Trust in Government at All-time Lows

[Toro]

Which is probably why the Democrats will win everything next year.

September 26, 2007
Low Trust in Federal Government Rivals Watergate Era Levels
Trust in state, local governments holding steady

by Jeffrey M. Jones

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- A high degree of public trust in elected leaders is one of the basic underpinnings of representative government. Gallup's annual Governance survey shows that trust in the federal government has continued to decrease this year after showing noticeable signs of decline the past two years. Now, Americans generally express less trust in the federal government than at any point in the past decade, and trust in many federal government institutions is now lower than it was during the Watergate era, generally recognized as the low point in American history for trust in government.

Gallup has asked about trust in government since 1972 and has done so on a regular basis for the past 10 years, including each September since 2001. Gallup conducted this year's poll Sept. 14-16 and found the following:

* Barely half of Americans, 51%, say they have a "great deal" or "fair amount" of trust in the federal government to handle international problems. While this percentage is not appreciably different from what Gallup has found at other points within the past year, it is the lowest single measurement ever obtained on this question.

* Less than half of Americans, 47%, now have at least a fair amount of trust in the federal government to handle domestic problems. Gallup found a sub-50% reading on this measure only one other time, in 1976. (Gallup did not ask this question between 1977 and 1997, and it is possible that lower readings than today's reading could have been obtained during this period.)

* Given President George W. Bush's flagging approval ratings, it comes as no surprise that trust in the executive branch of government is on the low end of the historical spectrum. In fact, the 43% who now express trust in the executive branch is only slightly better than the 40% who did so in April 1974, four months before Richard Nixon resigned as president amid the Watergate scandal.

* Trust in the legislative branch of the federal government continues to erode, dropping six percentage points in each of the last two years (from 62% in 2005 to 50% today). The current level of trust in Congress is significantly lower than any other measurement Gallup has obtained.

* The candidates running for president in 2008 will be trying to win over a skeptical public. Just 55% of Americans express trust in the "men and women in political life in this country who either hold or are running for public office." That matches the low Gallup found in 2001.

* Americans continue to express a high -- but diminished level -- of trust in the "American people as a whole when it comes to making judgments under our democratic system about issues facing the country." Currently, 70% of Americans trust the public's ability to perform its role in a democratic government, which is down from 78% two years ago when it was last asked, and significantly lower than any other reading Gallup has taken.

* The one part of the federal government that has been able to maintain public confidence is the judicial branch headed by the Supreme Court. Sixty-nine percent of Americans have a great deal or fair amount of trust in the judicial branch, in line with what Gallup has observed since 2003.

The poll indicates that the lack of trust seems to be directed primarily at the federal government. There has been no observable decline of public trust in state and local governments. Sixty-seven percent of Americans now express trust in their state government, matching the levels of 2004 and 2005. Sixty-nine percent also trust their local government, similar to what Gallup has found since 2001.

http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=28795

 

[Shogun]

...and will probably lose '12 and '10 congress unless they can come up with better plans than rewrapping bush policies in different wrapping paper....



im tired of the pullout or not to pull out debate. I want to see some creative maverick ideas instead of winning just because the other guys party sucked for 8 years.

 

[rOckNrOllsCar11]

...and will probably lose '12 and '10 congress unless they can come up with better plans than rewrapping bush policies in different wrapping paper....

you mean dig us out of the pit of $h@t we're in now.

 

[Toro]

...and will probably lose '12 and '10 congress unless they can come up with better plans than rewrapping bush policies in different wrapping paper....

Yeah, probably.

The Democrat Party hasn't exactly been a shining example of organizational competence.

The shocking thing is that Republicans have been challenging them for being the most incompetent party.