2008 Woodie Awards
Levels of trust in U.S. government lowest since Watergate
Zoe Read
Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: News
A Gallup Poll taken in September shows that trust in the federal government is continuing to decline and levels of mistrust mirror the sentiment of Americans during the Watergate Era.
The poll indicates that 51 percent of Americans have a "fair" amount of trust in the government when it comes to international affairs. The statistics also show less than half of Americans, 47 percent, trust the government to correctly handle domestic problems.
Trust in the executive and legislative branches has also eroded. Forty-three percent of Americans have a fair amount of trust in the executive branch, while 50 percent have a similar level of faith in the legislative branch, a drop of 8 percent in the past two years.
The poll also indicates, however, that trust in local and state governments is stabilizing. Sixty-seven percent of the public trusts their state governments, matching the percentage of 2004 and 2005.
According to political science professor Joseph Pika, mistrust in the government can result in a multitude of negative effects.
"It makes people believe that government is unresponsive, ineffective and unaccountable," Pika said.
Negative opinions of the government will contribute to a low voting rate, low volunteering numbers and other problems in civic society, he said.
Pika said the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 and the War in Iraq are contributing factors. These events have provoked many questions about "intelligence failures," specifically the government's inability to anticipate a terrorist attack.
He said the War in Iraq has prompted many Americans to turn their backs on the government.
"Iraq drags on with no end in sight," Pika said. "Congress has been unable to force the president to adopt a new policy direction in Iraq, even though the public seemed to demand [new policies] in the November 2006 elections."
He also said the government's poor performance during and after Hurricane Katrina has elevated the public's lack of trust in the government. Not only did it mishandle the Katrina disaster, Pika said, but it also made a mistake in the building of the federal budget surplus.
The poll indicates that 51 percent of Americans have a "fair" amount of trust in the government when it comes to international affairs. The statistics also show less than half of Americans, 47 percent, trust the government to correctly handle domestic problems.
Trust in the executive and legislative branches has also eroded. Forty-three percent of Americans have a fair amount of trust in the executive branch, while 50 percent have a similar level of faith in the legislative branch, a drop of 8 percent in the past two years.
The poll also indicates, however, that trust in local and state governments is stabilizing. Sixty-seven percent of the public trusts their state governments, matching the percentage of 2004 and 2005.
According to political science professor Joseph Pika, mistrust in the government can result in a multitude of negative effects.
"It makes people believe that government is unresponsive, ineffective and unaccountable," Pika said.
Negative opinions of the government will contribute to a low voting rate, low volunteering numbers and other problems in civic society, he said.
Pika said the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 and the War in Iraq are contributing factors. These events have provoked many questions about "intelligence failures," specifically the government's inability to anticipate a terrorist attack.
He said the War in Iraq has prompted many Americans to turn their backs on the government.
"Iraq drags on with no end in sight," Pika said. "Congress has been unable to force the president to adopt a new policy direction in Iraq, even though the public seemed to demand [new policies] in the November 2006 elections."
He also said the government's poor performance during and after Hurricane Katrina has elevated the public's lack of trust in the government. Not only did it mishandle the Katrina disaster, Pika said, but it also made a mistake in the building of the federal budget surplus.
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Russell Palmeri
posted 10/15/07 @ 9:30 AM EST
Oy! What a great topic. What's the approval rating right now for congress and bush? Both are at or lower than 20% roughly I think? Either way, they are ridiculously low and anyone can see the effects of it. (Continued…)
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