Levels of Trust Continue to Slide Across there Board, All Institutions Below 50%
Compared to one year ago, the level of trust that young Americans between 18- and 29- years old have in most American institutions tested in our survey has dissipated compared even to last year’s historically low numbers. For example, in the last 12 months, trust in the President has decreased from 39 percent to 32 percent, the U.S. military has decreased from 54 percent to 47 percent (the first time below a majority) and the Supreme Court from 40 to 36 percent. Below is a graph that charts the composite trust index (an average of six public institutions tracked using the same methodology) since 2010.
COMPOSITE TRUST INDEX:
PRESIDENT, US MILITARY, CONGRESS, SUPREME COURT, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UNITED NATIONS — % WHO RESPOND ALL OR MOST OF THE TIME — |
These findings stand in contrast to the U.S. Military; over the last year, the military has lost trust across all parties (Democrats are down 6 points to 44%, Republicans 5 points to 63% and Independents down 8 points to 40%).
BELOW IS A SHORT LIST OF INSTITUTIONS, HOW OFTEN DO YOU
TRUST EACH OF THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING? — % WHO RESPOND ALL OR MOST OF THE TIME — |
| FEB 2010 | FEB 2011 | MAR 2012 | APR 2013 | APR 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE PRESIDENT | 44% | 41% | 41% | 39% | 32% |
| THE US MILITARY | 53% | 50% | 55% | 54% | 47% |
| THE CONGRESS | 25% | 23% | 23% | 18% | 14% |
| THE SUPREME COURT | 45% | 44% | 45% | 40% | 36% |
| THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT | 29% | 27% | 27% | 22% | 20% |
| THE UNITED NATIONS | 40% | 38% | 38% | 34% | 34% |
| YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT | _ | 28% | 32% | 30% | 28% |
| YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT | _ | 33% | 37% | 34% | 33% |
| WALL STREET | 11% | _ | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| THE MEDIA | 17% | _ | _ | 11% | 11% |
| THE NSA | _ | _ | _ | _ | 24% |
In 2010, the question asked about “Wall Street executives” and “traditional media.”
|
Appeal and Effectiveness of Politics Also on Decline
While we have seen a consistent and across the board drop in trust levels for some time, we also see a similar pattern on issues relation to the efficacy of the political process more generally. For example, since 2010, there has been a consistent six-point increase in those who agree with the statement that“elected officials seem to be motivated by selfish reasons,” more than three-in-five (62%) now agree with this; and a similar six-point increase with agreement that “political involvement rarely has any tangible results” (23% in 2010, 29% in 2014) and “political involvement rarely has any tangible results”23% in 2010, 29% in 2014).
We also have tracked a seven-point increase in the number who agree with the statement, “electedofficials don’t seem to have the same priorities I have” (51% in 2010, 58% in 2014).
DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH EACH STATEMENT?
— % WHO AGREE STRONGLY OR SOMEWHAT — |
| FEB 2010 | FEB 2011 | MAR 2012 | APR 2013 | APR 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY SERVICE IS AN HONORABLE THING TO DO | 70% | 69% | 69% | 70% | 70% |
| ELECTED OFFICIALS SEEM TO BE MOTIVATED BY SELFISH REASONS | 54% | 55% | 59% | 59% | 62% |
| ELECTED OFFICIALS DON’T SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PRIORITIES I HAVE | 51% | - | 55% | 56% | 58% |
| POLITICS HAS BECOME TOO PARTISAN | 46% | 44% | 49% | 48% | 49% |
| POLITICS TODAY ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OUR COUNTRY IS FACING | - | - | 45% | 47% | 48% |
| PEOPLE LIKE ME DO NOT HAVE ANY SAY ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES | 36% | 35% | 37% | 37% | 41% |
| RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS AN HONORABLE THING TO DO | 35% | 36% | 35% | 35% | 32% |
| POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT RARELY HAS ANY TANGIBLE RESULTS | 23% | 24% | 29% | 28% | 29% |
| THE IDEA OF WORKING IN SOME FORM OF PUBLIC SERVICE IS APPEALING TO ME | 33% | 33% | 31% | 31% | 29% |
No comments:
Post a Comment