With two of the nation’s Big Three automakers in bankruptcy and the economy still a mess, Americans continue to view corporate chief executive officers as the lowest of the low.

Just as in February, to adults rank CEOs at the bottom of a list of nine professions, below traditional bottom feeders like lawyers, journalists and members of the U.S. Congress. Numbers for all nine are up, but the rankings remain virtually the same.

Just 25% have a favorable view of CEOs, including seven percent (7%) who have a very favorable opinion. But this is actually a small improvement over the earlier survey.

Next is Congress, whose members are viewed favorably by 30%. Four percent (4%) have a very favorable opinion of the legislators.

To put this in perspective, only 23% of voters now think Congress is doing a good or excellent job, but that’s the legislature's highest rating since May 2007.

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Tied for first place in the public’s affections are small business owners and those who start their own businesses. Both are viewed favorably by 90%. Eighty percent (80%) have a favorable opinion of pastors and other local religious leaders.

Although many think the nation’s economic problems really began to gather steam with the near collapse of the financial industry beginning last September, the public doesn’t seem to blame them as much as CEOs. Forty-six percent (46%) have a favorable view of bankers, while 40% say the same of stockbrokers and financial analysts.

Even as the government appeared to be pushing its way into the management of banks this spring, just 11% of Americans said a financial institution will run better if it’s run by the federal government.

But – more bad news for CEOs - most voters said senior managers should be replaced if a company is given taxpayer money to stay in business.

Two other professions that are often the subject of criticism also fare perhaps better than expected in the new survey. Lawyers are rated favorably by 46% of Americans, and 42% give favorable marks to journalists and reporters.

As in much else surveyed by Rasmussen Reports, there are partisan differences of opinion when it comes to these professions.

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Republicans, for example, have a favorable opinion of CEOs, a view shared by only 11% of Democrats and 27% of those not affiliated with either party.

Forty-two percent (42%) of Democrats view members of Congress favorably, but just 21% of Republicans and 22% of unaffiliateds agree.

Republicans have a more favorable view of local religious leaders and bankers than Democrats and unaffiliated adults do. But Democrats hold lawyers and journalists in higher regard than do the other two groups.

While the public may hold them in the highest regard, small business owners expressed less economic confidence in May, returning to March levels after gains in April.

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