NEW YORK (Reuter) - Americans are disenchanted by politics and politicians as never before and do not necessarily believe that a third party would solve their problems, according to a poll released Saturday
The New York Times/CBS News poll, published in the Times, reveals that Americans are just as dissatisfied with the work of Republicans on Capitol Hill this year as they are with the performance of President Clinton.
In each case, only 26 percent said the officeholders were doing a good job.
Although 55 percent said the United States needed a new party, 61 percent said a third-party president would still have trouble dealing with Congress, according to the telephone poll of 1,478 adults between August 5 and August 9.
President Clinton has a job approval rating of 45 percent, compared with 43 percent who disapprove of the way he is doing his job.
Frustrations were running deeper than at any time during America's history, the Times said. The other major findings of the poll: -- 59 said there was not a single elected official whom they admired.
-- 79 percent said the government was run by a few big interests looking out for themselves.
-- Another 79 percent said they trusted the federal government to do
the right thing only some of the time.
-- 58 percent said that people like themselves have little to say about what the government does.
Reut02:44 08-12-95
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