Congress Approval Rate Nine Percent Elections, posted by Boney Bills, a resident of Half Moon Bay, on November 8, 2012 at 10:50 pm That is what the November report said. American's approved our Congress at 9%. Just to make clear what that means, Polygamy has a 11% approval rate and Pornography has a 30% approval rate. So a whole pot load of the crumbs got thrown out right? Nope, just like here in Half Moon Bay, as long as they go to some softball games and shake hands at the Pumpkin Festival, we will ignore the fact they are screwing up the town and the country and give them a few more years. While 100% of the incumbents were re-elected in Half Moon Bay, 91% were re-elected in both the US House and Senate. This year there we 23 Senate contests in which there was a incumbent running. The incumbent won 22 times with only Scott Brown losing. On the House side, 393 races were contested where there was an incumbent running. The incumbent won 371 of those races. While it is true gerrymandering has made most congressional seats "party secure" one would think more than 22 districts would be upset enough to switch parties. Nine percent approval and 91% re-election. Why do we even bother with the elections?????? Comments (18)

Pretty amazing, isn't it? I had expected at least 80% - 85% of incumbents would get re-elected, even with the unbelievable approval ratings with Congress. I am, btw, one of the ones that comes down on the disapproval side.

There are many reasons why we saw what we saw, depending on the race, but in general it seems that most folks across the country are mad at Congress for not doing their job - but their rep is OK; it's the other guy / gal that's an ass and has to go. Almost reminds me of the Stockholm Syndrome, or the Battered person syndrome.

In some cases, the incumbents were re-elected because the competition just didn't cut it.

Whatever the reason, although important to try to understand, the results speak volumes about how hard it is to unseat an incumbent, no matter how high up the food chain they are.

One of the largest potential problems with that will be egos; those incumbents that got re-elected no doubt will pat themselves on the back for a job well done and claim the victory as a Mandate of the public .. a vote of confidence, that they are just that good and that all they've done is just that wonderful.

Starting with Obama and trickling all the way down to our local reps - it is my hope that they take a different approach, a more humbled approach, a more realistic approach and realize that they were Lucky to win and that they view their win, their job, with more reverence; that they provide more respect for the position and for those they have asked to serve; that they all put their egos in their back pocket, their sometimes abrasive attitudes on hold and take a good hard look at what their job as an elected official really is.

One of the keys, perhaps the most important, is transparency - real transparency. For that to happen, they and we have to communicate, be honest, and listen.

For those that don't heed that suggestion, we have a recall going on over at the Fire District that they may want to monitor.

In the end, we can only choose from what is on the ballot. Unhappy as we may be, it is the system that won which might indicate a systemic problem. Until we get the best to step up I suspect we will continue to get the same general results.

More participation from the American public is the only thing that will check the egos and get the results most want. Until then, we all just have to deal with what is and hope those we vote for walk a straighter line to improve our lives.

George, a resident of Half Moon Bay, on November 9, 2012 at 8:40 am

I hope Obama fires his whole cabinet and hires a whole new cast of characters. The ones serving him now are not the brightest bulbs re the fast and furious gun running scandal, the Libya embassy debacle, the way the TARP was managed, etc. etc. The ones at the top always claim ignorance, blame it on the advisors, like the HMB city council does. Sad for us to keep such people in power to wreak more havoc on us.

precocious, a resident of Moss Beach, on November 9, 2012 at 10:48 am

I just saw a headline: Obama says the American Public voted for taxes on the rich.

John Gruver, a resident of Moss Beach, on November 9, 2012 at 2:12 pm

There is in fact at least a partial solution to the incumbent problem if we're willing to spend the money on repeat elections: require a "none of the above" choice for every race. If "none of the above" wins there has to be another election where none of the previous "above" are allowed to be on the ballot. This would get a lot of incumbents out at all levels.

watchdog, a resident of El Granada, on November 9, 2012 at 8:03 pm

If that statistic had any significance we'd have 396 new US Representatives and 30 new US Senators.

HoneyBadger, a resident of a community outside of the area, on November 10, 2012 at 9:33 am

"There is in fact at least a partial solution to the incumbent problem"

I like it.

Barnus, a resident of Montara, on November 10, 2012 at 9:56 am

"If that statistic had any significance we'd have 396 new US Representatives and 30 new US Senators."

Which statistic are you talking about?

Boney Bills, a resident of Half Moon Bay, on November 10, 2012 at 10:40 am

^^^ Which statistic are you talking about? ^^^

The congressional approval rate.

