Surprise Study: Majority of U.S. Public Distrusts Fed Gov’t, Claims It’s a Threat to Personal Freedom
The American people are overwhelmingly frustrated by the federal government, with public trust in the institution near historic lows. To add to these troubling indicators, a new Pew Research Center study also finds that, for the first time, a majority of the U.S. public believes that the government threatens their “personal rights and freedoms.”
This latter finding is, perhaps, the most shocking, as 53 percent of Americans answered affirmatively when asked whether Washington poses a threat to these sentiments; 43 percent responded “no,” with an additional four percent claiming that they are unsure. When examining past trends, it is clear that there has been a great deal of growth in this arena.
Consider the Nov. 2001 proportions, in which only 30 percent answered “yes” to that same question and Aug. 2002, when only 32 percent did the same. Here’s a chart showcasing trends surrounding threats to personal rights and freedoms from 1995 through 2013:
Photo Credit: Pew Research Center
Much of this change is partisan in nature. Take, for instance, the differences in trending data between Republicans and Democrats. Pew reports:
The growing view that the federal government threatens personal rights and freedoms has been led by conservative Republicans. Currently 76% of conservative Republicans say that the federal government threatens their personal rights and freedoms and 54% describe the government as a “major” threat. Three years ago, 62% of conservative Republicans said the government was a threat to their freedom; 47% said it was a major threat.
By comparison, there has been little change in opinions among Democrats; 38% say the government poses a threat to personal rights and freedoms and just 16% view it as a major threat.
Trouble for the government doesn’t end here, though. With the ongoing debate over the contraceptive mandate and the perception that federal authorities are unfairly cracking down on gun rights, among other issues, trust and faith in the institution has waned. Shockingly, only 26 percent of respondents believe that Washington will do the right thing “just about always or most of the time.” On the flip side, the vast majority — 73 percent — say that the government can only be trusted sometimes or not at all.
See the fascinating demographic breakdowns, below:
Photo Credit: Pew Research Center
Historically, the rise in distrust of the government and the decline in reliance is noteworthy. A stunning graphic assembled by Pew shows just how pronounced these phenomenon are when looking at data from 1958 through 2013.
In 1958, the proportions were essentially flipped when compared to the most recent findings, with 73 percent expressing trust in the government and 23 percent expressing distrust. Interestingly, data for 2001 shows an anomaly from the general pattern — a rise in trust and a decrease in skepticism. However, this can be explained when taking into account the impact that the Sept. 11 attacks had on the American populace.
Check out this shocking graphic, below (to experience the interactive nature of this graphic, complete with time-stamped events, click here):
Photo Credit: Pew Research Center
With a lack of trust also comes a dissatisfaction with government. Considering the aforementioned findings, it’s no surprise that only 2-in-10 Americans are content with the federal government. Fifty-eight percent claim that they are frustrated, with 19 percent reporting anger. While discontent is certainly a reality, it should be noted that emotions about the government fluctuate depending upon political events and happenings.
Again, in Nov. 2001, just after the terror attacks, fewer people were angry and frustrated and more Americans counted themselves as “basically content.” At the time, there was a sense of national unity — the ideal that the U.S. was working collectively to move past the horrific tragedy.
Photo Credit: Pew Research Center
The survey was conducted from Jan. 9-15 and included 1,502 adults. Confidence levels vary for different groups that were included in the study (view this information here).
In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.
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WakeUp
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 10:53am53% ???? Why isn’t it 100% ??? The government is actively trying to restrict just about all of our Constitutionally guaranteed rights, how can anyone think they’re not?
The obvious one right now is the second amendment. For our “own good” the federal govt is trying to decide whether or not we should be trusted to have that right. What right do they have to make that decision?
But how about freedom of the press? There have been several attempts by the democrats in Congress and the FCC to control any media that doesn’t parrot the democrat party propaganda.
or freedom of speech. A day doesn’t go by that we don’t see a news story of people getting in serious trouble because they said something that isn’t government approved as politically correct. Offending democrat protected groups is caused to be destroyed, but of course offending anyone that isn’t in the democrat protected circle is still ok.
then there is the “free exercise of religion may not be infringed”. I guess expelling a 6 year old from school because she used the word “God” doesn’t infringe on her free exercise of religion, does it?
