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Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government

j-mac

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According to a new Gallup poll out this week, key findings don't bode well for those in office today.

Key Findings:
  • 82% of Americans disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job.
  • 69% say they have little or no confidence in the legislative branch of government, an all-time high and up from 63% in 2010.
  • 57% have little or no confidence in the federal government to solve domestic problems, exceeding the previous high of 53% recorded in 2010 and well exceeding the 43% who have little or no confidence in the government to solve international problems.
  • 53% have little or no confidence in the men and women who seek or hold elected office.
  • Americans believe, on average, that the federal government wastes 51 cents of every tax dollar, similar to a year ago, but up significantly from 46 cents a decade ago and from an average 43 cents three decades ago.
  • 49% of Americans believe the federal government has become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. In 2003, less than a third (30%) believed this.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/149678/Americans-Express-Historic-Negativity-Toward-Government.aspx

Now I know that many in here towing the Obama line will say that this has more to do with congress, and those like myself with a conservative vision will say this means more about how Obama and demo's have ran things for the past three years. But the two findings I bolded can directly be attributed to my argument.

So what do you all think? Are we in for a 'throw the bums out election? And if so, doesn't that harbinger a real problem for demo's?

j-mac
 
Two questions to these people.

My first question to these people is... what is the alternative? States legislatives are just as bad if not worse... they just have less money to waste.

My second question is... why dont you do something about it and actually VOTE at elections?
 
Two questions to these people.

My first question to these people is... what is the alternative? States legislatives are just as bad if not worse... they just have less money to waste.

So your question begs the question of what would you foresee happening? Nothing? The states are what are supposed to grant power to the federal government, it seems that now most people think that policies of both repubs, and demo's have been grabbing power for too long.

My second question is... why dont you do something about it and actually VOTE at elections?

On that I would agree, turn out in elections in this country is pathetic.

j-mac
 
So what do you all think? Are we in for a 'throw the bums out election? And if so, doesn't that harbinger a real problem for demo's?

j-mac

I think people are definitely in a "throw them all out" kinda mood. There are strongholds for both sides and the election is still a ways off to determine if they will stick to it or not IMO.

I also think Obama is in trouble, but looking at the front runners for the GOP they can snatch defeat from victory. The GOP is not going to win on the "anyone but Obama" ticket. It seems right now the GOP is going to repeat the same failures the Dems did in 2004.

I think the majority want Obama gone, but they aren't going to just pick anyone. If the GOP picks a "Kerry", they will lose IMO
 
I think people are definitely in a "throw them all out" kinda mood. There are strongholds for both sides and the election is still a ways off to determine if they will stick to it or not IMO.

I also think Obama is in trouble, but looking at the front runners for the GOP they can snatch defeat from victory. The GOP is not going to win on the "anyone but Obama" ticket. It seems right now the GOP is going to repeat the same failures the Dems did in 2004.

I think the majority want Obama gone, but they aren't going to just pick anyone. If the GOP picks a "Kerry", they will lose IMO

It's interesting that you use a Kerry analogy. For instance, I still like Romney, even with his Mass health care strawman that demo's are using to wedge repubs. I liked him in '08, and thought it was a crime what the party establishment did to him using Huckabee to split his vote in concert with McCain undermining him.

No Politician is perfect IMHO, and when we hold ours to an impossible standard instead of looking to what they promise and holding them accountable, like in Obama's case he has lied to everyone from day one. Then we are in trouble.

Romney's business record, coupled with him running a state in a liberal stronghold, and proving that he is able to get things done in that environment is a positive in my book.

j-mac
 
So your question begs the question of what would you foresee happening? Nothing? The states are what are supposed to grant power to the federal government, it seems that now most people think that policies of both repubs, and demo's have been grabbing power for too long.

States are just as corrupt if not more than the Federal government.. Look at Perry and Texas... the amount of corruption that is part of the system there is mind boggling and it is accepted as "business as usual". But it is not only Texas and the GOP who do it.. far from it.

And like it or not... States are also government and as long as the system of gerrymandering is so prevalent in US politics, then if more power went to the states, then you would end up with 50 dictatorships like Texas.. and that is hardly good for the idea of democracy. Only thing really stoping this is, is the Federal system, because you cant gerrymander state lines which means Senate seats and in part the Presidency are damn hard to tilt towards one side or the other.

On that I would agree, turn out in elections in this country is pathetic.

j-mac

:) pathetic is a too nice word in my opinion. 87.4% voter turn (of the voting population.. 18+.. not registered... since everyone is registered to vote) out in Denmark 2 weeks ago..... now that is democracy in action.
 
Romney's business record,
j-mac

Have you actually looked into his business record? He bought up failing companies, gutted them for values, fired everyone and more than often exported the jobs overseas. Not sure if you want that type of "business" man to run a country.
 
I'm looking for a "Throw the Bums Out" REVOLUTION. Voting won't change those issues. Well, at least not voting via the ballot box.
 
At this point, I think the problem has gone beyond pointing fingers at politicians. I think apathy and negligence might play a part too. When I hear someone recite word for word what they heard on the news as fact, I see my point in action.

I am starting to wonder if the increasing population of a country will naturally prevent any kind of consensus. The more people involved, the more issues that need to be dealt with. Compromise is thrown away. No wonder no one is happy with the government.

