Lawmakers fare poorly in poll

WASHINGTON — Americans are as disappointed in Congress as President Bush, a new Associated Press-Ipsos poll showed Friday, focusing on the first four months of the new session of Congress.

Although the year started with a constant message of bipartisanship and cooperation, the past few months have brought bitter political standoffs on Iraq and a host of domestic issues such as health care, education, the environment and energy.

The survey found only 35 percent approve of how Congress is handling its job, down 5 percentage points in a month. That gives lawmakers the same bleak approval rating as Bush, who has been mired at about that level since last fall, including his dip to a record low for the AP-Ipsos poll of 32 percent last January.

Democrats and Republicans point to the Iraq war as causing problems for the Bush presidency but two of Utah's five-member congressional delegation also point to the new Democratic majority.

"Approval ratings for second-term presidents are typically low, and Iraq is certainly weighing Bush down right now," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "As for Congress, I think the American people just want to see us get things done. It's been four months since the Democrats took over, and all they've managed to do is keep the lights on. I hate to sound partisan, but any objective look at the facts indicates that not one of the Democrats' 'Six for '06' campaign promises have been passed by Congress."

Rep. Jim Matheson, the lone Democrat in Utah's delegation, said, "I think this poll reflects how disappointed people are with the partisanship in Washington. Most people expect, when they elect us, that we will work hard and make progress on issues, and until we do that, the ratings won't improve."

Rep. Chris Cannon , R-Utah, said the dissatisfaction with Bush and Congress is "not about one issue."

"It is the perception, in most cases true, that we are 'fiddling while Rome burns,'" Cannon said. "The message of 2006, to a conservative like me, was: end corruption; shrink the government; and solve problems without regard to credit. We have ignored those lessons to our own peril."

Cannon said both parties have focused too much on who gets credit for things.

The offices of Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, and Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, did not comment on the poll.

Democrats agree that the problem is largely Iraq, which has dominated this year's session of Congress while producing little more than this month's Bush veto of a bill requiring the withdrawal of U.S. troops. It has also overshadowed House-passed bills on stem-cell research, student loans and other subjects that the White House opposes, they say.