WAKE UP PEOPLE! There is a systematic movement to allow government control over every aspect of our lives. To do that they need to ignore our guaranteed rights and they have already made huge inroads. With 47% of the people not seeing it, they can continue without fear.
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sbenard
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:52pmBarack Insane Obama is THE greatest threat to individual liberty of our lifetimes!
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mikem1969
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:01pmyou said it. My thing is when looking at the above charts, blacks and Hispanics distrust the government more than whites, yet THE MORONS STILL VOTE FOR BIGGER GOVERNMENT AND MORE GOVERNMENT INTRUSION INTO OUR LIVES AS WELL AS FEWER FREEDOMS. This just shows the absolute ignorance of those two voting demographics.
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pragmaticpatriot
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:51pmjust because im paranoid doesnt mean they arent after me
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banjarmon
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:01pmHow much did they pay for this study???
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SamIamTwo
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:20amGovernment meaning those at the top who push the buttons.
Hell you can’t get one whistle blower lately to come forward for fear of being imprisoned. Wonder how many civil servants are in prison…Not many but enough to keep many quiet.
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PorcineBomb
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:09amLook out, Blaze, here comes the Porcine (as in pork) Bomb. The name comes from Frank Zappa’s brilliant solution to the Arab/Israeli conflict. What it boils down to is this: The aerial spraying of pork blood over Jerusalem and all of the disputed “holy” ( read, “magic”) land, thus rendering it un-holy, and no longer worth killing and dying over. Both Judeo-Christian and Islamic faiths have commandments against worshipping false gods or idols, and yet they think there is such a thing as “holy” land. Or, as I like to call it, “magic dirt”. The pork bomb would eliminate this problem.
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P4cooler
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:58amD ugh….Ya think? This tyranny started in 1913 when President Wilson and a handful of Democrats in the middle of the night on the 1913 Christmas vacation passed the Federal Reserve Act without the required Constitutional Amendment. The same year thanks to a Democrat lie, we now have illegal taxation on earned income. Yes it is illegal for the Internal Revenue Service to tax Americans on earned income. Secretary of State Philander Knox lied and said the 16th Amendment was ratified by the states &when it was not! Tax on earned income is illegal! Today the Democrats flip elections with secret source code installed by voting machine manufacturers. Our two party system is nothing more than a crap game by the Genovese s & Gambinos in Washington DC. Watch out for the next sellout by congress. The United Nations reopened negotiations on the Small Arms Treaty and there will be a vote in the senate this March. The House cannot vote on treaties. The UN Small Arms Treaty will supersede our 2nd Amendment and the doors will close on our right to bear arms. Obama and the Democrats are very sleazy/slippery and are hush hush on using United Nations to gut our 2nd Amendment! Increased distrust in the Federal Government? Hell yeah! I just watched our President murder over 300 civilians in his Fast & Furious operation. I just watched our President single handedly, with no notice and without congress, enter our country in a war over Libya. We have a President who cann
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dthomps6
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:28amI would love to know much more about this but I don’t think theblaze.com, Beck, or Real News has ever done and in depth history of how the income tax came about. There’s much said about it but over the decades of this history being messed around with, I’m not sure what’s true or not with how the income tax amendment was passed.
Maybe Beck can get David Barton on to tell the true history about this.
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TheSouthWasRight
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 2:23am@DTHOMPS6 The book “The Creature from Jekyll Island” will provide you with the info you are seeking in reference to The Federal Reserve Act of 1913.
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nonofmybiznez
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:57amVoter fraud, why would we not trust our system when the government is the one stopping us from positive voter ID check.
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barber2
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:02amBingo. The Obama Democrats are “transparent” liars who enable law breaking in many areas like voting .
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AUsername
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:26amthey did what the gop did in the primary.
