Congress' Approval Rating Lowest Ever

Congress’ approval rating has once again sunk to its nadir, a mere 12%, a New York Times/CBS News poll finds. That figure was first hit in October 2008, in the throes of the economic crisis. While just 28% of voters approve of the work of congressional Democrats, only 19% approve of the job congressional Republicans are doing, the Times reports. Within their own parties, half of Republican voters disapprove of congressional Republicans, while some 43% of Democratic voters disapprove of Dems on Capitol Hill.

Independents approve of congressional Democrats slightly more than they do congressional Republicans. Just 6% of voters think most of Congress deserves to be re-elected; 84% want to give someone else a shot—another poll record. “Congress used to be able to compromise and come together to make decisions after a period of discussion,” notes one Democratic voter. But now they’re “in it for themselves, and not for the citizens of the United States.” Click through for more poll results. (More Congress stories.)