For several decades now, the perception of the United States Congress by public opinion has been very negative. At the same time, the reelection rates to Congress remain extremely high. While acknowledging the existing literature in the field, this paper attempts to deliver an up-to-date explanation of the foregoing phenomenon. First, it argues that the unpopularity of Congress is, to a considerable extent, a consequence of the specific role performed by the institution in the American political system: as an open, collective, deliberative, and representative body, Congress embodies almost everything that Americans hate about the political process. Second, it elaborates on how the specific features of the American electoral and party system, combined with the growing political polarization (as well as sorting out of the electorate), result in a high level of popularity of individual congresspersons among their local constituents, thereby widening the gap between the public perception of the legislative and legislators.
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