Public approval of Congress is very important as Congress, under the structure of the American political system, faces elections every two years. In Congress, all House members are up for election every two years and one-third of all Senators – therefore, all members of Congress have to be very aware of what the public thinks of them and the performance they are perceived to be making.

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the US Congress has been handling its job?

1980 1990 2000

Change (+ or – over 20 years)
Approve 34% 36% 52%  +18%
Disapprove 48% 55% 33%  – 15%
Do not know 18% 9% 15%  – 3%

 

Percentage of people who approve of the way Congress is doing its job:

1980 1990 2000 Change (+ or – over 20 years)
Males 33 34 53  + 20%
Females 35 37 51  + 16%
Whites 33 33 52  + 19%
African American 38 41 57  + 19%
Degree educated 31 27 56  + 25%
Professionals 31 30 50  + 19%
Unskilled 40 44 48  + 8%
Housewives 29 32 52  + 23%
Union members 33 36 48  + 15%
Non-Union 33 36 53  + 20%

 

Percentage of people who disapprove of the way Congress is doing its job:

1980 1990 2000 Change (+ or – over 20 years)
Males 57 61 39  – 18%
Females 41 50 29  – 12%
Whites 50 58 35  – 15%
African American 31 47 29  – 2%
Degree educated 60 70 33  – 27%
Professionals 60 65 37  – 23%
Unskilled 35 46 44  + 9%
Housewives 41 53 25  – 16%
Union members 48 57 34  – 14%
Non-Union 48 54 33  – 15%