The U.S. Capitol. | GETTY Poll: 71% of Americans unhappy with country's direction

Americans are mad as hell about the way things are going in the United States. It's not clear if they're going to take it anymore.

More than seven in 10 Americans — 71 percent — said they are dissatisfied, according to the results of a new Quinnipiac University poll released Monday. And 41 percent indicated that they are "very dissatisfied."


Just 2 percent of the registered voters surveyed said they were "very satisfied," while 26 percent said they were "somewhat satisfied."

Asked about the federal government, 27 percent responded that they were "angry," compared with 49 percent who expressed dissatisfaction, but not anger. Enthusiasm for the federal government registered within the margin of error at 2 percent, while just 21 percent said they were satisfied with the government but not enthusiastic.

Just 2 percent said they trusted the government "almost all the time," and only 13 percent said they trusted their leaders in Washington "most of the time." A little more than half — 51 percent — responded that they sometimes trusted the government, while 34 percent said they "hardly ever" do so.

Republicans in Congress drew just 12 percent job approval compared with 81 percent disapproval, while 31 percent approve of the party as a while, compared with 58 percent who do not. On the other side, 27 percent said they approved of the job Democrats in Congress are doing, compared with 66 percent who did not. And the Democratic Party drew 40 percent approval and 50 percent disapproval.

Despite the dissatisfaction, voters are divided on which party they would prefer to control the houses of Congress. Voters split 44 percent each on which party should have control of the Senate, while 46 percent to 44 percent said they wanted Democrats over Republicans to control the House.

The survey also asked voters' opinions on issues like college tuition and abortion.

A majority of 61 percent to 34 percent expressed support for "major new spending by the federal government" to help students pay for their tuition at public universities.

On abortion, 23 percent said it should be legal in all cases, 33 percent said it should be legal in most cases. On the other side, 26 percent said it should be illegal in most cases, while 14 percent said it should be illegal no matter the circumstance.

The poll was conducted Aug. 20-25, surveying 1,563 registered voters nationwide via landlines and cellphones, with an overall margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.