The US Congress approval rating is extremely low.  As of August 28th 2013 the approval ranking was measured to be 15%.  The real, unmentioned, story is that the people at home who voted these congress people into office are really to blame.  It is the people in the heart land of the United States, the red states that seem to be rather dim for a whole host of reasons.  The oligarchs use of political action groups like the Tea Party as promoted political dysfunction to new heights.  The oligarchs have successfully manipulated the Republican Party to avoid compromise and cooperation.  This might partly be due to the country having a black president and not wanting him to succeed.  Another factor is that the “Supreme Court” has aligned itself with the plutocracy and now have allowed the rich to pour money into manipulating the political process. The one percent are winning because a large percent of Americans are too stupid to realize they are being manipulated for the benefit of others.