I cannot recall who posted on the newly released Battleground Poll (most likely RCP) so I cannot give a hat tip, but I wanted to expand on their observation that America is losing its respect and confidence in Washington DC, as highlighted in Ed Goes’ (R) assessment of the poll results:

The bottom line is that the mood of the electorate is not an anti-incumbent mood, an anti-Democratic or anti-Republican mood, but an anti-Washington mood. When asked if voters wanted a member of Congress to possess “strength of values and convictions,” or “willingness to find practical, workable solutions” to the country’s problems, voters wanted to see practical, workable solutions by a twenty-point margin (58% to 38%). That is not, however, what the American electorate feels they are getting from Washington. When these same voters were asked if they felt lawmakers in Washington “put you first,” or “put partisan politics first,” only four percent (4%) felt that lawmakers put them first, and a whopping ninety-two percent (92%) felt lawmakers put partisan politics first. In other words, Washington is broken and needs to be fixed.

One only has to look at the image ratings of the leaders of both parties to see the effect of this cynical view held by voters. The image of both President George W. Bush (45% favorable/53% unfavorable) and Vice President Dick Cheney (42% favorable/51% unfavorable) are net negative. But equally negative are the image ratings of Democratic leaders like Democratic frontrunner for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Hillary Clinton (45% favorable/51% unfavorable) and Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean (31% favorable/45% unfavorable). Of all the Washington leaders, only Senator John McCain (65% favorable/18% unfavorable) has chiseled out a positive “bi-partisan” image with the American electorate.

This has been a long time coming, and it does not simply include politicians and leaders, it includes the fourth estate, talk radio and probably the internet/blogosphere as well. The entire mass of hot air as been devolving into one screed after another as people forget to make progress and simply try to attack each other.

The list of leaders and talking heads who cannot demonstrate ‘leadership’, let alone self control, is staggering. The entire town is getting a well deserved black eye and cold shoulder from a country that simply asks it to function with a modicum of professionalism and respect. Ironically, while McCain still rightfully holds his lone-gun status, Bush is also poised to walk away from this because he has spent his time in office avoiding ‘the attack’. Most of his base is upset he doesn’t get down in the mud.

Well, we don’t need mud wrestlers in Washington. We need leaders and we need adults. And we have basically none left. That runs from the media, to the pols, to the career beaurucrats leaking for their 15 minutes of fame and speaking tours.

Washington better be careful. When the people reach their limit, they will toss everyone out. Once the determination is made that the current disfunctional state is permanent, there will be an uprising like none other. Bush and Reps have been riding a wave of disatisfaction seeded back in the 1980’s with Ronald Reagan. They are about to be consumed themselves in that wave – and the democrats will not be emerging. Something else will be. They don’t call us independent for nothing.

I am not the only one who sees this. This does come from RCP and is very forward looking. Check it out.