Only 13 Percent Of Voters Approve Of Congress' Performance On The Economy

October 7, 2008 10:44 a.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Congress' handling of the financial rescue legislation has made it more unpopular among voters, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

Voters nationwide, surveyed after the House's second vote on the government's $700 billion bailout plan on Friday, gave Congress only a 13 percent job approval rating. Seventy-eight percent said they disapproved of the way Congress has handled the economy.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who was criticized by Republicans for having given a "partisan" speech during the first House vote that they said caused the bill to fail, is seen in a favorable light by only 23 percent of voters. Forty-one percent give her a negative rating.

Voters seemed undecided about the bailout package, with 40 percent saying they approve of it, while 38 percent saying otherwise. When asked a different question, 54 percent of voters said the legislation "was not the best approach" but still necessary, 11 percent believe the bill is "the right approach" without any qualifications, and 29 percent expressed disagreement with the government's intervention.