58% Say Congress Is Doing Even Less Than Usual This Year

YouGov
July 31, 2013, 5:08 PM GMT+0

(Week of 7/29/2013) Congressional approval has been at or near single digits in Economist/YouGov Polls for years – and Americans continue to express their dismay at Congress. In fact, in the latest poll, more than half say Congress has done even less than usual this year.

This is something on which both Republicans and Democrats agree.

All four Congressional leaders remain unpopular: far more hold unfavorable opinions of Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid than have favorable opinions. The same holds for their minority counterparts, Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Mitch McConnell.

There is little consensus on who is setting the agenda in Washington. Just 17% say it is President Obama, while about the same percentage think it is some part of Congress. Republicans are more likely to think the President is in charge; Democrats give more credit to House Republicans when it comes to setting a tone.

A large group of Americans think lobbyists, not elected officials, are the ones making decisions about what is on the agenda. This is particularly true for independents, 34% of whom believe lobbyists set the agenda.