have reaped benefits . Maybe the 9 % are those pleased when Congress made history in August after waiting until the last minute to compromise on a budget deal , which led to the first downgrade of the U.S. credit rating by Standard & Poor 's . Or possibly the 9 % were impressed when House Democrats and Republicans joined together in a rare moment of bipartisanship a few weeks ago and voted in favor of a resolution by a whopping 396-9 . Was this vote to create jobs for the more than 25 million Americans who are unemployed or underemployed ? Or maybe this vote was to help Americans on the brink of foreclosure ? Nope , this vote was to address an issue that Congress felt demanded immediate attention : Affirming that our national motto is : `` In God We Trust . '' Wow , that should really put some food on the table of a hungry family whose unemployment benefits are close to expiring . I hope you take the time to `` thank '' Rep. J. Randy Forbes , a Republican from Virginia , for leading the courageous charge on that issue . Instead of
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If the congressional `` super committee '' does not reach a deficit reduction deal by Wednesday 's legally mandated deadline , I propose we take a page from the NBA owners and lock Congress out . I 'm serious . We , the taxpayers , are the owners of Congress and if Congress wo n't make a deal that helps our nation , then let 's put a big padlock on the doors of the House and Senate -- or at least change the locks and not give them the keys . Polls show that me and apparently 91 % of my fellow Americans have never been more frustrated with the dysfunctional nature of `` our '' Congress . Congress ' approval rating has fallen to an abysmal 9 % -- to put this in perspective , herpes is now slightly more popular than Congress . Bed bugs really ca n't be that far behind . I 'm not sure who the 9 % of voters are who think Congress is doing a good job -- I can only assume it 's Congress ' friends and families as well as some of the well-connected lobbyists who