Lawmakers: We Hate Congress, Too

9% approval rating sounds too high to some members of Congress
By Mark Russell,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 27, 2011 4:03 AM CDT
Lawmakers: We Hate Congress, Too
The divide in Congress is so bad that even Congress hates it.   (Shutterstock)

You can add one more group to the long list of those who hate Congress—members of Congress. News that Congress' approval rating has hit a record low of 9% has left many lawmakers wondering just who the 9% are, Politico finds. “We’re below sharks and contract killers,” says a freshman Republican lawmaker from South Carolina. Instead of soul-searching, however, members of Congress blame the unpopularity on each other, the economy, President Obama, and even the public's failure to understand how Congress works.

“It’s so bad sometimes I tell people I’m a lawyer,” says Sen. Lindsey Graham. “I don’t want to be associated with a body that in the eyes of your fellow citizens seems to be dysfunctional. It matters to me." But there's still some hope around on Capitol Hill: Republicans believe they can capitalize on public anger to win back the Senate next year and Democrats believe they, in turn, can recapture the House. The double switch would be a first in US history. (More Congress stories.)

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