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nonofmybiznez
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:55amLies and deception? Why would we mistrust our government? Lies and deception, why would we mistrust the media?
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Whatmeworry-never
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:49amSee the problem is the Obamunist know what they do with full intenet, none of this is done out of accident or just from sheer ineptitude. We have politicians in all roles of Governemt from high to low that do not beleive in America nor the Constitution and have used our Freedom of Speach to monopolize our political system. Now we are waking and fighting back which is terrifying them because they forget Americans are different than the rest of the world population, we value fredoms and will not go quitly into the night like others have.
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soybomb315_II
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:44amThis is great news. It confirms that the anti-authoritarian spirit of America is still alive. Voter turnout peaked in mid 1800′s and it is easy to see why…..Ever since the republican and democrat parties established themselves as the only viable options, the people know the system is rigged. They have seen Tonkin, Bay of Pigs, JFK, MLK, etc. They know the two parties just play good cop vs bad cop. The only people who believe in the federal government are liberals who want social justice and republicans who want to be the world’s policeman
If we would reform the corrupt election laws, the 3rd parties would be able to compete and these “nonvoters” would finally be able to find a voice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_turnout_in_the_United_States_presidential_elections
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RaydocX
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:38am@Haus and others,
i agree with the incredulity that 43% were so blinded by their handouts to re-elect this President, but their taking hand outs does not mean that they do not recognize the hidden threat in that same Federal power.
Encouraging dependency leads to resentment by the dependent… it’s a rationalization for acting out against others, which then is used by the Left as a reason to clamp down, limiting the dependent population’s options and chances, and creating a viscious cycle.
And curiously, with the help of the MSM and all of the scientists still trying to prop up Global Warming instead of doing economic research a la SuperFreakonomics or focusing on possible answers to the big problems, the vast majority of that 43% don’t even know what’s happening… can’t see where they are being herded.
So most people can see that the Feds can be dangerous… Elian Gonzalez, Fast and Furious, the assault on the 2nd Amendment, and drones just some easy examples that leave citizen scratching their heads, saying ‘my government is doing what?’
the incremental carrot and stick expansion that everyone has allowed, though, contributes to the risk, as the Feds take more control and refuse state and citizen oversight or guidance.
when the FBI rushes in to Alabama for a hostage crisis, it should be the local LEO at the apex of the pyramid; your senator should be listening to the state legislators, the President to the governors, not having them grovel at his fe
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LaTxGuy
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:21amI strongly suggest eceryone download the video on the net;
Agenda:the grinding down of America
it is full of historical facts! It goes over what have happened and motive. It talks about what is happening and what to expect from government.
If you do not see it, you will be doing youself a great injustice!. watch it in total. the 2nd time is better still.
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ares338
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:15amThe Republicans and the Democrats are all in this together. At the end of the day most of them are all out drinking together. Even the good ones that go to Washington are corrupted after a year in that cesspool. The states are going to have to be strong in their opposition to the Federal Government. Don’t come for me Washington..?i have an assault chicken….Bawwwwk!
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BODYBAG
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:12amThen WTF did they VOTE for the greatest ENEMY of the Republic in the Nation’s history?
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soybomb315_II
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:32amremember, almost half of US adults did not vote…..And for good reason
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barber2
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:43amSoy: yes, because they are idiots who do not deserve the freedom to exercise their vote.
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WakeUp
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 12:34pmsoybomb315_II And what good reason is that? If you don’t vote you have no right to complain. Romney may not have been perfect, but he sure was a FAR better choice that what we got. The time to put up and fight for the best candidates are in the primaries. Once we have a general election, people cannot remain divided over details.
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LeonTrotsky
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:03amPolls ‘smolshz’. SICK of them. We were polled into an ‘ambush’ in Nov. Don’t matter what the ‘majority’ think, if they don’t go out and “VOTE”. Look what we’re stuck with for the next 4 years!!!
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DougHuffman
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:07amIt’s called the tyranny of the majority and it has been the worm in the apple of mob rule from the beginning.
