On Monday, Speaker of the House John Boehner, looking smugly satisfied, told CBS News, “I got 98% of what I wanted, I’m pretty happy.†On Wednesday, the DOW dropped 513 points, the largest one-day drop since October, 2008 — you remember October, 2008, pre-Obama winning the presidency, when we thought the markets would hit zero? That’s how bad Wednesday’s DOW performance was. And overnight, the rest of the Asia markets replicated our results. At publication, the DOW was down almost 70 points — an improvement from an hour ago.
And now, a New York Times, CBS News poll just released puts Congress’ approval rating at 14%, and disapproval rating at 82%.
That 82% disapproval has never, ever been worse, not in the history of the poll (1990) and that 14% was worse only once. When? You guessed it: October, 2008.
Sensing a pattern?
Other insights:
57% of The American People, as Speaker Boehner likes to say, disapprove of his performance as Speaker, and only 30% approve.
72% of Americans disapprove of the way the Republicans handled the debt ceiling negotiations. Keep in mind, Mitch McConnell said it worked so well he’s going to use it as a blueprint for the debt ceiling negotiation in 2013. (In all fairness, I’l point out that 66% of Americans disapproved of the way the Democrats handled the negotiations, but I bet the disapproval is for different reasons.)
And 74% of Americas believe most members of Congress do not deserve to be re-elected.
85% 0f The American People, Mr. Boehner, want Congress to compromise. Basically, the only ones who don’t are the Tea Party — which is who won.
And, sorry, FOX News, but 44% of Americans still blame the current budget deficit on George W. Bush. Only 15% blame Obama (same 15%, no doubt, who don’t want Congress to compromise,) and 15% blame Congress.
62% of The American People want Congress to focus on creating jobs, over the 29% who want Congress to focus on cutting spending.
Only 20% of The American People view the Tea Party favorably, and 43% of Americans think the Tea Party has too much influence — only 17% think the Tea Party has too little influence. Probably the 15% who  don’t want Congress to compromise, and a few of their friends.
Bottom line: this Congress, especially the House, under John Boehner’s leadership and under the admission that the Republicans’ number one goal for the past year — at least publicly, longer privately — is not to fix the economy, is not to create jobs, is not even to create an environment conducive to job creation. The number one goal of the Republican party is to make President Obama a one-term president. And if it means death and destruction — literally and/or figuratively, well, so be it.
Welcome to America.
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