Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government

A very interesting poll from Gallup on how Americans feel about their own government.

When you look at the graph in the OP, a couple things jump out.

First, since about 1982 Americans were more satisfied than dissatisfied. That changed to being more dissatisfied around 2005, with the gap growing larger every year.

There was a sharp turnaround in 2008 coinciding with obama's election, IMO because so many people bought the "hope and change" campaign rhetoric. But even the, the number did not turn to a net positive.

The gap between dissatisfied and satisfied has been sharply growing ever since.

Now it is at historic highs for dissatisfied - with fully 81% of Americans believing that way. Perhaps Americans are no longer buying the "blame Bush" rhetoric?

And last, this finding from the poll IMO is really telling:

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.

Half of American view the government as a threat. Where can this be heading? Think about it. Think about it a lot.

source

So we are only half blind.
Nice find.

reply to post by centurion1211


49% of Americans believe.....

Did they ask how many of those actually bothered to vote on issues?

reply to post by centurion1211


I wouldn't be surprised if at least half of those polled were unaware of how much the fed is raping us. If all Americans were fully aware of how corrupt and out of control our government really is- that number would jump up to 100%. Revolution is in the air.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
reply to post by centurion1211

 

49% of Americans believe.....

Did they ask how many of those actually bothered to vote on issues?

In answer to your comment, I see the number of people (sheeple?) here on ATS as buying into the "Both parties are the same. It doesn't make any difference. Why vote?" rhetoric as very problematic.

IMO these people's short-sighted apathetic views will be what ends up ushering in the dictatorship they claim to fear so much.

reply to post by centurion1211


In the hallowed halls of congress. . . . .

In the office of the president. . . . .

In every lobbyist office, cell phone and email. . . . . .

One thought dominates.

"Oh snap. They're waking up."

Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by centurion1211

 

In the hallowed halls of congress. . . . .

In the office of the president. . . . .

In every lobbyist office, cell phone and email. . . . . .

One thought dominates.

"Oh snap. They're waking up."

Ya think?...........

www.youtube.com...

They might be awake but I don't think they are aware. ATS is not a good indication of anything political.

I respect my foes here at ATS that may have different opinions but at least know what is happening; but we are a miniscule minority compared to the masses.

God help us!!!

reply to post by whaaa





We're doomed.



Only Elenin can save us now!

change is in the air...maybe not today or tomorrow but...."Soon" the winds blow with an calm silent as people make their way to the poll...to vote for a douche bag or a turd sandwhich will be their choices.....and even tho both suck....its the only option they have!

Originally posted by centurion1211


First, since about 1982 Americans were more satisfied than dissatisfied. That changed to being more dissatisfied around 2005, with the gap growing larger every year.

Ahh yes.

THANKS RONNIE!!

The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (Pub.L. 97-34), also known as the ERTA or "Kemp-Roth Tax Cut," was a federal law enacted in the United States in 1981. It was an Act "to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to encourage economic growth through reductions in individual income tax rates, the expensing of depreciable property, incentives for small businesses, and incentives for savings, and for other purposes".[1] Included in the act was an across-the-board decrease in the marginal income tax rates in the U.S. by 23% over three years, with the top rate falling from 70% to 50% and the bottom rate dropping from 14% to 11%. This act slashed estate taxes and trimmed taxes paid by business corporations by $150 billion over a five year period. Additionally the tax rates were indexed for inflation, though the indexing was delayed until 1985.

Wikipedia: The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981

I can think of no other individual or action which has done more to destroy our economy and the middle-class than this one right here.

Down with the New World Order!... Finally people are walking up and discovering that they live on a massive plantation and that 99.9% of us are slaves. Now all we have to do is regain our sense of dignity, restore the bill of rights and constitution, and restore the republic to an engine of freedom and liberty...

since 2008 eight eh

so that means half this country is going around calling the other half racist then

government will be the peoples greatest enemy it will always be that way.

complacency has led us to this point

clear actions with a clear purpose with a clear goal is what we need most

to keep that government in check

or hate to say that percentile is broken down like this

the righties and lefties they just think each side is the problem.

get rid of the republicans
get rid of the democrats

both saying that and the problem is solved 1 party rule is what they want

reply to post by whaaa


I don't know if people from other countries are any smarter but they definitely couldn't get any dumber. Goes to show why people are complaining about the US spends more money on education and gets nothing in return. I do realize that this video was edited however I am surrounded by idiots so I can verify they didn't have to look very hard to make it. One of my regular comments is how can people be this dumb and live. It almost makes the case for the NWO about useless eaters. I would say God help us all but God doesn't have anything to do with it.

reply to post by whaaa

The best argument against democracy that I ever saw. The best argument for testing voters before allowing them to vote.

