Rasmussen (10/5) - 59% Would Vote to Replace Entire Congress

[Lucille]

59% Would Vote to Replace Entire Congress (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/59_would_vote_to_replace_entire_congress)


Congress was front and center in the national news last week and the American people were far from impressed. If they could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress, 59% of voters would like to throw them all out and start over again. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 17% would vote to keep the current legislators in office.

Today, just 23% have even a little confidence in the ability of Congress to deal with the nation’s economic problems and only 24% believe most Members of Congress understand legislation before they vote on it.

[...]

Despite these reviews, more than 90% of Congress is likely to be elected this November due to an electoral system designed to benefit incumbents. The biggest advantage offered those in the House of Representatives is a process known as Gerrymandering where Congressional Districts are loaded with friendly voters from Representative’s own party. In effect, Members of Congress—working through their state legislature--get to choose their voters rather than letting voters choose their Congressman.

[...]

While unhappiness with Congress cuts across partisan and demographic lines, Democrats are a bit less unhappy than other voters. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans would vote to throw out the entire Congress as would 62% of unaffiliated voters. Only 43% of Democrats go along. Still, just 25% of those in Barack Obama’s party would vote to keep the entire Congress even though it’s controlled by Democrats.

However, there is agreement across party lines when it comes to whether or not most Members of Congress understand legislation before they vote on it—25% of Democrats say yes along with 24% of Republicans and 24% of unaffiliated voters.

[...]

When the Constitution was written, the nation’s founders expected that there would be a 50% turnover in the House of Representatives every election cycle. That was the experience they witnessed in state legislatures at the time (and most of the state legislatures offered just one-year terms). For well over 100 years after the Constitution was adopted, the turnover averaged in the 50% range as expected.

In the twentieth century, turnover began to decline. As power and prestige flowed to Washington during the New Deal era, fewer and fewer Members of Congress wanted to leave. In 1968, Congressional turnover fell to single digits for the first time ever and it has remained very low ever since.

Hopefully, that number will continue to rise as the "No Banker Left Behind Bailout" proves worthless.

[Sarge]

OMG, Let us get it to 95% wanting to replace.

Even if 59% follow though, it would be a start.

[Truth Warrior]

Politics Is a Sociopathic Cult (http://www.lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer96.html)
Butler Shaffer on the prognosis.

[Mister Grieves]

People need to remember, it starts with your local congressman and senators.

[phixion]

Less than 0.01% of that 59% would ever do anything about it, though.

Why would they? No-one else is bothering in significant enough numbers...

Pete

[Sarge]

I have already taken care of them on my ballot. The rest just need to do that.

Bet there were no RP supporters in their poll. Add a few more percentage points.

Better yet don't, and see if the poll numbers keep climbing. Then we will be there on top of their numbers.

I wish that article would go viral.

[Mister Grieves]

The next best thing to getting a liberty minded, follower of the constitutional elected is to keep turning them over every election to minimize the damage they can do and make it to where all the lobbyist's bribes and dirt against them is for naught.

[Lovecraftian4Paul]

It seems to me like many agree the Congress is rotten. Just about as many, though, seem to have an idiot tendency to like their incumbent (unless they're divided along Republican-Democratic Party lines). It's like the average voter will say, "Throw the bums out! Except for my Congressman..." Believe it or not, some fools seem to enjoy those who bring the pork home, while there are only a tiny handful truly deserving of re-election for honesty and defense of liberty (Ron Paul, Kucinich, Kaptur, maybe others).

[yaz]

depends on what we replace them with-- wouldnt want to lose ron paul

[humanic]

Interesting statistic... thanks for posting.

[Sarge]

If all see this, we might get it up to 95 percent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100203631.html?hpid=topnews

Corruption beyond belief! Yes, let Hank and the big boys go free. It didn't take them long at all.

Wake up America!

What they do not realize yet is, there are many groups going to try and kick them out.

Keep spreading the word if they try to pull this BS.

[socialize_me]

*kicks Lucille*

bump

[Sarge]

I had to add one more comment. In my opinion this is an attempt to dump on the traders who were getting orders from the company.

If I were a trader and they tried to prosecute me instead of the Company, I would dump all the dirt on them.

