Throw the rascals out

By GREG WALCHERThis year’s election began with a record-low number of Americans thinking incumbent congressmen should be re-elected. When Gallup started asking that question in 1994, 54% of Americans thought their own congressman should be re-elected, but only 38% thought most other congressmen should be. This year, barely 15% thought congressmen in general deserved re-election, and only 43% thought even their own congressman deserved another chance.The rout experienced by the congressional majority last week reflected that distrust. It is a deep-seated anger that has been building for years, not just lately. Consider that in the 10 elections between 1960 and 1978, voters changed the party in control of the House, Senate, or White House only three times. And during the next 10 elections through 1998, only four times. But in the 14 elections since, voters have switched party majorities in one house, or both houses, or the White House in all but two, including every election since 2014.

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