--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Congress is unpopular. Incumbents are…" description: "\"Congress is unpopular. Incumbents are unpopular.\" — Joshua Micah Marshall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/joshua-micah-marshall-50522_congress_congress-is-unpopular-incumbents-are-unp_887375.jpg" --- # Congress is unpopular. Incumbents are unpopular. ![“Congress is unpopular. Incumbents are unpopular.” quote by Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/joshua-micah-marshall-50522_congress_congress-is-unpopular-incumbents-are-unp_887375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/joshua-micah-marshall-50522_congress_congress-is-unpopular-incumbents-are-unp_887375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/joshua-micah-marshall-50522_congress_congress-is-unpopular-incumbents-are-unp_887375.jpg) > “Congress is unpopular. Incumbents are unpopular.” [Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that both the public and elected officials suffer from low approval. **In simple terms:** Both voters and politicians are unpopular. Key Takeaway Address causes of political discontent. Themes politics public opinion trust Mood concerned inquisitive Type political analytical When to use this quote - elections - campaigns - media coverage - civic education Key Concepts democracy accountability engagement Questions to Reflect On - Why are incumbents consistently unpopular? - How can trust be rebuilt between citizens and government? A Different Perspective May ignore structural causes of unpopularity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) ## Related quotes > [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Trump in particular was such an unpopular candidate, because he's so anti communities of color, and we're a minority majority state, are you kidding?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-lujan-grisham/trump-in-particular-was-such-an-unpopular-candidate-because-he-s-so/) [Michelle Lujan Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-lujan-grisham/) > [People who are not prepared to do unpopular things and defy the clamor of the multitude are not fit to be ministers in time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/people-who-are-not-prepared-to-do-unpopular-things-and-defy-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I am not eccentric. It's just that I am more alive than most people. I am an unpopular electric eel set in a pond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-sitwell/i-am-not-eccentric-it-s-just-that-i-am-more-alive-than-most-people-i/) [Edith Sitwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-sitwell/) > [I was incredibly unpopular in high school but also extremely notorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/i-was-incredibly-unpopular-in-high-school-but-also-extremely-notorious/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [I didn't mind being unpopular at school, because everyone else was a heathen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-didn-t-mind-being-unpopular-at-school-because-everyone-else-was-a/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [A society in which people feel they have a legitimate right to stop someone expressing their views on campus simply because they are unfashionable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-gyimah/a-society-in-which-people-feel-they-have-a-legitimate-right-to-stop/) [Sam Gyimah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-gyimah/) > [“I don't usually read popular books. Because I know how powerful promotion can be. Most of the time, the great books are hidden from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-don-t-usually-read-popular-books-because-i-know-how-powerful/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [I make unpopular versions of popular things. I make a horror film and it's not a horror film. None of my genre movies function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-harron/i-make-unpopular-versions-of-popular-things-i-make-a-horror-film-and/) [Mary Harron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-harron/) > [Without question the most unpopular medium of musical sound in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/without-question-the-most-unpopular-medium-of-musical-sound-in-the/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I figured it is always better to be unpopular by your own choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/i-figured-it-is-always-better-to-be-unpopular-by-your-own-choice/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [The more unpopular politicians are, the better people think it is to have a monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bradford/the-more-unpopular-politicians-are-the-better-people-think-it-is-to/) [Sarah Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bradford/) > [I am not concerned about getting reelected. I can make the unpopular but necessary decision. Your focus from day one is on your legacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benigno-aquino-iii/i-am-not-concerned-about-getting-reelected-i-can-make-the-unpopular/) [Benigno Aquino III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benigno-aquino-iii/) > [I think that people who stand up for what they believe in, no matter how unpopular, should be celebrated, not cast aside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-lancaster/i-think-that-people-who-stand-up-for-what-they-believe-in-no-matter/) [Craig Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-lancaster/) > [The Founding Fathers provided a way to reverse unpopular Supreme Court decisions: a constitutional amendment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-baucus/the-founding-fathers-provided-a-way-to-reverse-unpopular-supreme/) [Max Baucus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-baucus/) ## More by Joshua Micah Marshall > [Washington is a city that coddles up to and worships power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-micah-marshall/washington-is-a-city-that-coddles-up-to-and-worships-power/) [Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/) > [When we are reporting the news, we make every effort to report it in as factual way as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-micah-marshall/when-we-are-reporting-the-news-we-make-every-effort-to-report-it-in/) [Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/) > [We all know how powerful the web can be for raising political money. Well, if you're game, the Duke Cunningham Legal Defense Fund is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-micah-marshall/we-all-know-how-powerful-the-web-can-be-for-raising-political-money/) [Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/) > [Most politicians keep close tabs on what's happening back home and work assiduously to keep lines of communications open with the political players in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-micah-marshall/most-politicians-keep-close-tabs-on-what-s-happening-back-home-and/) [Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/) > [Some of the immediate causes of Jack Abramoff's troubles were some Indian elections that went bad for him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-micah-marshall/some-of-the-immediate-causes-of-jack-abramoff-s-troubles-were-some/) [Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/) > [Who's on the case when it comes to the flat tax?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-micah-marshall/who-s-on-the-case-when-it-comes-to-the-flat-tax/) [Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/) [Explore all 7 Joshua Micah Marshall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/) ## More Congress quotes > [Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/well-my-wife-cathy-gillespie-worked-for-joe-barton-who-was-running/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [So our focus has to be on the things that we can control, which is to take the necessary measures working with Congress to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/so-our-focus-has-to-be-on-the-things-that-we-can-control-which-is-to/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/united-states-congress/congress-shall-make-no-law-respecting-an-establishment-of-religion-or/) United States Congress > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [My younger self could not imagine standing on the floor of Congress as a member of Congress voting on legislation that, if enacted, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/my-younger-self-could-not-imagine-standing-on-the-floor-of-congress/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain, and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled; he won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/rahul-gandhi-cannot-be-a-prime-minister-because-he-is-a-citizen-of/) [Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/) > [We need less travelling by jet plaes from congress to congress... but more kneeling and praying and pleading to God to have mercy on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martyn-lloyd-jones/we-need-less-travelling-by-jet-plaes-from-congress-to-congress-but/) [Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martyn-lloyd-jones/) > [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) [Browse all 3,400 Congress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Congress is unpopular. 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