75% angry at the government

Life, the universe, and everything.
Forum rules
- No personal attacks against players or staff members - please be civil!
- No posting of mature images/links, keep content SFW. If it's NSFW, don't post it on these forums.
kiryan
Sojourner
Posts: 7275
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Flagstaff, AZ
Contact:

75% angry at the government

Postby kiryan » Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:02 pm

75% of Americans angry at government. 89% GOP, 78% Independent, 61% Democrats. Where does this leave us?

There has been a growing narrative about how Americans think their government is dysfunctional (low ratings of congress), Obama hinted that he and Scott Brown were both elected on this basis. There is consistent political analysis about how voters attitude is throw the incumbents out (for 2+ years now which means if we throw the Democrats out, we're bringing back the same GOP guys we just threw out). There is another narrative about the lack of civility in politics and increasing polarization of society that goes hand in hand with what is happening politically.

So where is this going? We just going to keep throwing the other party out of office every 2 years? Government is pretty much already stalemated despite Democrats having a resounding majorities in the legislative branch and yet if we unlock the stalemate, isn't that just going to make sure half the country is pissed off every other year (or maybe we'll just always be pissed off)? Will representatives very in tune with their consitutents be able to turn anger around? I doubt it since each district is made up of roughly half conservative half liberal minded folks and you can't give everyone what they want. More communication just seems to highlight the differences and provide sound bites to attack...

Are we approaching a relatively inevitable revolt. If so, how do we avoid it? Bush was supposed to be a uniter and epicly failed. Obama was supposed to usher in a new age of bipartsianship, but needed to be sent a very strong message in Mass before he remembered that. Will we learn to accept compromises? Will one side get demoralized and give up?

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/02 ... z0f3tHWhn2

Three-quarters of the nation’s voters are “angry” at the federal government’s policies, according to a new Rasmussen Reports survey out Monday.

Of the 1,000 likely voters surveyed Feb. 5-6, 75 percent said they were either “very” or “somewhat” angry with the “current policies of the federal government.” Forty-five percent said they were “very” angry.

Only 19 percent said they were “not very” or “not at all” angry with the government, while 6 percent were not sure.

Nearly two-thirds, 60 percent, agreed with the statement that “neither Republican political leaders nor Democratic political leaders have a good understanding of what is needed today.”

The Republicans surveyed were angrier than Democrats, but both expressed frustration.

Eighty-nine percent of Republicans and 61 percent of Democrats said they were angry, while 78 percent of independent voters said they were.

More men were angry with the federal government than women, and voters who earned from $60,000 to $100,000 were found to be the angriest.

The percentage of those who said they were angry with the federal government has been on the rise.

In September, 66 percent of those surveyed said they were either “very” or “somewhat” angry, while in November 71 percent said they were.
kiryan
Sojourner
Posts: 7275
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Flagstaff, AZ
Contact:

Re: 75% angry at the government

Postby kiryan » Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:56 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-h ... 54105.html

excellent piece by arianna huffington.

Yes, some of the Tea Party movement is ugly. Yes, some of the Tea Party movement is race-based. Yes, some of the Tea Party movement is being bankrolled by conservative political groups -- and all of it promoted by Fox News. But focusing only on those elements obscures the fact that some of what's fueling the movement is based on a completely legitimate anger directed at Washington and the political establishment of both parties.

She of course turns it into a liberal soap box, but she's right. If banks are too big to fail, we must shrink them. If the economy recovers, and bankers get huge bonuses, but people are still unemployed and children are still starving its missing the point.
Corth
Sojourner
Posts: 6002
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 6:01 am
Location: NY, USA

Re: 75% angry at the government

Postby Corth » Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:20 pm

Let them eat cake! (at my election fundraiser)
teflor the ranger
Sojourner
Posts: 3923
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Waterdeep

Re: 75% angry at the government

Postby teflor the ranger » Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:22 pm

What are you rebelling against?!

What have you got?
kiryan
Sojourner
Posts: 7275
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Flagstaff, AZ
Contact:

Re: 75% angry at the government

Postby kiryan » Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:51 pm

you know what is hillarious... is the democrats attempt to say a string of losses in heavily democratic states is because Americans are angry at government ineffectivity...

If Americans are angry about how politics works... why would they vote the obstructionist party into office? Wouldn't you vote out the problem?

now how to make democrats understand that thats exactly what they did do.
Disoputlip
Sojourner
Posts: 956
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2002 6:01 am
Location: Copenhagen

Re: 75% angry at the government

Postby Disoputlip » Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:00 am

To me it is a fairly good indication that everybody is unhappy.

It would be horrible to me if democrats were happy, and conservatives where unhappy.

I assume they are unhappy for differen't reasons. Some are unhappy because it is to easy to block a law, some are unhappy because it is too hard.

I think an important part of democracy is to respect the minority, and that is one of the biggest factors to make many unhappy. And that again is a sign of a good democracy.

I would have liked to see the reverse question: Are you content with the american democracy and the way they are handled.. Here I would ofcourse hope for a high score from both sides.

Return to “T2 General Discussion Archive”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests