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Thursday, January 23rd, 2014

In U.S., 65% Dissatisfied With How Gov’t System Works

Author:     JUSTIN MCCARTHY
Source:     The Gallup Organization
Publication Date:     22-Jan-14
 Link: In U.S., 65% Dissatisfied With How Gov’t System Works
Stephan:   This survey should ring like gong in the national consciousness and amongst the political elite. When nearly two-thirds of the country's population is dissatisfied with how the government works -- and that is social progressives and conservatives both -- there is a real problem. Can a democracy long endure when two-thirds of country feel this way? Click through to see the graphs that accompany this report.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sixty-five percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the nation’s system of government and how well it works, the highest percentage in Gallup’s trend since 2001. Dissatisfaction is up five points since last year, and has edged above the previous high from 2012 (64%).

Trend: Americans’ Dissatisfaction With System of Government and Its Effectiveness

These findings are from Gallup’s annual Mood of the Nation poll, conducted Jan. 5-8, 2014. The trend line on this measure shows remarkable change over time, rising from fewer than one in four Americans expressing dissatisfaction in 2002, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, to the current situation in which almost two-thirds are dissatisfied.

Republicans and Independents Less Satisfied, Democrats Remain Consistent

Republicans and independents are largely responsible for the overall decrease in satisfaction with government effectiveness in recent years. Satisfaction among Republicans and independents began to wane during President George W. Bush’s final year in office. This may have reflected mounting public dissatisfaction with the Iraq war, coupled with the Democratic takeover of Congress after the 2006 midterm elections. Both groups’ satisfaction plummeted still more between 2008 and 2011, and has since dipped further. Republicans’ satisfaction went from a peak of 79% in 2005 to a low of […]

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