preview

Causes Of Lack Of Trust In The Government

Decent Essays

A major problem in the United States right now is the government. More specifically the lack of trust in our government. A main reason behind the lack of trust in our government is the president, more specifically what the president does while in office. Trust in the government is at an all time low with fewer than three-in-ten Americans expressing trust in the government in every poll conducted since 2007, which is the longest period. This is the longest period in 50 years of low trust in the government (Fingerhut). In 1964 a lack of trust in the government reached an all time high of 77% during which both the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam war happened. Times of war and scandals that are directly caused by the government cause lower the rate of trust to lower. These incidents could have been prevented had different actions been taken by the president. Americans have the need to have someone lead them and, “Despite this desire for government services, Americans are clearly dissatisfied with the level of service they feel they receive. Three out of four, 74 percent, say public officials put their own interests ahead of the nation's. And a majority, 55 percent, say ordinary Americans would "do a better job of solving problems" than the people whose job it is to do so.” (Ron Elving). Americans trust of the federal government is at a historic low. of the president doing something that would cause a lack of trust is lying about what they are going to do once in office. Many

Get Access