Trust in Government Nears All-Time Low

(CBS)

The latest CBS News/New York Times Poll finds Americans cynical about and dissatisfied with government.

At 75 percent, the percentage that disapproves of Congress now matches the highest level recorded in this poll; only in October 2008 and March 1992 was disapproval so high. The two parties themselves have also fallen in public estimation -- more than half the public views the Democratic Party and the Republican Party unfavorably.

And while President Obama fares better than Congress in the poll, his job approval rating is now 46 percent, matching his lowest approval rating ever.

The public's dissatisfaction extends to government in general as well. The poll found seven in ten Americans feel they don't have much say in what the government does (a record high), and nearly four in five think government is run by a few big interests, while just 18 percent think it is run for the benefit of all Americans.

Trust in government has fallen as well. Pollsters have long measured Americans' level of trust in government, tracking changes in attitudes toward government as important national events occurred.

A 1958 measure of trust in government conducted by the National Election Survey found 73 percent trusted the government to do what is right all or most of the time; by 1970 that had dropped to 53 percent, and in the aftermath of Watergate was as low as 36 percent. The percentage rose during Ronald Reagan's presidency, but by the mid 1990s the percentage that trusted government all or most of the time had fallen once again.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 led to a widespread sense of national unity; President George W. Bush's approval rating rose to 90 percent and trust in government rose as well, to 55 percent. But by October 2008, just before Barack Obama's election to the presidency, trust in government had reached an all-time low of 17 percent.

(CBS)

Reaction to initiatives led by both the Bush and Obama administrations suggest reasons for the public's low estimation of government. CBS News Polls have shown consistent public frustration over government bailouts. Many Americans have disapproved of the government assistance provided to large banks and financial institutions, and think the Obama administration has done too much for that industry.

In addition, the government bailout of U.S. automakers in 2009 never received support from a majority of Americans.

And few Americans have expected much personal benefit from the health care reform that has been debated in Congress for much of the past year: CBS News Polls have shown that only a minority of Americans expected health care reform to lower their costs or improve the quality of the health care they receive.

The lack of bipartisanship in Congress has probably also contributed to the public's negative views of government. CBS News Polls have shown that Americans like bipartisanship and compromise, but few think the Republicans in Congress are trying to work with President Obama. And four in five Americans think Congress is more interested in serving the needs of special interests rather than the people they represent.

Sen. Evan Bayh Blames Partisanship
Evan Bayh: "I Do Not Love Congress"

Given the lack of public enthusiasm for these initiatives, and falling approval ratings for political leaders, it isn't surprising that the percentage of Americans that prefers a smaller government providing fewer services has risen recently to 56 percent, up from 48 percent last April and now the highest level recorded in CBS News Polls since 1996.

More on the CBS News/NYT Polls:

Overview of the CBS News/NYT Poll
Poll: Economy Brings Down Obama's Job Approval Rating
Poll: Who Are the Tea Partiers?
Poll: 70 Percent Angry or Dissatisfied with Washington
Support for Gays in the Military Depends on the Question
Poll Reveals Most Americans Don't Know They Got a Tax Cut
CBS News Poll Database

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Sarah Dutton is the CBS News director of surveys. Poll Positions is weekly Hotsheet feature on polling trends from the CBS News Survey and Polling Unit. Click here for more posts from the series.

[quapawsix]

Democracy the way it operates now at this point in time is nothing more than an illusion. And it does not matter which party controls Washington.

[Want_Gov_Smaller]

It is amazing that people would not trust politicians that promise open government and make backroom deals. How many open press conferences have been held at the White House in the last six months? If Health Care "Reform" is done through the reconciliation process, then that will really build our confidence...

[pensacola8-2009]

These questions are clearly spun to appeal to those dissatisfied and who disapprove of the Obama leadership.

The economic recovery is undeniable. The trend of job loss is reversing. The trend in job gains has begun and the loosening of credit is about to become reality in just weeks. We are just about to see gyrating gains in wall street as banks begin to announce their rate cuts on their credit.

We are also due for more lucky breaks on the Afghanistan hostilities.

