The Fast Fix: Congress’ approval rating hits historic low

Congress has a 14 percent approval rating, reason to worry for any incumbent -- Republican or Democrat -- who is running again in 2012.

This Congress is making history. It's the least popular ever.

A new CNN poll showed just 14 percent of people approve of the job Congress is doing, the lowest ever measured in more than three decades of data.

The only other time that Congress even approached this level of disapproval was in the spring of 1992 when discontent with the two party system led to the rise of Ross Perot.

While Congress hasn't been popular for some time, the most recent dip is the result of the protracted debate over raising the debt ceiling that has consumed Washington in recent months. People don't like to see sausage being made -- legislatively speaking -- and that was all Congress was doing of late.

It's a virtual certainty that Congress' approval numbers will improve somewhat since they've vacated Washington for their annual August recess.

But political experts in both parties warn that the level of unhappiness directed at Congress is unlike past bouts with displeasure aimed at Washington. This time it's deeply felt and not likely to go away any time soon.

That means that any incumbent running for re-election in 2012 has reason to worry.

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