Staring next January, the United States will have a new government -- a divided government with a Democrat in the White House and both houses of Congress being controlled by Republicans. For the last four years, this nation has experienced gridlock in government -- as the Senate and House have been unable to agree on any major legislation (thanks to being controlled by different parties).
Instead of compromising for the good of the country, as has been done in the past, the 112th and 113th Congresses have just indulged in ideological games -- and the country has suffered, with high unemployment, a struggling economy, and a growing wealth and income gap (which is already wider than at any time since the Great Depression).
Has anything changed? Will the president and Congress be able to work together now? Can any major legislation be passed? The Rasmussen Poll asked 1,000 likely voters those questions on November 6th and 7th (and the survey had a 3 point margin of error). And the survey results were certainly not encouraging.
A substantial 73% of the general public (including 57% of Democrats and 80% of Independents and Republicans) believe the president and the GOP Congress will not be able to work together. And a tiny 25% of the general public (one out of four Americans) think any major legislation can be passed in the first 100 days of the new government. About 25% of Democrats, 15% of Independents, and 36% of Republicans agree.
The American people have very little faith in Washington. They do not believe they have solved the gridlock problem (and I would agree with them). What do you think? Can this new government work to solve our serious problems?