We are also about to see the economic resuscitation of the US Dollar against Euros and other currencies.

The USA is central to global economy and the institutional investors are pouring their money into the USA with expectations of faster gains here, than overseas.

CBS NEWS is asking the wrong questions....and maybe not showing any interest in the return of market confidence, or the country's unification behind President Obama.

[wholetruth]

My father, a marine corps veteran of WWII taught me as a boy a lesson that he had a special passion for. He said, "Son, the sooner you realize the government is your enemy, the better off you'll be."
I never until several years ago realized how right he was. I gathered that as a Marine in the South Pacific in the 1st Marine Division dad realized how easily expendable human life was to our generals and our politicians. To our lives and struggles, our savings and our dreams, we are no less expendable to this current crop of failed leaders. We must clear this riff raff out of office.

[hifiguy14]

The commander in chief I have no issue with.
The house of representatives, I have no issue with.
The Senate however, if your GOP, its not likely I'm going to be shaking your hand any time soon.

[peregrine3]

I think we could effect catastrophic change in Washington by paying our represenatives by stipend the same way many states do, including mine, which has a budget surplus. Oh, well they would all go back to the private sector. Well I say, better to have their business a couple blocks down the road rather than in their congressional/senate office. How is it that we have to pay these old wise ones that are so constipated they won't play nice, by simple deduction their unable to do the job they were sent there to do, and are fleeing at the first sign of fire. I like the new series Undercover Boss last week; the CEO of Hooters was fired his first day on the job cause he couldn't produce. Thats how the private sector does it and if we're going to being hearing so much about how the private sector can save us, maybe we should adopt a few of their methods. Its crap! Its paying people either incompetent or unwilling to do the job. What is it they think their job is. This while it might sound like a blanket inditement its not. I know people on both sides of the aisle that are caring and intelligent, to bad they are as outnumbered as Custer was. Give it back to the people, they can't screw it up any worse. Sorry, have to leave now, the people from the home have come to get me.

[formrusmcsgt]

The poll found seven in ten Americans feel they don't have much say in what the government does (a record high), and nearly four in five think government is run by a few big interests, while just 18 percent think it is run for the benefit of all Americans.
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Yet the majority remain registered members of the two bought-and-paid-for parties.....

[CBSisCommunist5]

Change Change Change

Hope Hope Hope

[RobAla]

Some are so frustrated with what is going on in Washington, that they are suggesting things like dumping the US Constitution and creating a new government. We don?t need to go to extremes, and undo what our very brilliant founding fathers put together. We need to just fix what has become broken. There are two main things which have drifted away from the original intent of those who brought about this nation.


1) Career politicians: The founding fathers looked at political office as a sacrifice and a service to the nation. A political office was never supposed to be a career, where someone retired on the nation?s dime. It was supposed to be a TEMPORARY departure from your livelihood (as a farmer, businessman, or whatever). Someone was never to go to law school to be a career politician. Politicians have corrupted the original intent by establishing the practice of seniority. An incumbent has an advantage in being re-elected because seniority carries not only the money of lobbyist, but it carries power. One is not allowed to serve on a particular committee because of expertise and knowledge in a particular area, the politician must have been in office for a long period of time ? seniority. In a factory, seniority may work ? but not in Congress. The answer, which will bring us back to the original intent, is TERM LIMITS. Term limits will destroy the practice of seniority.


2) Activist judges: The non-elected Judicial Branch is supposed to interpret law ? not make it. The elected Legislative Branch is supposed to make law. Over the past 50 years, the Supreme Court has been in the practice of making law. For example: Whether you believe abortion is right or wrong, it was not established by the elected Legislative Branch. They were too chicken to tackle the issue, so the Judicial Branch took upon itself to make it a law. The nation has been at odds with itself ever since. This was not handled by the elected people who were supposed to make law. Both Branches failed to do what they were designed to do, and we are still paying for it. We need to elect members of the Legislative Branch who will have guts enough to do their job ? what they were sent to do. We also need to elect Presidents who will refuse to appoint activist judges to the Supreme Court.