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Q: Which two issues will most help your party in November's election?
Democrats (38 votes)
Economy 87 percent Energy 39 percent Federal taxes and spending 3 percent Health care 21 percent Immigration 0 percent Iraq 37 percent National security 0 percent Reasonable government, accountability (volunteered) 3 percent
Economy
"People are unhappy with President Bush's handling of these policies. And Republicans will pay the price."
"Bush has been The Decider for eight years. And the middle class is getting squeezed bad. Time for change."
"Voters overwhelmingly voted to get us out of Iraq. And that is still on their minds now, mixed up with domestic issues like gas, the economy, and health care. The candidate who can assure voters with specific plans and deadlines will win in November. Barack has the ideas and the majority in Congress."
"All these will help Democrats. McCain will show he lacks the gravitas to be president when he tries to visit the Iraq-Pakistan border, continues to urge the repeal of Social Security, argues that the estimated 4-cent reduction in gas prices 20 years from now with ANWR drilling is a serious proposal to deal with energy. Having run up the largest debt of any nation in the history of the world, the McCain plan to dig a deeper hole won't be credible. McCain is a grumpy old man not up to the task of changing the direction of our country. His campaign will help sink the Republican ship that is already taking on water."
Energy
"Voters are ready to embrace the brave new world of alternative energy. And they know Democrats are more likely to lead them there."
Iraq
"I still believe that the war is the most important issue, and Democrats should not let go of it. However, we can tie the economy and energy issues around Bush's neck."
Republicans (42 votes)
Economy 17 percent Energy 90 percent Federal taxes and spending 21 percent Health care 0 percent Immigration 5 percent Iraq 19 percent National security 31 percent No issues (volunteered) 2 percent
Economy
"Obama's fluff won't help him when America's summer fling is over and it's time to marry."
Energy
"Democrats are killing middle-class pocketbooks. I can't believe that they're this stupid on drilling and taxes. You'd think they were all from San Francisco."
"This is the Drill-Nothing Congress, and right now Democrats couldn't be more out of touch with the American people on gas prices."
"There are clear distinctions between the parties, with Republicans clearly stronger."
"Republicans are (at last!) on the same side of an issue as the vast majority of the American people. The challenge continues to be communicating the fact that the Democrats are in charge, and they are blocking all progress."
"Energy is an issue that is also tied to the economy. It is also the issue that is impacting people on a much more fundamental level than other issues. Every time Americans fill up their gas tanks, they are reminded of the current crisis we are in and the Congress's inability to do anything about it. The Democrats' reluctance to even debate drilling has opened up the door for Republicans to cast them as the party obstructing a solution that could help alleviate the price at the pump."
"It's the only thing the [Republican Study Committee] and leadership crowd can agree on, as opposed to earmarks, and also because it rallies the working-class vote, already feeling left out in the cold by Obama."
"Energy times 100."
No issues
"Republicans have no advantages on any issues. The best thing for each candidate is to figure what works best for them."
Q: What is most to blame for Congress's low job-approval ratings?
Democrats (39 votes)
Lack of legislative activity 28 percent Media coverage 18 percent President Bush's unpopularity 36 percent All of the above (volunteered) 3 percent Senate Republicans (volunteered) 8 percent Inability to end Iraq war (volunteered) 3 percent "Wrong track" indictment of government (volunteered) 3 percent
Lack of legislative activity
"The blame falls squarely on the Republican decision to stymie legislative activity, especially in the Senate, where they can effectively lock down the legislative process."
"Almost totally related to gridlock in the Senate."
"People want quick fixes to problems like Iraq, health care, gas prices, and the economy, but nothing seems to get fixed."
"Republican obstructionism in the Senate has blocked Democratic initiatives. People are fed up with Bush policies and the Democratic inability to overcome Republican obstruction."
Media coverage
"With Barack Obama getting all the love he needs from the press, there needs to be a villain. Enter Congress, stage left."
President Bush's unpopularity
"Democrats continue to lead the Republicans by 8 to 10 percentage points in the generic congressional ballot, underscoring the fact that voter anger is focused on the Republican policies that have brought us war abroad and recession at home."