How can people in Maine understand California's gun laws, labor situation, etc? Mainers may not like the disparity in force (population) of California or New York being the controlling factor in decisions about their welfare. If something is changed arbitrarily at the federal level, it becomes quite difficult for 300 million or more people to reach any agreements. We are currently suffering with this problem. In some cases, it makes sense for a smaller population to have control over some of their own affairs. A smaller government is easier to fix, or overhaul if necessary.

I certainly don't trust the government, but I have no love for the idea of huge worldwide industries making my decisions either. Privatizing the world sounds nearly as bad as world gov. to me.
 
what many people are mad about is that there is less and less of an opportunity for a middle class lifestyle for the average citizen. the import and borrow for "cheap" goods model has failed.

any free trade agreement has to ensure that the partner is manufacturing under the same standards as US manufacturing. that means OSHA and pollution controls. non-compliant goods should be allowed in, but a hefty tariff should be added. we should export humane worker safety standards.

the other big piece of our policy that has failed is the imported energy model. this is simply unsustainable, and the amount of money we have to spend to maintain access to oil is incredible. replacing it should be a top priority.

part of what holds our society together is the American dream. when this becomes an illusion, that's one thing. when it becomes utterly unattainable to the average citizen who does not have a network, it becomes a real danger. when one can't even plan to retire and has kids coming home dependent on them until they are in their 30s because of an utter lack of good jobs and the kid has enough college debt that getting married and starting a family is unaffordable, that's a serious problem. and it's a problem that no amount of cheap TVs at Walmart will placate.
 
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the other big piece of our policy that has failed is the imported energy model. this is simply unsustainable, and the amount of money we have to spend to maintain access to oil is incredible. replacing it should be a top priority.

This is a good point. Let us not forget that the economy (regardless of the tax rate) was in a fairly decent position until people started having to pay $4 a gallon. People had money to spend which therefore stimulated the economy naturally.

How do we fix our government is the question. Allowing people to decide how the government operates (as it should be now) would be the ideal method for most people, but what do we do now that the majority of the public is so education deficient especially when it comes to what our government does and how it does it? One thing is for sure, we will go to civil war in this country if something is not done about the power the government has over the people and how it is negatively affecting everything we do on a global scale.
 
Labeling manufacturing corporations as greedy, and chasing them off as though this country can sustain itself as a pure consumption based society has failed. We need to unchain business. We won't get that with the class warfare Obama is spewing.

J-mac
 
I'll let cooler heads prevail. The last time Americans got pissed as a collective and went to the ballot box, they elected a hyper-liberal black man with about 17 minutes of experience as a United States Senator as leader of the free world.

If that's the result of our righteous indignation, I'd rather just sit on my thumbs.
 
I'll let cooler heads prevail. The last time Americans got pissed as a collective and went to the ballot box, they elected a hyper-liberal black man with about 17 minutes of experience as a United States Senator as leader of the free world.

If that's the result of our righteous indignation, I'd rather just sit on my thumbs.


I hear ya. Unfortunately, unless we think that we can afford 4 more years of this liar, then we must vote.

J-mac
 
No matter how many times you "throw out the bums," Americans are still going to be upset at government, a decent chunk of which is as a result of misunderstanding and fickle attitudes toward solutions to problems.
 
No matter how many times you "throw out the bums," Americans are still going to be upset at government, a decent chunk of which is as a result of misunderstanding and fickle attitudes toward solutions to problems.


Solutions actually have to work to be called a solution don't they? I mean I think Americans are getting of being lied to by this guy.

J-mac
 
Solutions actually have to work to be called a solution don't they? I mean I think Americans are getting of being lied to by this guy.

J-mac

"This guy," meaning, the President? Well, I am not shy in saying I am looking at the GOP this time around. As for government as a whole, including the congress, I am far less satisfied with the standard line about how government is broken.
 
I hear ya. Unfortunately, unless we think that we can afford 4 more years of this liar, then we must vote.

J-mac

The US economy won't tolerate four more years of Obamanomics. It's on life support now.
 
I think incumbent Senators and Representatives may find themselves without a job in 2012 - especially GOPs who currently have approval ratings in the single digits in several polls. As for Obama, if the GOP nominates somebody that is moderate, Obama may well get sent home by the anti-incumbent vote. However, the extremists in the GOP will likely not let them run a moderate and that will result in many in the US either staying home because they don't want either candidate or the people disapproving of the far-right holding their nose and voting for Obama just to keep them out of office.
 
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Μολὼν λαβέ;1059833264 said:
The US economy won't tolerate four more years of Obamanomics. It's on life support now.

If we get a GOP president the debt will still rise only we won't have conservatives bitching about the debt and they will defend it because the president will have an "R" in their name. Status quo for the last couple of decades on both sides.
 
If we get a GOP president the debt will still rise only we won't have conservatives bitching about the debt and they will defend it because the president will have an "R" in their name. Status quo for the last couple of decades on both sides.

Not this conservative, and not the Tea Party either based on their message is to curb spending and balance the budget. That's how their congressional members voted during the debt crisis.
 
Two questions to these people.

My first question to these people is... what is the alternative? States legislatives are just as bad if not worse... they just have less money to waste.

I believe this speaks more about the general feeling of big government, not just about the Federal government.

My second question is... why dont you do something about it and actually VOTE at elections?

It's my opinion that we're going to see a record turn-out in 2012.
 
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