A new Gallup poll reports that Americans trust the federal government less than they ever have. Given that President Obama has increasingly insisted on acting on his own, it's not unreasonable to infer that this result means, consistent with other polling the press has stubbornly ignored — documented in a new Media Research Center study — that they also trust his leadership less than they ever have.
Gallup's main headline dressed up the results up by focusing on only have of what it found: "Trust in Federal Gov't on International Issues at New Low." But the subheadline says, "Americans' trust in government handling of domestic problems also at record low." Okay, guys. What problems aren't either domestic, international, or a combination of both? So trust in the federal government to handle any problems is at an all-time low. How tough is it to say that?
Here is the relevant chart:
Here is some of Gallup's commentary, at the conclusion of which writer Jeffrey M. Jones inflicts his own biases on his readers (HT T. Becket Adams at the Washington Free Beacon; bolds are mine):
Trust in Federal Gov't on International Issues at New Low
Americans' trust in government handling of domestic problems also at record low
Americans' trust in the federal government to handle international problems has fallen to a record-low 43% as President Barack Obama prepares to address the nation on Wednesday to outline his plan to deal with ISIS. Separately, 40% of Americans say they have a "great deal" or "fair amount" of trust in the federal government to handle domestic problems, also the lowest Gallup has measured to date.
The results are based on Gallup's annual Governance poll, conducted Sept. 4-7. This year's poll was conducted at a time when the government is faced with instability in many parts of the world, including Iraq and Syria, the Middle East, and Ukraine. President Obama, who recently said he had "no strategy" for dealing with ISIS -- the Islamic extremists who have taken control of parts of Iraq and Syria and recently captured and beheaded two American journalists -- is set to present his plan for dealing with the group Wednesday.
Americans' confidence in the government to handle international problems slid 17 percentage points last year, when the Obama administration was planning military action against Syria. Russia later brokered an agreement to avert that action. Last year's poll marked the first time that fewer than half of Americans trusted the federal government's ability to deal with international threats. With the world stage seemingly more unstable now (seemingly? — Ed.), the public's trust has dipped an additional six percentage points this year.
Likewise, trust in the government's ability to handle domestic problems dropped slightly this year after a larger decline in 2013.
... Implications
Gallup has never measured lower levels of trust in the federal government to handle pressing issues than now. That includes the Watergate era in 1974, when 51% of Americans trusted the government's ability to handle domestic problems and 73% trusted its ability to deal with international problems, and also at the tail end of the Bush administration when his job approval ratings were consistently below 40% and frequently below 30%.
The key question going forward is whether Americans' trust in the federal government can be restored. Although there have been short-lived increases in recent years, including in Obama's first year in office and in his re-election year, these were not maintained. The general trend since the post-9/11 surge has been toward declining trust. Simply voting new people into office may not be sufficient to restore trust in government. Rather, given the public's frustration with the way the government is working, it may be necessary to elect federal officials who are more willing to work together with the other party to find solutions to the nation's top problems.
Given that "bipartisanship" usually means "Unprincipled Democrats and liberals win, while conservatives and their principles lose," Jones's gyrations, especially given who is most unhappy now (i.e., Republicans and independents) come across as a plea to those who are unhappy to let it go, allow America's domestic and international decline to continue, and to just try to enjoy the ride until it comes to a screeching halt. That's not happening, pal.
Here's a suggestion, Jeff: Can the commentary and stick to fully reporting your organization's polling results.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