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ares338
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:09amF#%!^{¥ a skippy my friend! That’s exactly right
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TerryJ70
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:57amSurprising? I don’t think so. We constantly see our government completely ignore the key problems of unemployment, terror, security, jobs, healthcare, economy only to use the media to get to our emotions on issues like gun control and immigration. We have far too many serious issues that need addressed, but that politicians do not want to tackle. We need to start with an amendment to our constitution that prohibits any law to be passed that does not apply to everyone. They aren’t worried about their healthcare, for example. they also feel they can grant exemptions in order to buy votes. This corruption must stop.
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LaTxGuy
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:17amI strongly suggest to all, watch the new video
agenda: the grinding down of America it can be downloaded on the net.
watch the full version! about 30-45 minutes
it has mnay historical fact of what has happened, is happening, going to happen. If you do not see it then you did yourself a great injustice.
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WakeUp
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 12:38pmWhat good would that do? One more Supreme Court puppet and Obama can “interpret” ANYTHING in the Constitution to say ANYTHING he decides it should say.
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DougHuffman
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:52amGun regulation and drug regulation are equally effective. Regulation of malum prohibidum is categorically ineffective.
Some examples of mala prohibita include parking violations, copyright violations, tax laws, cultural taboos, and doing certain things without a license. Crimes and torts that might be considered as malum prohibitum—but not malum in se—include: Building or modifying a house without a license,
Copyright infringement, Driving without a valid license, Gambling Illegal drug use, Operating a business without a license, Prohibition of alcohol, Prostitution, Surrogacy for profit, Truancy, Violating building codes, Weapon possession.
MOLON LABE Lord of Lies
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Whatmeworry-never
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:42amThought he was Lord of the Flies??
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DougHuffman
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:27pm“Thought!” Bwahahaha. Unread fool.
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AlthenArtren
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:46amIf your getting your freebies, of course you think the government
is doing the right thing. I understand legitimate need, but there
are plenty out there that are professional welfare recipients that
need to be purged from the system.
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Whatmeworry-never
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:43amAye, pull the ticks off so they don’t suck our blood.
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hauschild
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:41am“a majority of the U.S. public believes that the government threatens their “personal rights and freedoms.”
Yet this same “majority” re-elected a Marxist.
We’ve crossed a line where the majority of Americans favor perceived security over freedom. You need look no further than the last election. To believe otherwise, you’re simply deluding yourself. Change is gradual, measured in generations.
For current lemmings, times aren’t really all that bad all things considered. So, where’s the motivation for change??? Things will necessarily need to get a lot worse if we want to see the type of change “we” believe in.
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CatB
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:47amI see this as more proof of MASSIVE vote fraud in the last election.
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soybomb315_II
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:48amwhat you are forgetting is that this polls all of americans, not just the ones who vote. 45% of voting age americans did not vote in the last election. Many of them did not vote because they know the game is rigged and recognize Obama and Romney as pawns of a machine. These are the people that the republicans should be going after and could have gotten if they nominated someone like Herman Cain or Ron Paul
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barber2
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:54amSoy: You are such a broken record….
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Gonzo
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:10amI don’t know your age HChild, but I think the America I grew up with is gone for my lifetime. It’s up to the next generation to either reverse course or go all out socialist. I think it’s going to be all out socialism, though I pray I’m wrong. I just still can’t believe this has happened in my lifetime.
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soybomb315_II
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:19amand baber, you are stiff-necked
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VetMike
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:24amSoy, I agree that many people opted out of the election simply because of the choices they faced. However, by not voting they voted. I have relatives who did not vote because the believe that Mormonism is a cult. I have acquaintances who did not vote as they felt “it does no good”. Go ahead and rant against the machine, big money, big media, big government or whatever. I don;t know if Romney or Ron Paul or Herman Cain would have been the best choice but I know Obama wasn’t and every conservative who didn’t vote shares responsibility for putting Obama back in office.
