Public Disapproval of Congress In August, 2016 only 18 percent of Americans approved of the job Congress was doing. According to your text: "These low approval numbers mirror the frustrations of the American people over the increasing partisanship and unproductivity of the institution" (p. 149). Exactly, what are the authors referring to and are they correct? What might individual lawmakers as well as the institution as a whole do to improve their standing with the public? Feel free to consult the Internet to learn more about this topic.