Only 19 percent of Americans trust government.
According to How Americans View Government, a recent report issued by the Pew
Research Center, a non-partisan opinion pollster.
The
poll reflects opinions of the federal government, not local or state
government. Talk to anyone and their opinions of federal government
vary from disgust to cynicism.
You
hear that the federal government is “too big” or “too powerful”
or too “bureaucratic” or too overreaching.” from a majority of
Americans.
Most
people either grudgingly respect the federal government or find it
inept, arrogant and an institution of nightmarish proportions.
Mistrusting
or hating Big Government is an American past time. Americans believe,
with some credulity, that Big Government will confiscate their guns,
tell them how their live lives and tax them into abject poverty.
Pew's
Report said Americans are critical of the federal government but
there are some positive performance ratings in many areas.
“Currently,
just 19 percent say they can trust the government always or most of
the time, among the lowest levels in the past half-century,” the
report said.
“Only
20 percent would describe government programs as being well-run. And
elected officials are held in such low regard that 55 percent of the
public says “ordinary Americans” would do a better job of solving
national problems.
Yet
Americans are frustrated, according to the poll, with government's
handling of poverty, immigration and ensuring income for Americans
over 65.
Americans
do want the federal government to play a role in broad issues,
ranging from the environment and education to protecting against
terrorism to boosting the economy.
But
how effective is the federal government?
Many
of these issues are tackled by Congress, yet
Congress is split into warring factions.
Nothing gets done. And what, if anything gets done, is so watered down with exceptions, amendments and procedural protocol that the issues become nothing more than a bullet point on a politician's platform.
Nothing gets done. And what, if anything gets done, is so watered down with exceptions, amendments and procedural protocol that the issues become nothing more than a bullet point on a politician's platform.
Time
is another issue. Months pass while Congress argues about
immigration, terrorism, education and a host of other issues. Then,
of course, there's tension between the White House and Congress,
which ends in a stalemate.
Most
bills may take up to a year to pass, according to organizations that
monitor Congress. In the present or 114th Congress, only
one percent of the 7,360 bills that have been introduced have been
enacted, according to GovTrack.us, which monitors federal
legislation. In the 113th Congress, only three percent of
10,637 bills were enacted.
But
who picks up your garbage? Who decides if you can build an addition
to your house? Who can make or break your business? Who deals with
the homeless and poverty? Who ensures your water supply and purity?
Cities
are the front line. The police deal with crime. City staff deal with
jobs and the economy. Cities tax and spend. Cities decide if your
child will get a new school or field house or stadium.
Daily lives
are affected by the moods and misdoubts of mayors and city council
members, not by someone who spends his time on talk shows. Elected
officials and city staff take your money and spend it.
Americans seem to demand less of local government than they do of Congress, most of whom are practically strangers.
Americans seem to demand less of local government than they do of Congress, most of whom are practically strangers.
The
phrase “all politics is local” should instead be “all garbage
is local.”