In most cases, their constituents approve of them at a rate of 50% or higher.

HoneyBadger, a resident of a community outside of the area, on November 10, 2012 at 11:10 am

It's been in the teens, single digits for years now. Both parties leading both, and split, etc..

To HBs point... it's the "their guy/gal" is not the problem. When lo and behold, it is. In our case, we got Lantos 2.0. More dollars going to DC than ever coming back. Has been so for decades. Come in with some grandstanding on a taser incident... and all is well.

The same mentality happens on the aisle marked (R) as it does (D).

Jesse Jackson Jr... do I need to run the inventory on that guy? Got re-elected. Enough said.

Truth Addict, a resident of Moss Beach, on November 13, 2012 at 3:38 pm

"Jesse Jackson Jr... do I need to run the inventory on that guy? Got re-elected. Enough said."

Yeah, but neither Jesse Jr or Sr can match Marion Barry getting busted for whoring and drugs, convicted, spending time in prison, getting out, running again - and winning!

That, I would think, would be the best example; it would surely be on the top of a Letterman top 10 countdown for ...well...I don't know that I can put it in one word...but I have a funny feeling others can. Crazy? Stupid? They just don't seem to come close.

It's an indictment of the public, IMHO.

George, a resident of Half Moon Bay, on November 13, 2012 at 5:25 pm

"That, I would think, would be the best example; it would surely be on the top of a Letterman top 10 countdown for ...well...I don't know that I can put it in one word...but I have a funny feeling others can. Crazy? Stupid? They just don't seem to come close."

I probably shouldn't keep bringing this up - but I can't stop. It is too delicious. --- Remember --- we elected a dead sheriff.

Barnus, a resident of Montara, on November 13, 2012 at 6:58 pm

Aw, Barnus, don't tell me that my man Marion didn't crest the top ...

I don't recall that, but taking your print to heart, I went looking.

Here's something I found: Web Link Is this it?

If it is, I don't know that that would knock Barry off that numero uno spot. The morons in DC heartily re-elected Barry, in spite of or perhaps because of the fact that he was by then a convicted felon - and I didn't think a felon could hold an elected position.

This RWC vote was apparently out of spite.

Both in DC and in RWC, the public clearly knew what they were doing though. Tough one, but I gotta stick with my man Barry and his people. I still can't believe he actually ran again, let alone got elected.

George, a resident of Half Moon Bay, on November 13, 2012 at 7:59 pm

That is a great story Barnus and George.

I understand that the victory party for the Sheriff was pretty dull. Some said it was almost like a wake. I heard that they waited till the third day before they conceded that he was not going to rise again.

Boney Bills, a resident of Half Moon Bay, on November 13, 2012 at 9:10 pm

Not such a bad story yourself, Mr Bills.

George, a resident of Half Moon Bay, on November 13, 2012 at 10:07 pm

For some reason, your linked site came up, george, but nothing I could read. Here is another link:

Web Link

Boney, maybe you could get a job writing for Leno.

Barnus, a resident of Montara, on November 14, 2012 at 10:19 am

Barnus, sorry about that. I just hit the link to see and it came up for me (using Safari); but yes, although your link is a different piece, it is on the same story - "Voters reject candidate by electing dead sheriff" (4A of the Wilmington Morning Star / June 24, 1986).

I agree, btw; Mr Bills has talent with language - but I would advise caution. If Mr Bills were to get into that circuit, I'm sure he'd enjoy a better lifestyle, but we'd lose his posts.

You know how it is once someone tastes the "good life". They tend not to have as much to do with us commoners.

George, a resident of Half Moon Bay, on November 14, 2012 at 10:48 am

>>Tough one, but I gotta stick with my man Barry and his people. I still can't believe he actually ran again, let alone got elected.

Speaking of Barrys

Poverty rose significantly in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties over the last two years, while the city’s median household is second-worst among the 25 largest cities.

More than a third of the city’s kids don’t graduate from high school . . . . Sixty percent of the city’s children are born out of wedlock. A third grow up in poverty. Philadelphia, recent stats say, is America’s poorest big city.

Sigh...

Have always been Democrat, led by Democrats, exploited by Democrats... and as you've heard , across the board in many of those wards, voted for Obama unanimously.

Such a shame.. same mentality that got Jesse Jr elected.

'where have all the flowers gone... when they ever learn...'

Truth Addict, a resident of Moss Beach, on November 14, 2012 at 1:53 pm

Wow! How can it be that things have come to this?

Barnus, a resident of Montara, on November 14, 2012 at 6:55 pm