Rit Picone of Newpaltz, N.Y., carries an American flag upside down as a symbol of protest against the influence of money in politics. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The Pew Research Center has released its annual poll numbers regarding the percentage of Americans who trust the federal government. The release of these new polls add to a growing amount of evidence that the public’s view of the federal government has been in a steady decline for decades.
The Pew Research Center’s sampled 1,501 adults between April 5th to the 11th. Only 20 percent of those polled said they trust the government to do what is right “always” or “most of the time.” A whopping 68 percent admitted that they only trusted the government “some of the time.” The other 11 percent said they have no trust in the government to do what is right.The polls also indicate that 55 percent of those interviewed say they are frustrated with the federal government, with another 22 percent acknowledging they are angry at the government. Only 19 percent of people responded saying they were content.
The polls also indicate that 55 percent of those interviewed say they are frustrated with the federal government, with another 22 percent acknowledging they are angry at the government. Only 19 percent of people responded saying they were content.
Steven Smith, a political scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, told MarketWatch that Americans often report feeling forgotten, which he says is just another way to express distrust for the feds. “There is a great deal of frustration with Washington, and virtually every poll — no matter what question is asked — shows that,” he said.
The Pew Research numbers also show that the public distrusts the government just as much as they did prior to the 2016 presidential election. “As has been the case for the last decade, public trust in government remains near historically low levels,” Pew reports. At no point in the last decade has more than 30 percent of those polled by Pew expressed trust in the federal government.
Think about that for a moment. If these poll numbers represent views around the nation that would mean less than 1/3 of the people in the United States can confidently say they trust the federal government. The very institution that is “supposed” to protect the life, liberty and happiness of the people can not be trusted by more than half the people living involuntarily under its rule.
Why?
Before we discuss what a phenomenal opportunity this presents, we must ask “Why?” Why is that decade after decade Americans are reporting less and less trust in the federal government, and thus, the people running it? This data indicates that regardless of which political party is in office the people continue to have mistrust for the words of our federally elected officials. What reason do the American people have to distrust the federal government?
Could it be that in the days of the Vietnam War activists, musicians, poets, actors, and other outspoken individuals were investigated and infiltrated under the Counter Intelligence Programs (COINTELPRO)? Do you think Americans are lacking in faith because they remember being sold the lies of the second Iraq War? Or perhaps because they know the federal government is attempting to sell the people into another war based on lies? Maybe the people of this land recognize that the feds have created a panopticon surveillance and police state that violates rights, infringes upon privacy and crushes anyone who dares to boldly stand against the authoritarianism that rules the day.
Whatever the reason, we must recognize that his growing lack of trust for the federal government presents a momentous occasion for those forward-thinkers who are planning the next stage of human evolution. For those who recognize that the federal government – as a matter of fact, all government – is an institution of violence, theft, and lies. We can create a better world without this institution but it’s going to take organizing and challenging the current paradigm and status quo with radical new ideas on how free humans can self-organize and thrive without the overreaching arms and prying eyes and ears of corporate and State powers.
One of the saddest aspects of the new Pew numbers is the fact that more Republicans trust the government now than they did prior to the selection of President Trump. On the other hand, now Democrats are more likely to report a mistrust of the federal government. Despite the low trust overall, for the first time since George W. Bush was president, Republicans expressed more trust in the federal government than Democrats.
The statistics illustrate the constant tug of war between the false left/right paradigm in mainstream American politics. Democrats were likely to report trusting the federal government under a Democrat and the Republicans are now doing the same. These people are still trapped in the matrix and believe there are major differences between the corporate parties of the Democrats and Republicans. Interestingly, Pew reported the numbers of registered Democrats with trust in the government is the lowest in nearly 60 years. This, again, presents an opportunity for activists to reach out to the disenfranchised free thinkers on the left.
We can create a better world, but it will require much work. Future generations will thank us for the work we do today. Vacate the State and pursue solutions for a better world.
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the Lead Investigative Reporter forActivistPost.com where this editorial first apppeared and the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com. Follow him on Twitter. Derrick is the author of three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1 and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2
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