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theBru
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:26amI think the polls on this are skewed somewhat, I would actually think it would be in the 65% range that does not trust the gov’t…every presidential election since 1964 has had two trilateralists running against each other…the political & media machine is rigged in their favor…as you can see what they did to Herman Cain this last time, and what they have done to Ron Paul every time he has run…the only difference between romperroom & bhoLE was one was white and the other half white…so, we never get to vote for anything other than the lesser of 2 evils…and in these last 2 elections, the white guy was the lesser evil in many people’s eyes, due to bhoLE’s engaging speeches about hope & change, which were all rhetoric and no substance, as seen by his actions since becoming divider-in-chief…we can only hope that enough people will wake up one day and demand better candidates to be put forth for the office of potus…
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barber2
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:42amSoy: what does ” stiff necked ” mean ?
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soybomb315_II
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:47amread the old testament
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Strider26
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:51am@soybomb315_II – While you do seem a broken record about Ron Paul, I will have to agree to some extent with your comment. While Romney did have an excellent business record and could have helped in that area, he is still a liberal establishment republican. Not what we need at all.
The problem with Ron Paul is his foreign policy. It would be suicide for us to stick our heads in the sand and let the rest of the world go on without us. We are too big a target and one that the muslims would never ignore and would do their best to destroy us, as would the Russians and Chinese among others.
Herman Cain was my candidate of choice, but unfortunately he was held to a standard that Bill
Clinton was not.Democrats are allowed to use and abuse women, not conservatives.
Hopefully we can raise some new conservative leadership out of this mess if we survive it and possibly Rand Paul is in the running for that.
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barber2
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:00amSoy: I have but I do not get your point.
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hauschild
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:24am@Gonzo
You’re right – completely.
I’ll admit, I once played the game that all delusional people play when they say, “America’s best days are ahead of her!” But, no longer. It doesn’t do anybody any good to sugar coat pig shite.
It’s really a confusing set of feelings I have. On one hand, I know the country will never be like it was when I was growing up, where you felt “safe” because there always existed, at every level and any profession, adults in the room, that prevented things from getting out of hand. Then, on the other hand I realize that since kids these days do not know the feeling I once felt, does it really matter? How can I blame them for not knowing something they cannot possibly relate to???
It’s just that I fall back on the fact that no rational mind could ever deduce that the European model of “living” offers a potential payback even close to that of what Americans once enjoyed. So, how can I not be highly disappointed? Why would anybody in good faith want to stifle the potential of an average American by “settling” on the European economic model??? That’s what I just cannot comprehend.
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Gonzo
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:41amHChild, it all comes down to poor parenting and education. Our parents and our teachers taught us we had the greatest system and country that ever existed and they were right. The left took over education and America’s parents allowed their children to be parented by teachers instead of doing it themselves.
Barber, stiff necked = stubborn.
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NHwinter
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:38amOf course we don’t trust government. We see the dismantling of America, we watch their idiotic debates, full of hateful speech, immature ideologies that have failed in the past. Yet they try to cram these outdate ideas into our heads as good for us. Not all of us are useful idiots. They focus on little things, social things, while we are falling apart. We need mature and decent minds to run our government and as far as I can see, there just aren’t any in Washington. Politicans care about getting wealthy while supposedly serving us. Time to bring them down to reality. Pay them what our soldiers get paid. Same health insurance we all have now with Obamacare. Perhaps then we would get people in government that really want to serve instead of being served.
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CatB
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:37amSo the majority do not trust the tyrants in government? Good .. though I do wonder how the 43% do and just have to be amazed at 4% “unsure”. For God’s sake wake up people!
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Small World
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:36amIn light of what is going on now with this adm. I’m shocked that anyone trusts the Gov.
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dublinthewagons
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:48amTrue. Guess the sheep have grown acustom to the wolf for protection.
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SREGN
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:36amOur founding fathers had a healthy distrust in government, which is why they wanted it limited, and put in checks and balances. That’s why all elected officials must take an oath to uphold the constitution. That’s why the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. Not so we can hunt, but because it is the only way to keep the Obamathugs from marching us into the ovens.
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NHwinter
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:53amSREGN – that is exactly why they are trying to do away with the Constitution. To get rid of the checks and balances.
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