Congress' Job Approval Rating Worst in Gallup History

13% approval rating and they keep on doing the same thing without a care in the world. If we were to adopt an approval based pay structure for these assholes they would care. What if they got a percentage of their salary equal to their approval rating? You can bet your ass they would listen to "We the People" then. Right now there is no pain involved with bad decision making. They have a poor approval rating, big deal. They will stay there until they are voted out and they will enjoy the benefits for the rest of their lives. These people really do live like kings at our expense, even when they suck. And there is a whole lot of suck going on right now...

by Jeffrey M. Jones - Gallup

Thirteen percent approve of the way Congress is handling its job

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans' assessment of Congress has hit a new low, with 13% saying they approve of the way Congress is handling its job. The 83% disapproval rating is also the worst Gallup has measured in more than 30 years of tracking congressional job performance.

The prior low approval rating for Congress was 14% in July 2008 when the United States was dealing with record-high gas prices and the economy was in recession.

The current results are based on a Dec. 10-12 Gallup poll, conducted as Congress is finishing work on an important lame-duck session. The session has been highlighted by the agreement on taxes forged last week by President Obama and Republicans in Congress. The tax deal preserves the 2001 and 2003 income tax rates for all Americans for two years, revises the estate tax, extends unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed for a year, and reduces payroll taxes for American workers. It is expected to pass despite vocal opposition from some lawmakers.

Americans are generally more positive than negative toward the deal, but many Democrats in Congress oppose it.

Frustration with the tax deal among Democrats in the general population could be a major reason for Americans' historically low approval rating of Congress. That frustration could be opposition to the bill's particulars or frustration with the Democrats in Congress opposing the president's deal. Democrats' approval of Congress is down significantly, to 16% now, from 29% in November. The November poll was conducted after Republicans won control of the House of Representatives for 2011-2012 in the midterm elections, so the drop in this month's numbers is not a reaction to the Democrats' midterm losses.