen working in their Congressional chamber.  When constituents ask to personally meet with them, they often send their staffs to do interviews.  

4.  They ignore their job description - they pledge allegiance to protect the US Constitution while many who are among the Republicans take an oath to an un-elected political right wing extremist (IE, Grover Norquist) not to raise taxes, even when roads, bridges, education and the needs of the poor are at risk.

5.  Don't support the boss-  While the President of the United States was elected by a clear majority of voters, the Congress balks at supporting his nominees to administrative and court positions, thereby putting public policy initiatives in limbo and causing wasteful backlogs in our justice system.  

Some corporations would fire employees who negatively cross the performance line on any one of the above five criteria. Yet, our US Congress has clearly failed on all of the above.

It's time Congress receives a pink slip; but the new hires, presuming we taxpayers hire qualified candidates, will have to remember why their predecessors were fired and do something productive (and quickly) to earn their salaries and America's trust.