US Congress less popular than cockroaches, traffic jams: poll

US Congress, after a series of last-minute showdowns over fiscal cliff crisis, is now less popular than cockroaches, lice and traffic jams with 85 per cent of voters viewing it negatively, according to a poll.

US Congress only has a 9 per cent favourability rating with 85 per cent of voters viewing it in a negative light, The Public Policy Polling survey (PPP) found.

PPP surveyed 830 American voters from January 3rd to 6th and found that US Congress is now less popular than root canals, NFL replacement referees, head lice, the rock band Nickelback, colonoscopies, carnies, traffic jams, cockroaches, Donald Trump, France, Genghis Khan, used-car salesmen and Brussel sprouts.

"We all know Congress is unpopular," said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.

"But the fact that voters like it even less than cockroaches, lice, and Genghis Khan really shows how far its esteem has fallen with the American public over the last few weeks," Debnam said on PPP's website.

However, Congress did prove more popular than Lindsey Lohan, playground bullies, telemarketers, the Kardashians, John Edwards, lobbyists, Fidel Castro, Gonorrhea, Ebola, Communism, North Korea and meth labs.