(Week of 5/19/2012) Fewer than half of all Americans (only 45%!) strongly disapprove of the job Congress is doing. That’s being sarcastic. It is hard to soften up the views of anyone who has gotten all the way to a strongly negative opinion. It will not be pleasant for Congressional incumbents on the campaign trail this year. On this question and many others, the only silver lining for those on the wrong side of strongly negative opinion is that the worst of it is confined to the oldest:
57% of those age 65 and older strongly disapprove of the job Congress is doing, compared to just 44% of those age 30-64, just 38% of those under age 30. (For the three groups, a total of 82% of the oldest disapprove at least somewhat, 70% of those in the middle age ranges, 58% of the youngest.)
47% of those age 65 and older strongly disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as President, compared to just 39% of those age 30-64, 29% of those under age 30. (Total disapprove at least somewhat: 56% of the oldest, 52% of those in the middle, 40% of the youngest.)
Not wanting to leave the impression that the old folks always seek out the extreme grumpiest position, however, it is worth noting that when it comes to whether people like President Obama and Mitt Romney a lot or a little, people age 65 and older find a lot to like about each:
44% of those age 65 and older like Obama a lot as a person, compared to just 33% of those age 30-64 and 30% of those under age 30, and when it comes to his challenger, 21% of those age 65 and older like Romney a lot as a person, compared to just 8% of those age 30-64 and 5% of those under age 30. (Overalll, 58% of the oldest like Obama a lot or a little, 59% of those in the middle and 63% of the youngest, while when it comes to Romney, 54% of the oldest like Romney a lot or a little, 43% of those in the middle, 36% of the youngest.)
Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here
Photo source: Press Association
