The Congress

If you have lost hope that Congress can get its act together to do anything meaningful, take heart. There is hope.

In an act of bipartisanship, the Congress is in the process of enacting legislation that will overturn “controversial” regulations promulgated by the Department of Agriculture. The regulations are designed to limit the “starchy vegetables and tomato paste served to million of children at school each day.”

The new regulations, in part designed to come to grips with the epidemic of childhood fatness, are based on a recommendation from the National Academy’s Institute of Medicine to limit to one cup per week the amount of starchy vegetables (including potatoes) served in school meals. They also overturn a current regulation that treats an 1/8th cup of tomato paste as one vegetable serving. (Shades of 1980 when an effort was made to treat ketchup as a vegetable for school meals.)

One argument that was made by an interested Senator was that the new starch rule would stop a school from serving a baked potato one day and an ear of fresh corn later in the week.

It also turns out that the limitation on tomato paste was having an effect on the serving of pizza and French fries, which we all know to be extraordinarily healthy foods. Many media commentators have described this action as Congress declaring that pizza is a vegetable.

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Congress

82% of Americans disapprove of the job being done by Congress. This is only slightly better than the low point of Congressional job approval of 84% in August 2011.

11% of Independents, 12% of Republicans, and 13% of Democrats approve of the job being done by the Congress.

76% (51% strongly) of voters would find it acceptable if all members of the House and Senate who have been in office for more than 15 years are defeated for re-election. [NBC/WSJ 11/11]

Democrats and Republicans in Congress are held in equal disdain when it comes to the way they are handling their jobs. 66% disapprove of the performance of Democrats in Congress, and 68% of Republicans in Congress.

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The Senate

There have been few changes in the structure of the Senate race since the September issue of the Watch. Hawaii has moved from Safe Democrat to Toss- Up, and West Virginia has moved from Toss-Up to Lean Democrat.

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The U.S. Senate

• Democrats 51
• Republicans 47
• Independents 2 (caucus Dem)

Here is how the 33 Senate elections -- 23 Democratic incumbents (includes 2 Independents), 10 Republican incumbents -- look to me at this time . (D=Dem incumbent in office, R=GOP incumbent in office, I=Ind. Incumbent in office) Underlining reflects retirement.

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The House of Representatives

WW has regularly reprinted the “House Dashboard” published by the Cook Political Report. The data below, through May 16, 2011, is from the Dashboard. However, the Dashboard is not being published at this time because of the uncertainties caused by re-districting. Therefore, the chart below reflects the Cook’s current Competitive House Race Chart through August 12, 2011.

The U.S. House of Representatives

• Democrats 242
• Republicans 192
• Vacancy 1 (D)

[As always, thanks to “The Cook Political Report.” It is the best when it comes to analysis of Congressional races (as well as other electoral matters)].

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