84% Unhappy With Congress

For once, a poll finds a new high for Congress rather than a new low. Of course, that high—84%—is the percentage of Americans who disapprove of the job Congress is doing. And many Americans aren't just moderately unhappy: Almost two-thirds of that group "disapprove strongly." The Washington Post-ABC News poll, taken in advance of lawmakers' return to Washington today, also finds that just 13% of Americans approve of the 112th Congress' performance.

The Post notes that it has been almost four years since Congress had an approval rating of even 30%. Congressional Democrats are doing better with their base—67% of liberal Democrats approve of them—than their peers across the aisle. Only 48% of conservative Republicans approve of congressional Republicans. (Read more approval ratings stories.)