Basically living under British control just like the old days,, just a new type of system, but yet we are still owned by the british.

So glad I run like a celebrity from the paparazzi the instant I see a "camera" that even remotely says to me " we are trying to catch you doing something dumb". And Whaaa's Video link is exactly why. I know a lot of stuff, but I do horrible in front of an audience, I think alot of it has to do with that. People get tripped up cause they know they are going to be seen by probably at least thousands if not millions of viewers. N U UH ! I am too smart for that shizznit!!!
Anyway the Government ripping off the people is enough to get them a lot of negative "feelings" directed towards them, it isn't a surprise!

reply to post by centurion1211


There are some very powerful players behind the scenes who would love to see representative government dissolve.

It's all part of the GOP plan:

By sabotaging the reputation of an institution of government, the party that is programmatically against government would come out the relative winner.

Goodbye to All That: Reflections of a GOP Operative Who Left the Cult

"It's all the governments fault, so you should vote for me!"

Goodbye to all that: Reflections of a GOP Operative who left the Cult
I no longer subscribe to the two party operative. There are some I agree with in each of the parties but too much has changed and (for some of us, lol) the changes came fast.
This article sounds like the Dem's are self-righteous and the "cult" Republicans crackpots. This is exactly why "Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government" as the op states.

No one is listening to the other one. All parties have frozen in time and there is no thawing them.
Hence:

To those millions of Americans who have finally begun paying attention to politics and watched with exasperation the tragicomedy of the debt ceiling extension, it may have come as a shock that the Republican Party is so full of lunatics. To be sure, the party, like any political party on earth, has always had its share of crackpots, like Robert K. Dornan or William E. Dannemeyer. But the crackpot outliers of two decades ago have become the vital center today: Steve King, Michele Bachman (now a leading presidential candidate as well), Paul Broun, Patrick McHenry, Virginia Foxx, Louie Gohmert, Allen West. The Congressional directory now reads like a casebook of lunacy.

After coming across the article in the op, and commenting on another thread, I personally see I am clueless to so much of it.
What I do see however is that if I look at the larger picture. This all boils down to religion, anti and pro.
The current dominate party in government is the all-knowing so they should be allowed to do what is best for the subjects. If not, you are ... (insert label and demonize).

Personal core values, principles, equal a target on your chest.

Not having a religion is demonized the same as having one.

This is about survival of the (mentally) fittest. To confuse people enough until they are at a point of mental exhaustion. Break them down, then build them up to fall in-line.

Everyone is being separated into groups. Divide and conquer.

reply to post by centurion1211

Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government

I can't really see any reason why this should come as a surprise to anyone. It's not like the American public just one day decided to dislike their leadership. There are very specific reasons behind it and they are well known to those in power.

* Our government no longer serves the electorate. Special interests - aka: corporate money machines - pretty much buy laws as they wish. The defense industry, the insurance industry and big pharma pretty much owns Washington.

* Secrecy and the police state. The rights of the individual are being written off as fast as those bought & paid for political types can vote 'em out. Privacy laws only opened the door for the corporate and slammed it shut for the average citizen.

* Political criminals. We no longer have representation reflection moderation or cooperation on either side of the aisle. The current class of elected are mostly extremists at best and radical militants at worst. They have no qualms about shutting down government, gutting benefit programs that you paid for or handing over this nation to the bankers and globalists.

It doesn't take a Rhodes Scholar to understand that what was once the great middle class, was exsanguinated by the shipping of America's industrial plant to Asia.
It doesn't take rocket science to see that this horrid mistake is still being defended by both left and right.
It doesn't take a devout liberal or a conservative to conclude that our government has failed us and that there is nothing and no one left, at least while current trends hold, worth liking.

It's all clear as day for the whole nation to see. The only thing that keeps it from being dragged out into the street... is our comfort levels and a wholly useless information media.

Someday, if we ever wake up and toss our red vs. blue political bickering, we may be able to begin to reclaim our country. But so long as we play the partisan gladiatorial games, we'll just keep losing.