Most Americans think congressional corruption is widespread

A majority (62%) of Americans strongly or somewhat disapprove of the way that Congress is handling its job, while only 16% approve, according to this week's Economist / YouGov Poll. Disapproval of Congress is especially high among the 41% of Americans who believe that most members of Congress are corrupt. Most Americans do not think members of Congress should be allowed to trade individual stocks, and that view also is more common among those who see congressional corruption as widespread.

Disapproval of Congress is less widespread among Republicans — whose party controls a majority of seats in both the House and the Senate — than among Democrats and Independents. Majorities of Democrats (73%) and Independents (65%) disapprove of Congress. Only 11% of Democrats and 8% of Independents approve. Republicans' views are more split, though they are still more likely to disapprove of Congress than to approve of it (47% vs. 31%). Among Republicans, those who identify as MAGA supporters are much more likely to approve of Congress than are those who do not consider themselves to be MAGA supporters (39% vs. 17%).

One possible reason for disapproval of Congress is viewing it as corrupt. 41% of Americans think that more than half of members of Congress are corrupt while a further 33% think that many but less than half are corrupt. Only 5% of Americans think that almost none of Congress is corrupt.

The shares of Republicans and Democrats who say congressional corruption is common are comparable. A little more than one-third of each group say that most of Congress is corrupt, while about one-third of each say that many members are corrupt. Independents are more likely to see corruption as a widespread issue: About one-half (49%) say that most members of Congress are corrupt.

There's a strong link between beliefs about corruption in Congress and disapproval of the way Congress is handling its job. Three-quarters (75%) of Americans who say that most members of Congress are corrupt disapprove of Congress, as do 60% of those who say that many but not most members are corrupt and 46% of those who say that a few members (between 5% and 20%) are corrupt.

One proposal that could allay some fears about congressional corruption is disallowing members from trading stocks. Three-quarters (76%) of Americans say that members of Congress and other elected officials should not be allowed to buy and sell individual stocks. Only 6% say they should be allowed. Majorities of Democrats (80%), Independents (72%), and Republicans (77%) say that elected officials should not be allowed to trade stocks.

Americans who believe corruption is widespread in Congress are more likely to say that stock trading should not be allowed. Disallowing congressional stock trading draws support from majorities of Americans who believe most (80%), many but not most (75%), or a few (73%) members of Congress are corrupt.

This question was part of an experiment in which respondents were randomly assigned to answer one of two versions of a question about congressional stock trading. In one version, shown above, the Economist / YouGov Poll asked whether elected officials should be allowed to trade individual stocks. In the other version, the poll asked if elected officials should be banned from trading individual stocks. Respondents in the two experimental groups answer the questions in similar ways: 76% in the first group say congressional trading should not be allowed and 71% in the second group say it should be banned. The largest difference can be seen among Democrats: While 80% of Democrats say that elected officials should not be allowed to trade individual stocks, 69% say they should be banned from trading stocks. There was no equivalent gap among either Republicans or Independents.

Image: Getty (Douglas Rissing)

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