How U.S. Public Opinion Has Changed in 20 Years of Our Surveys
We took a closer look at how Americans’ views and experiences have evolved on a variety of topics over the last 20 years.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Public trust in government remains low, as it has for much of the 21st century. Roughly two-in-ten Americans say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right “just about always” (2%) or “most of the time” (21%).
Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. By contrast, just 10% say they always or often feel hopeful about politics.
65% say most political candidates run for office “to serve their own personal interests.”