29% Confident That Congress Knows What It’s Doing on Economy

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/august_2009/29_confident_that_congress_knows_what_it_s_doing_on_economy

Two-out-of-three American voters (67%) lack confidence that Congress
knows what it's doing when it comes to the economy.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just
29% are at least somewhat confident in the economic wisdom of the
legislature. Those figures include seven percent (7%) who are Very
Confident that Congress knows what it's doing and 38% who are Not at
All Confident.

Last fall, as the financial industry meltdown burst upon the scene and
Congress was asked to approve a $700 billion bailout of the financial
sector, two percent (2%) were Very Confident in Congress' handling of
the economy and 32% Not at All Confident.

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Sixty-one percent (61%) of political liberals are confident that
Congress knows what it's doing. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of
conservatives are not. As for moderates, 32% are confident, and 61%
are not.

Just 25% of all voters believe that members of Congress understand
legislation before they vote on it. Most voters (54%) think they do
not. Last fall, 47% thought Congress failed to understand legislation
before voting.

Republicans and unaffiliated voters overwhelmingly reject the idea
that members of Congress understand legislation before voting on it.
Democrats are evenly divided.

Other recent polling found that just 22% believe Congress has a good
understanding of the health care reform legislation currently being
considered. Voters tend to think that they understand the legislation
better than Congress and about as well as President Obama.

In early February, 58% said most members of Congress will not
understand what is in the economic stimulus plan before they vote on
it.

When Democratic congressional leaders forced a vote on the
$787-billion stimulus plan within hours of making it public,
Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg, a supporter of the plan,
predicted that most members would not have a chance to read it before
voting.

If they could vote to keep or reject the entire Congress, most
Americans would vote to get rid of all the legislators and get started
all over again.

Despite these reviews, more than 90% of Congress routinely gets
reelected every two years. One explanation for this phenomenon
frequently heard in Washington, D.C. is that "people hate Congress but
love their own congressman."

Voters have a different perspective, and 50% say 'rigged' election
rules explain high reelection rate for Congress.

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Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an
independent pollster for more than a decade.