inion Research Corporation survey released on Tuesday, just 33 percent of Americans approve of the Republican Party, while 59 percent disapprove. That's a net negative 10-percentage-point shift from less than a month ago, when 41 percent of those surveyed by CNN said they had a favourable view of the GOP while 55 percent had an unfavourable one.At the same time, Democrats' numbers have improved slightly, with approval and disapproval each at 47 percent. In July, 45 percent approved and 49 percent disapproved, a net 4-point change.
According to the survey, the Tea Party does even worse than the GOP with a score that is the lowest since CNN starting polling the movement in 2010. Thirty-one percent have a favourable view of the Tea Party while 51 percent see it unfavourably. In July, those numbers were 37 percent and 47 percent respectively.
The poll was conducted from August 5-7, which means that the questions were asked after the debt ceiling deal was concluded. Obviously that would have been top of mind with respondents.
One can read a lot into polls, but is it too much to suggest that more and more Americans are coming to the realization that they don't like intransigence in their political leaders? Is it possible that most Americans have more common sense than they are sometimes give them credit for, and that the need for compromise is something they value and respect?
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell may think that it was smart to hold the economy hostage for the sake of narrow partisan goals. Let's hope this poll signals a change that will prove him wrong.
(Cross-posted at Lippmann's Ghost.)