PUBLIC OPINION POLL: MANY DISSATISFIED WITH CONGRESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000200040073-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 4, 2002
• Sequence Number: 73
• Publication Date: March 5, 1971
• Content Type: OPEN

P UA ,QRdfi F*hbJ2MA NVFMSSA 5FFEV4WI-I CONGRESS
Dissatisfaction with the job done by Congress
reached a record high for recent years among the Ameri-
can people in 1970, according to a Harris Survey released
March 1.
Almost two-thirds of the individuals in a nationwide
sample judged the record of the second session of the
91st Congress as "only fair" or "poor." Only about one-
fourth viewed the job done as "excellent" or "pretty
good"-the lowest rating since the question was first
asked by the survey in 1963.
President Nixon's handling of Congress in 1970 was
also assigned low marks. Fifty-nine percent of the indi-
viduals interviewed rated his performance "only fair"
or "poor."
These were the results of interviews in a cross sec-
tion of 1,627 households conducted by the Harris organi-
zation during the period Jan. 9 to 15.
"How would you rate the job Congress did in 1970-
excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?" (Results are
shown as "positive," a grouping of the first two choices,
"negative," a grouping of the last two choices, and "not
sure.")
Year Survey Taken Positive Negative Not Sure
1971
26
63
11
1970
34
54
12
1969
34
54
12
1968
46
46
8
1967
38
55
7
1966
49
42
9
1965
64
26
10
"How would you rate President Nixon on his handling
of Congress in 1970-excellent, pretty good, only fair, or
poor?"
Positive
Ratings on Issues. When those interviewed were
asked to evaluate Congress on specific issues, ratings
were most often positive for requiring development of
pollution-free car engines and banning cigarette adver-
tising on television. Congress received its most negative
marks for not raising Social Security benefits and not
passing President Nixon's welfare program.
"How would you rate the job Congress has done in
the past year on the following-excellent, pretty good,
only fair, or poor?"
Not
Positive Negative Sure
Requiring pollution-free car engine
76%
15%
9%
Banning cigarette advertising on TV
64
26
10
Extending federal aid to education
59
26
15
Giving vote to 18-year-olds
55
36
9
Rejecting SST subsidy
38
28
34
Passing expanded ABM
37
34
29
Passing anti-crime bill
36
39
25
Turning down Haynsworth and Carswell
26
35
39
Overriding Nixon veto on hospital bill
26
35
39
Not passing Nixon welfare reform bill
25
48
27
Not increasing Social Security
13
71
16
Not passing revenue-sharing bill
10
46
44
Despite dissatisfaction with the record of a RepublE
can President and Democratic-controlled Congress in
1970, 49 percent of the sample considered "having a
Congress of a different party from the President as a
check on him" is a "good idea." Thirty-six percent said
this was a "bad idea" while 15 percent were unsure. T
NORTH VIETNAM BILLS
Senators Walter F. Mondale (D Minn.) and William
Saxbe (R Ohio) Feb. 25 introduced a bill (S 974) to pro-
hibit any involvement of U.S. armed forces in an invasion
of North Vietnam without prior and explicit authorization
by the Congress. The bill, which would amend the For.
eign Assistance Act, was cosponsored by 19 other Senator
Identical bills (HR 4:966, 5228, 5229, 5357) were
introduced in the House by Rep. Michael J. Harrington
(D Mass.) with 40 cosponsors. Harrington stated that
passage of the legislation would prevent U.S. air cc
logistical support for an invasion of North Vietnam b%
any other country.
Mondale told the Senate that "the President ha+
recently told us he does not intend to order a U.S. ground
invasion of North Vietnam. But the President has
changed his policy before. With events pressing in Lars
he may feel he will have to do so again."
Mondale said Congress cannot wait the weeks cc
months it could take to vote on the Vietnam Disengage.
ment Act: "There is no question that we must pass that
amendment to end the war. We must bring our men home
by Christmas.
"If this bill is passed, the Congress will have added
its authority to the President's express disavowal of a
U.S. invasion of North Vietnam."
Senators cosponsoring the Mondale-Saxbe amend-
ment were: Birch Bayh (D Ind.), Alan Cranston (D Calif.),
Thomas F. Eagleton (D Mo.), Mike Gravel (D Alaska).
Fred R. Harris (D Okla.), Philip A. Hart (D Mich.), Vance
Hartke (D Ind.), Harold E. Hughes (D Iowa), Hubert It
Humphrey (D Minn.), George McGovern (D S.D.), Frank
E. Moss (D Utah), Edmund S. Muskie (D Maine), Gay
lord Nelson (D Wis.), William Proxmire (D Wis.), Adlai
E. Stevenson III (D Ill.), John V. Tunney (D Calif.k
Harrison A. Williams Jr. (D N.J.), Mark 0. Hatfield (R
Ore.) and Thomas J. McIntyre (D N.H.).
Nixon Statement. President Nixon said March 4 in a
news conference that the government had no plans under
consideration for a U.S.-assisted invasion of North Viet
nam, but he did not rule out the possibility of a South
Vietnamese invasion of the North.
Related Developments. Sen. Thomas F. Eagletoa
(D Mo,) March 1 introduced a resolution (S J Res 91
defining the war-making powers of' the executive and
congressional branches of the government. Eagleton sad
the resolution states that no treaty or executive agrct
ment can bind the United States to future hostilities with
out further congressional approval. Eagleton's resolutvt
and related bills introduced by Jacob Davits (R NA I
(S 731) and Robert Taft. Jr. (R Ohio) (S J Res 18) will be in
eluded in Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing'
the President's war powers scheduled to begin March 3?
PAGE 506-March 5, 1971 COPYRIGHT 1971 CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY INC.
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Approved For Release 2002/01/22 : CIA-RDP73B00296R000200040073-6