The American people seem to have lost trust in various institutions, including the Presidency, Supreme Court, and Congress.
According to a new Gallup poll, only 27 percent of those surveyed had “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the 16 major institutions in the U.S., that percentage down three points from 2014, which was the former low.
Gallup poll: Confidence in major nationwide institutions drops precipitously. Presidency at 23% confidence. TV news at only 11% confidence.Congress at rock bottom with 7% confidence. pic.twitter.com/7MRXU2EMOD
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) July 5, 2022
11 of the 16 institutions have seen “significant declines” in confidence. The largest decline has been in the Supreme Court and Presidency. Since the last Gallup confidence survey in June of 2021, American confidence dropped 11 percent in the Supreme Court, and the Presidency dropped by 15 percent.
Due to inflation, high gas prices, the crisis at the southern border, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and people bracing for a recession, President Biden’s approval saw a 15-point drop.
Other institutions that dropped were newspapers, the criminal justice system, organized religion, big business, and the police. Since at least three decades ago, institutions saw their lowest percentage in confidence this year.
Trust in organized labor was the only institution that stayed at the same level as last year. 28 percent of those surveyed showed confidence.
Independents, Republicans, and Democrats alike, overall, are less confident in the 16 institutions this year than in the past. All three parties are less confident in the Presidency compared to 2021, as the poll shows at least a 10-point decline.
Independents’ confidence in the Presidency fell from 31 percent to 18 percent since the 2021 survey, as Democrats’ confidence in the Supreme Court went from 31 percent to 13 percent. Republicans’ confidence in the military dropped from 81 percent to 71 percent, and their confidence in the police dropped from 78 percent to 67 percent.
It is unclear why those institutions saw a drop in confidence; however, it’s likely the Supreme Court saw a drop in confidence from Democrats due to the abortion and gun rulings. Independents are usually the deciding vote in swing states, and as of now, they seem to have almost lost all confidence in Joe Biden due to various reasons.
Although some small businesses were decimated due to COVID-19 and the lockdowns, those surveyed from all three parties gave positive ratings to small businesses and the military.
There were 1,015 adults surveyed in the Gallup poll, and the survey was conducted from June 1 to June 20.
This is a grim poll for many institutions; it remains to be seen if they will work to regain the American people’s trust or continue on this same road.
Story cited here.
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