You won't know about it unless you for some reason breathlessly await the release of each poll on Gallup.com, but a new poll released by the organization this week showed continued American disappointment in Congress.
That our approval rate of the national legislature is in the teens is nothing new. What's different about the poll is how it goes into detail on issues.
-- Terrorism: 47 percent of those polled are disappointed or angry with Congress, compared to 17 percent who are pleased.
-- Economy: 53 percent disappointed or angry vs 12 percent pleased.
-- Government Reform: 55 percent disappointed or angry vs 12 percent pleased.
-- Healthcare: 60 percent disappointed or angry vs 12 percent pleased.
-- Iraq: 68 percent disappointed or angry vs 11 percent pleased.
-- Immigration: 65 percent disappointed or angry vs 8 percent pleased.
-- Budget Deficit: 60 percent disappointed or angry vs 7 percent pleased.
Note that there are two categories of dissatisfaction, and only one of a positive nature. The leftover numbers up to 100 percent are neutral.
So we're annoyed with these folks, obviously, and those are the reasons why. Those reasons, of course, cover just about everything, assuming that the massive issue of entitlement reform is covered in the government reform category.
Respondents listed as Republicans are obviously more displeased with the opposition-led Congress than those who identify themselves as Democrats. But even a majority of Democrats are unfavorable toward Congress on four of the seven issues.
The things missing in this survey, other than the fact that almost no news organizations are reporting on it, are the reasons for the dissatisfaction.
The text of the Gallup report on the findings includes some reasonable explanations for the results. For example, regarding Iraq, Republicans are likely to be upset because of the numerous mickey-mouse votes and threats to cut off funding for the war effort, and Democrats are mad because they hoped their representatives would have pulled the troops out by now.
There's a lot here for the Democrats to worry about for their re-election prospects, but not much to buoy GOP hopes. The problem is that the Democrats are losing standing, falling to Republican levels, but there's nothing to suggest the GOP image is improving.
Again, another reason for us voters to take care of our own houses during the primaries. We're unlikely to vote for the opposite party in November, so we have to take care of business early in 2008.
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Speaking of stories that haven't circulated much this week, the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission has a new report out that says Iran is only a year away from being able to make a nuclear weapon.
There are some who equate worries about Iran's nuclear program with the bad intelligence of Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction. The difference? Saddam stayed mum on whether he had any WMD. Iran's president gleefully tells anyone who listens what his plans are once he acquires the bomb. He hides nothing until he talks to Western politicians or reporters.
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Maybe I spoke too soon about Pakistan President Pervez Musarraf releasing Benazir Bhutto from house arrest. Not long after Bhutto was released from house arrest, she was placed back in such custody. Today she was released again. My bet is this pattern will go on for a while, depending on what Pakistani security officials make of her plans.
Whatever Musarraf does, time will be the ultimate factor in this drama. Nothing over the next couple of weeks will mean much. He promises to step down as head of the military soon and to hold elections early next year. Whether he carries out those intentions is doubtful -- at least in his initial time frame. Whatever he does probably will not restore his credibility.
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Santa Ana winds are due back in California next week. If the winds are as strong as they were in late-October, it will be a problem. Most of the fires apparently started by power lines which arced or we blown down by the winds.
I drove through some of San Diego County's once-beautiful mountainous backcountry over the weekend and while the damage was tremendous, there is still an awful lot that has yet to be burned. Pray for us.
