In a nationwide USA TODAY/Princeton Survey Research Poll, just 4% of those surveyed — equal to the margin of error — say Congress would be changed for the worse if nearly every member was replaced next year. Nearly half say it would work better. About four in 10 say a wholesale overhaul wouldn’t make much difference, according to USA Today.
Of those surveyed, 39% say Republicans deserve more blame, not Democrats. Thirty-six percent say the two parties share the blame equally.
Democrats by 2-1, 22%-11%, have a more favorable opinion of their party in the aftermath of the shutdown.
Tea Party Republicans, a little more than a third of all Republicans and those who lean to the GOP, applaud the recent tactics: By 29%-18%, they say events of the last few weeks have given them a more favorable rather than less favorable opinion of the party.
What does all of this mean? While the USA Today surmises that this means the Democrats will take back the House of Representatives next year, I suspect what it really means is that it will be a good year to challenge Congressional incumbents from either the blue or the red parties – particularly the lame ones who don’t even try to challenge the system.
