More Americans label Republican Party extreme and Democratic Party as weak — CBS News poll

With midterm primaries helping set the direction for the Democratic and Republican parties, most Americans, including many of the parties' own voters, aren't terribly happy with the parties or what they're talking about. Given that Sunday's CBS News poll finds most aren't happy with the direction of the country either, the major political parties aren't providing much solace.

For starters, the Democratic Party — which controls Congress and the presidency — is not seen by a majority as either "effective" or "in touch," which are, no doubt, important measures for a party in power. The Democratic Party is more apt to be described as "weak," a label applied by a slight majority of Americans, than it is "strong." 

The Republican Party, for its part, is described by a slight majority as "extreme," a term Americans apply to the GOP more so than to Democrats, though neither really escapes the label. Independents are more likely to call the GOP extreme. The GOP is described as "strong" more often than as "weak," but it is also described by Americans more often as "hateful" than as "caring" — by double digits.