Public Perceptions of the U.S. Congress

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This research involves an in-depth investigation of the American public's perceptions of an feelings toward Congress. Popular accounts frequently stress the public's unhappiness with Congress, but the sources of this unhappines and variations across the population in levels of unhappiness are seldom analyzed with care. Given the importance of public attitudes toward political institutions like Congress, and given the potential for unhappiness to be translated into reforms with serious implications, such as term limitations, it is essential that a deeper systematic appreciation of of public sentiments is obtained. In this research investigation, the researchers employ both a national telephone survey and intensive focus group interviews to probe systematically the nature of the American public's beliefs about Congress; beliefs such as what the institution should be doing, what it is doing, and whether reforms are needed to bring expectations and reality into line. As such, this research provides a unique social science data base on perceptions of Congress and its members. Analysis of these data helps to lay the foundation for a theory of public attitudes toward, not just Congress, but political institutions generally.