ABC News: Confidence in the U.S. system of government has dropped to a new low in more than 35 years, with public attitudes burdened by continued economic discontent, soaring gasoline prices, record opposition to the war in Afghanistan -- and a letdown in hopes for political progress after a bout of bipartisanship last fall.
Only 26 percent of Americans in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll say they're optimistic about "our system of government and how well it works," down 7 points since October to the fewest in surveys dating to 1974. Almost as many, 23 percent, are pessimistic, the closest these measures ever have come. The rest, a record high, are "uncertain" about the system.
The causes are many. Despite a significant advance, more than half still say the economy has not yet begun to recover. And there's trouble at the pump: Seventy-one percent in this poll, produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates, report financial hardship as a result of rising gas prices. Forty-four percent call it a "serious" hardship".We could easily file this poll under "duh". I would say that over the past decade, with an acceleration over the last two years, our government has been operating for itself under the guise it is "helping" the American people. On so many issues the public wants A and government is hell bent on delivering B. Think back to the Bush administration's push for comprehensive immigration reform when the public clearly just wants the borders tightened first. Under this administration the people could not be clearer that they thought ObamaCare sucked, yet it was foisted upon us anyway. With these direct conflicts between government and the governed, is it any wonder people have little confidence?
It is going to take a really sharp chief executive to bring back the public's confidence level. Whoever replaces Obama is going to have his or her work cut out for them.
Via: Memeorandum
Via: ABC News
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