Mostly. The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press did a poll over the weekend asking people their thoughts on the Fake Debt Crisis negotiations and the results aren’t especially good for anyone here. Be clear, however, that you are looking at a poll that assesses the perceptions of the people involved — not on the deal itself.
From liberal Democrats to Tea Party Republicans, there is broad public consensus that the budget negotiations of recent weeks can be summed up in words such as ridiculous, disgusting, stupid, and frustrating. Nationwide, 72% describe the recent negotiations in negative terms such as these; while very few offer a positive (2%), or even neutral (11%), assessment. Other frequently used terms include terrible, disappointing, childish, and joke.
The latest survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and The Washington Post, conducted July 28-31 among 1,001 adults, finds that these critical views cross partisan and ideological lines, with 75% of Republicans, 72% of Democrats and 72% of independents all volunteering similarly negative assessments. Impressions are particularly negative among Republicans and Republican-leaners who agree with the Tea Party (83% negative).
A clear majority of people polled here are pretty clear that they were unhappy with the process and the people in it all the way around. Pew notes that this was similar to the reaction to the last budget fire drill. Certainly, Republicans fared worse than President Obama and the Democrats, but there is no doubt that most folks were not happy with what they were looking at. The President is less damaged than the rest, but there is damage nonetheless and at some point this gets to be cumulative.
And I expect we’ll be doing this again in a month or so when the GOP will want to shut down the government to make sure that taxpayers send flat screen TVs to rich people or something.