Not saying the traders don't have some responsibility to share the blame, but this is a blatant attempt to avoid the big boys from serving time.

Spread the word.

When the traders see what the government is going to try and do they will all be running to attorneys. It is going to get big time ugly with trying to let the big boys Scott Free.

I know what I would advise my client, if this is the tack they are going to play.

Traders better copy any thing they have in their files asap to show the corruption. It will now be who gets to serve more time. If they don't CYA it will be the traders.

I have little doubt their are some traders that could provide dynamite information against the government and their companies with emails and memos.

I hope the traders eat the prosecutor's alive with the tactic of letting the companies go free.

[qh4dotcom]

You can't replace the whole Congress...Ron Paul would have to go

The criteria should be...anyone who voted for Patriot Act and Iraq war needs to go

Kucinich, Kaptur and Sherman can stay also.

[itshappening]

the problem is.... those who replace those thrown out will just vote for it anyway, that said... we must show the senators in particular that there is a consequence even if it the alternative isnt much good

[socialize_me]

omg bump

[Anti Federalist]

Despite these reviews, more than 90% of Congress is likely to be elected this November due to an electoral system designed to benefit incumbents. The biggest advantage offered those in the House of Representatives is a process known as Gerrymandering where Congressional Districts are loaded with friendly voters from Representative’s own party. In effect, Members of Congress—working through their state legislature--get to choose their voters rather than letting voters choose their Congressman.

[Anti Federalist]

So, a 90% re-election rate due to gerrymandering.

That's not even taking into consideration the rigged voting machines.

We're not voting our way out of this shitpile, stop dreaming.

[Sarge]

So the option is to do nothing and not try?

5 M CA ballots going out today. If they market takes a big hit today those willing to try might go up. Even if they knock out Nancy Pelosi it would be a start.

Jeff Flake is a good guy from AZ and should be kept in office. Same Ron Paul.

The people are hacked, and today just might make them more hacked off.

If they knock out even half of those who voted yes it will be a start. We use paper ballots in AZ. So AZ has a chance to start making a difference.

[CasualApathy]

Less than 0.01% of that 59% would ever do anything about it, though.

Why would they? No-one else is bothering in significant enough numbers...

Pete

Oh ye of little faith.

The people are waking up all around us, we are winning on every front. It will get a lot worse before we finally remove all the crooks and liars from power, but through the internet our ideas have reached the entire world.

Do you realise what a special time this is? Millions of people from all over the world have found a common voice here on the internet and it is only a matter of time before we rise up and overthrow the oppressors.

[acptulsa]

So, a 90% re-election rate due to gerrymandering.

That's not even taking into consideration the rigged voting machines.

We're not voting our way out of this shitpile, stop dreaming.

The most gerrymandered district in the nation is still seething with anger over this. The rigged voting machines either won't help them, or will help them get discovered electioneering, which will make matters even worse.

There is anger. If you don't see it, you aren't acting as 'boots on the ground' for any liberty candidates right now (which is a shame). There was a tropical depression of dissatisfaction out there, and this bailout was the perfect eye for it to congeal around to become the perfect storm. I've never seen anything like it, and I've been watching since Nixon.

If we don't take advantage, we're fools.

[JosephTheLibertarian]

The real question is, replace them with whom? More republicrats?

[acptulsa]

The real question is, replace them with whom? More republicrats?

Unfortunately, this year the answer is with whomever is handy. In 2010, I sincerely hope we have a better answer to that question available for people in more districts.

[Anti Federalist]

The most gerrymandered district in the nation is still seething with anger over this. The rigged voting machines either won't help them, or will help them get discovered electioneering, which will make matters even worse.

There is anger. If you don't see it, you aren't acting as 'boots on the ground' for any liberty candidates right now (which is a shame). There was a tropical depression of dissatisfaction out there, and this bailout was the perfect eye for it to congeal around to become the perfect storm. I've never seen anything like it, and I've been watching since Nixon.

If we don't take advantage, we're fools.

Of course there is, and of course I see it.

Solution is to channel that anger into something more useful than "voting".

[DFF]

Something akin to your avatar? lol

[BarryDonegan]

no, something akin to learning the machinery used to steer the sheep, using it, and then slowly throwing unnecessary cargo overboard and plugging holes until the damn thing stops sinking.