From a CNN/ORC International poll:
53% of people questioned say they approve of the House vote a week and a half ago to hold the attorney general in contempt of Congress....
House Democrats say that the GOP is really just trying to gain political advantage, and 61% of the public appears to buy that argument as well.
Some--especially the democratically charitable--might see this statistical collision of logic as evidence of F. Scott Fitzgerald's maxim that "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."
Me? If a high intelligence among the electorate there be, then I see the above stats as evidence that the virtuously republican citizenry enjoys Congress's dysfunctional malice far more than it is willing to admit.
Either that, or the electorate, by and large, is just plain stupid.
Reader's choice.
Of course, some people can believe that an action may be totally politically motivated, but still be the right thing to do. A lot of people saw Obama's move on the immigration issue, or his statement on same sex marriage to be politically motivated while at the same time agreeing with the actions themselves.
Not to say that the American electorate isn't stupid. The fact that 53% agree with the contempt citation is evidence of that. At the same time, since I am in a somewhat ambiguous mood this morning, the fact that it is only 53% could be viewed as somewhat encouraging considering how the whole Fast and Furious investigation was reported.
Posted by: japa21 | July 09, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Can't they both be true?
Posted by: AnneJ | July 09, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Because of the recession, fewer people are able to afford going to the circus. Congress makes a fine substitute! After all, it's all about the spectacle isn't it?
Posted by: BobH | July 09, 2012 at 11:58 AM
I'll take "Stupid" for a $1,000, Alex.
Posted by: Robert Lipscomb | July 09, 2012 at 03:18 PM
Of course they can AnneJ. I'm quite sure a lot of the right knows and approves of the fact that it is politically motivated. Throw in the lefties who think Holder is guilty of treason for not jailing bankers and the entire previous administration and I'm only surprised the numbers for approving a contempt citation aren't larger.
Posted by: Peter G | July 09, 2012 at 03:29 PM