America Thinks Washington Is Corrupt – Congress Keeps Proving It

Survey results released last week are as stark as they are unsurprising. According to Rasmussen Reports, 80% of likely U.S. voters say the federal government is corrupt, and 44% declare it “very corrupt.” Only 14% believe corruption in Washington is minimal. How many of the 14% are employed by or benefit from this corruption?

If more than three out of four Americans believe the system is corrupt, why does almost nothing change? The answer isn't just corruption but also a broader institutional logjam, along with months of missed opportunities by a Republican-controlled Congress.

President Donald Trump began his second term with the urgency of a CEO trying to salvage a floundering business. In just 315 days, he issued 217 executive orders, 54 memoranda, and 110 proclamations, according to Ballotpedia. But executive orders are fragile tools; a successor can undo them with a single pen stroke. Only when Congress enshrines them into law do they gain lasting power. 

So far, Congress has codified only 28 of those actions, just 13 percent, through the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.” That small figure speaks volumes. Despite the growing workload and national emergencies, lawmakers have dedicated barely enough time to enact one-eighth of the administration’s agenda.

It’s no coincidence that only 15 percent of Americans currently approve of Congress’s job performance, the same percentage that believes Washington, D.C., isn’t corrupt. The public’s skepticism isn’t just about corruption; it also results from institutional neglect and outright disregard for the voters who elected Trump and his agenda.

The 28 codified EOs mainly target structural changes: deregulating energy policy, modifying land use and mining policies, implementing cost-efficiency measures, streamlining bureaucracy, and enforcing stricter border and immigration rules. These may reshape the federal administrative structure, but they leave out the more glamorous, fight-provoking issues voters were promised during the campaign.

Some of the most important orders are still pending: the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization; a comprehensive digital-asset and CBDC policy; efforts to end DEI and gender-ideology mandates in schools; and other key agenda items that energize grassroots Republicans. As long as these rely solely on executive actions, they remain vulnerable to reversal.

That risk is especially high now, given the widespread public belief that the government in Washington is corrupt. If Congress fails or chooses not to codify the policies they promised, that distrust will only increase. And the GOP’s control of Congress might only last another year.

The lack of codification isn’t the only sign of inaction. Another institutional issue is the increasing backlog of unconfirmed nominations, which shows just how disengaged Congress really is.

Currently, hundreds of important federal appointments are still pending, including Cabinet-level roles, ambassadors, U.S. attorneys, senior agency officials, and judges. Many have been waiting for months, some for over a year, as Congress moves at a snail’s pace. Estimates indicate that more than a quarter of all Senate-confirmable positions remain vacant.

Meanwhile, the Trump agenda stalls. Implementation slows down. Regulations continue. Key decisions are postponed. Some agencies are led by acting officials well beyond statutory limits, with lawfare judges using this as an excuse to nullify indictments and executive actions.

'If voters see corruption as the main problem, the many vacancies and lack of action in the confirmation process reflect its symptoms. Either the government can't act responsibly, or more likely, it chooses not to.

What’s happening isn’t just a scandal or a momentary mistake; it’s systemic corruption. It’s not only one bad actor – it’s an entire branch of government that behaves more like a do-nothing club than a functioning legislature.

Modern governance demands agility, clarity, and accountability. Instead, we face delays, inaction, and disinterest. The latest Rasmussen poll confirms what too many citizens already feel: Washington doesn’t work, and most people know it.

To build trust and promote genuine reform, Congress must demonstrate that the government can change. Codify key executive orders. Confirm the judges. Staff the departments. Pass budgets. Actually do the work. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Because today’s 80 percent, which will soon be 90 and then 95, won’t accept symbolic votes, empty statements, or partisan theater. They demand action and accountability.

Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a physician and writer.

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