Facing low approval ratings after a historically unproductive 112th
session and a series of last-minute showdowns over fiscal matters, Congress is now less
popular than root canals, NFL replacement referees, head lice, the rock band Nickelback,
colonoscopies, carnies, traffic jams, cockroaches, Donald Trump, France, Genghis Khan,
used-car salesmen and Brussel sprouts.
When asked if they have a higher opinion of either Congress or a series of unpleasant or
disliked things, voters said they had a higher opinion of root canals (32 for Congress and
56 for the dental procedure), NFL replacement refs (29-56), head lice (19-67), the rock
band Nickelback (32-39), colonoscopies (31-58), Washington DC political pundits (34-
37), carnies (31-39), traffic jams (34-56), cockroaches (43-45), Donald Trump (42-44),
France (37-46), Genghis Khan (37-41), used-car salesmen (32-57), and Brussels sprouts
(23-69) than Congress.
Congress did manage to beat out telemarketers (45-35), John Edwards (45-29), the
Kardashians (49-36), lobbyists (48-30), North Korea (61-26), the ebola virus (53-25),
Lindsay Lohan (45-41), Fidel Castro (54-32), playground bullies (43-38), meth labs (60-
21), communism (57-23), and gonorrhea (53-28). . .