News Flash: irritation with politicians is rising

From Kenneth Walsh in U.S. News and World Report...

Business as Usual in Washington
Members of the Washington establishment—including President Bush and congressional leaders of both parties—seem to be doing their best to test America's patience with politics as usual. The capital is again swamped by stalemate and partisanship, and it's no wonder that the public is getting increasingly upset with the status quo.

Bush and the Democrats are squabbling about nearly everything. The president regularly pounds congressional leaders as "tax and spend" liberals. Last week, he argued that the Demo-crats have trouble passing any legislation "without shoving a tax hike into it," adding that "proposed spending is skyrocketing under their leadership." He threatened a rash of vetoes and on Friday rejected a $23 billion water projects bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, "The biggest-spending president in 40 years wants to spend $2.4 trillion on a failed war strategy overseas, but he says no to healthcare for our children, no to caring for our veterans, no to putting more police on the streets." It sounds to many voters like partisanship without end.

The Democrats may even blow this great opportunity
All the feuding and posturing may motivate the zealots, but it intensifies everyday voters' sour mood, and a new survey by Democracy Corps should set off alarms for the establishment. The public "is angrier with the state of the country than we have ever witnessed," according to Democratic strategists Stan Greenberg, James Carville, and Al Quinlan. They point out that 7 out of 10 Americans think the country is on the wrong track, most Americans disapprove of President Bush's job performance, even more are unhappy with Congress, and most don't think the government is addressing their concerns. But "Democrats have not yet found their voice as agents of change, except perhaps on Iraq," they say, noting: "It is not enough to be anti-Iraq and anti-Bush." Voters could be pushed "to third parties and some even back to the Republicans, particularly if progressives fail to tackle key grievances," such as illegal immigration, the Iraq war, and wage stagnation.

Not surprisingly, the public is finding little to encourage them in the Democrats who have replaced the Republicans in control of Congress. So, there is a relatively larger window opening for those who will challenge incumbents in 2008-- and perhaps, for those in other political parties. While one can hold out hope, holding one's breath too long is not advisable. One important factor that limits electoral implications is that people often despise Congress but don't mind their own representatives so much.

Will 2008 be all that different-- in the 9th District of Indiana or across the country? Stay tuned...