"It is a combination of the president's low ratings compounded by the anger in most debates. It is hard to be popular when the person on top is so unpopular. Add to that the meanness of the debate, and there is your final result."
"Congress bears some of the blame, but failed presidents aren't much to work with."
Republicans (42 votes)
Lack of legislative activity 74 percent Media coverage 5 percent President Bush's unpopularity 7 percent All of the above (volunteered) 7 percent None of the above (volunteered) 5 percent Lack of activity; media coverage (volunteered) 2 percent
Lack of legislative activity
"All the American people have received from this Democratic Congress are broken promises, higher taxes, and skyrocketing gas prices."
"The biggest reason for our unpopularity is the fact that we are voting to give ourselves five-week vacations before the Democrats have allowed an up-or-down vote on domestic energy exploration."
"The Democrat majority's few legislative actions have only highlighted their incompetency and politically motivated agenda."
"Democrats and their Drill-Nothing Congress."
"Lack of positive legislative activity."
"And I'm shocked the approval numbers are even at 14 percent considering how little this Congress gets done."
Media coverage
"All bad, all the time."
All of the above
"The media is to blame for the economy, Congress is to blame for gas prices, and the president is at fault on everything else."
None of the above
"There's plenty of legislative activity, but Congress is not addressing the most pressing problems of gas prices, economy, and health care. Congress continues to waste money and expand government but does nothing to address serious issues."
"The public does not trust us because of indictments and earmarks and saying one thing while doing another."
National Journal Insiders
Democratic Congressional Insiders Sens. Sherrod Brown, Ben Cardin, Thomas Carper, Christopher Dodd, Edward Kennedy, Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Mikulski, Mark Pryor, Ken Salazar, Jon Tester; Reps. Tom Allen, Robert Andrews, Michael Arcuri, Tammy Baldwin, Melissa Bean, Xavier Becerra, Howard Berman, Marion Berry, Rick Boucher, Michael Capuano, Dennis Cardoza, Chris Carney, James Clyburn, Jim Cooper, Joseph Crowley, Elijah Cummings, Artur Davis, Diana DeGette, Rosa DeLauro, Eliot Engel, Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Chaka Fattah, Bob Filner, Alcee Hastings, Mike Honda, Steve Israel, Jim Langevin, John Lewis, Zoe Lofgren, Nita Lowey, Carolyn Maloney, Ed Markey, Jim McDermott, Jim McGovern, Kendrick Meek, Jim Moran, David Price, Silvestre Reyes, Jan Schakowsky, Jose Serrano, Adam Smith, John Spratt, Pete Stark, John Tanner, Ellen Tauscher, Bennie Thompson, Chris Van Hollen, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Henry Waxman, and Peter Welch.
GOP Congressional Insiders Sens. Lamar Alexander, Jim Bunning, John Cornyn, Jim DeMint, Lindsey Graham, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Johnny Isakson, Richard Lugar, Mel Martinez, Lisa Murkowski, Olympia Snowe, John Sununu, John Thune, David Vitter; Reps. Michele Bachmann, Brian Bilbray, Marsha Blackburn, John Boehner, Kevin Brady, John Campbell, Chris Cannon, Eric Cantor, Michael Castle, Tom Cole, Mike Conaway, Tom Davis, John Doolittle, David Dreier, Phil English, Jeff Flake, Scott Garrett, Bob Goodlatte, Kay Granger, Doc Hastings, Pete Hoekstra, Bob Inglis, Peter King, Jack Kingston, Mark Kirk, John Kline, Ray LaHood, Dan Lungren, Kenny Marchant, Jim McCrery, Patrick McHenry, John Mica, Candice Miller, Marilyn Musgrave, Sue Myrick, Devin Nunes, Mike Pence, Tom Price, Deborah Pryce, Adam Putnam, Dave Reichert, Tom Reynolds, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Mike Rogers of Michigan, Paul Ryan, Pete Sessions, John Shadegg, Christopher Shays, Adrian Smith, Mark Souder, Pat Tiberi, Fred Upton, Zach Wamp, and Joe Wilson.
About Insiders Poll
- A weekly survey of members of Congress or political operatives about topics in the news.