Congress as Public Enemy : Public Attitudes Toward American Political Institutions

Much of the negativity directed at the U. S. Congress by the American people is generated by popular perceptions of governing. This study concludes, however, that the public's unwitting desire to reform a democratic legislature is a cure more dangerous than the disease.

This timely book describes and explains the American people's alleged hatred of their own branch of government, the U. S. Congress. Intensive focus-group sessions held across the country and a specially designed national survey indicate that much of the negativity is generated by popular perceptions of the processes of governing visible in Congress. John R. Hibbing and Elizabeth Theiss-Morse argue that, although the public is deeply disturbed by debate, compromise, deliberate pace, the presence of interest groups, and the professionalization of politics, many of these traits are endemic to modern democratic government. Congress is an enemy of the public partially because it is so public. Calls for reforms such as term limitations reflect the public's desire to attack these disliked features. Acknowledging the need for some reforms to be taken more seriously, the authors conclude that the public's unwitting desire to reform democracy out of a democratic legislature is a cure more dangerous than the disease.