The Lobbyist Myth Debunked Public faith in our legislative branch has hit an abysmal new low. According to a recent Gallup poll, congressional approval has plummeted to a staggering 10%. To put that in perspective, we are hovering just a single point above the all-time record low of 9%—a dismal figure set in 2013 following the 16-day partial government shutdown.
This drastic decline is a direct result of the persistent inaction from our representatives. The Department of Homeland Security was mired in yet another record-breaking shutdown for almost 2 1⁄2 months, and voter frustration reached the breaking point as hundreds of thousands of Americans faced financial hardships from inconsistent funding and the subsequent furloughs. When stagnation is fueled by an institutional culture that prioritizes political theater over the electorate’s basic needs, it’s clear Congress is the problem. Even with partisan trifectas in the past—held by Republicans from 2017-2019 and Democrats from 2021-2023—progress stalled at the bottleneck of self-interest.
The responsibility of reform has long since shifted from Congress’ hands; breaking this cycle of paralysis requires the American people to stand up and to stand together as a united front in order to pave the path toward a congressional term limits amendment.
