U.S. CITIZENS ARE UNHAPPY WITH CONGRESS

The public's unhappiness with official Washington has reached new heights, according to a new NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll. A whopping 83 percent of Americans disapprove of Congress' job performance, an all-time high in the survey's history. And nearly six-in-10 voters (57%) say they'd vote to replace every single member of Congress if they had such an option on their ballot, another all-time high.

This low level of approval for Congress is nothing new. Americans have held the nation's legislative branch in low regard for years now. .One thing Democrats, Republicans, and independents can agree on is that they are not happy with Congress.

It may be that the extended period of high unemployment and other effects of the recession and 2008 financial crisis are putting Americans in a lengthy bad mood and they are taking it out on Congress  even though there has been modest improvement in the economy and job market recently, and Americans' economic confidence is rising. In addition, Congress' highly partisan nature and the split party control of the House and the Senate have resulted in gridlock on many important issues facing the nation, such as reducing the federal budget deficit or passing jobs legislation.

Americans may also be frustrated with the issues Congress is focusing on right now. Their top priorities for Congress and the president are creating more jobs and helping the economy grow.