GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
Despite the continuing controversy over whether and how the Congress should deal with impeachment charges against President Clinton, and how the President should be punished for his admittedly inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky, Americans continue to express high levels of confidence in all three branches of the federal government, as well as in state and local governments, in the news media, and in the men and women who hold public office. This reaction is much different from the reaction seen during the Watergate era, when President Nixon was forced to resign. At that time, public confidence in the federal government, especially the executive branch, dropped significantly.
According to a Gallup poll conducted after Christmas and before the New Year, 76% of all Americans hold either "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of confidence in the federal government in Washington to handle international problems, up from 63% a year ago. And 61% say they have a similarly high level of confidence in the government to handle domestic problems, up from 51% in mid-1997, but still nine points lower than in 1972.
Confidence in the executive branch of government is also high, at 63%, but is essentially unchanged from that expressed a year and a half ago, while confidence in the legislative branch has climbed by seven percentage points to 61%. Americans express their greatest confidence in the judicial branch, with 78% giving it a high rating, also up seven points from its mid-1997 percentage.
These high ratings may surprise some observers, who have argued that the impeachment of the president and the yearlong focus on charges against him have exacerbated a cycle of distrust toward the American political system. But the poll suggests that the past year's events have not led to an erosion of public confidence, and that the overall level of confidence and trust in the government is quite robust. If any change has occurred in the past year and a half, it has been in a positive direction.
It is true, however, that current trust in government is somewhat lower than it was in the years preceding the Watergate controversy, which led to the resignation of President Nixon. In 1972, when these readings were first taken, 73% of Americans held a high level of trust in the executive branch. Two years later, in the aftermath of the Watergate hearings and shortly before Nixon resigned, just 40% held a high level of trust in that branch. But trust rebounded quickly, reaching 58% in 1976, toward the end of Gerald Ford's brief tenure as president. Still, even today it is about ten percentage points lower than the pre-Watergate levels.
State and Local Governments Most Trusted
The most dramatic change over the past quarter of a century is
found in the public's currently high level of trust in state and
local governments. In 1972, 63% of Americans held a high level of
trust in both their state governments and their local governments.
During the Watergate crisis, trust in these governments increased
by several percentage points. And in the latest poll, about eight
in ten Americans express high trust in their state governments
(80%) and in their local governments (77%).
The Media Thrived During Watergate, But Trust Declined
Later
During the three readings of public confidence in the news media in
the 1970s, about seven in ten Americans expressed a high level of
confidence that the news was reported accurately and fairly. But by
the next reading in mid-1997, some two decades later, barely half
-- 53% -- of Americans held that level of confidence in the news
media. Current poll results show about the same level of
confidence, at 55%. It was apparently not Watergate, but events
since then that have led to the somewhat lower ratings for the
media.
Little Change in Ratings of Political Leaders
The three polls in the 1970s, as well as the two polls in the
1990s, all suggest that the American public holds a surprisingly
high and consistent level of trust and confidence in those who
commit themselves to public office. In the 1970s, between 64% and
68% held a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in "men and
women in political life in this country who either hold or are
running for public office." In mid-1997, the percentage had dropped
somewhat, to 57%, but in the current poll, trust has climbed back
to 63%.
Survey Methods
The results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly
selected national sample of 1,005 adults, 18 years and older,
conducted December 28-29, 1998. For results based on this sample,
one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error
attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus
3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question
wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can
introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion
polls.
Now I'd like to ask you several questions about our governmental system. First, how much trust and confidence do you have in our federal government in Washington when it comes to handling [READ A] -- a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all? Next, how about when it comes to handling [READ B]?
| Great Deal | Fair Amount | Not Very Much | Not At All | No Opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. International problems | |||||
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 22% | 54% | 18% | 5% | 1% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 10% | 53% | 23% | 7% | 4% |
| 76 Jun | 8% | 48% | 33% | 7% | 4% |
| 74 Apr | 24% | 49% | 18% | 4% | 3% |
| 72 May | 20% | 55% | 20% | 2% | 4% |
| B. Domestic problems | |||||
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 9% | 52% | 30% | 7% | 2% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 6% | 45% | 36% | 11% | 2% |
| 76 Jun | 5% | 44% | 42% | 7% | 3% |
| 74 Apr | 9% | 42% | 36% | 8% | 4% |
| 72 May | 11% | 59% | 26% | 3% | 2% |
As you know, our federal government is made up of three branches: an Executive branch, headed by the President: a Judicial branch, headed by the U.S. Supreme Court: and a Legislative branch, made up of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. First, let me ask you how much trust and confidence you have at this time in [READ A-C] -- a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all? How about...
| Great Deal | Fair Amount | Not Very Much | Not At All | No Opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. The Executive branch headed by the President | |||||
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 24% | 39% | 23% | 12% | 2% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 13% | 49% | 27% | 9% | 2% |
| 76 Jun | 13% | 45% | 30% | 9% | 4% |
| 74 Apr | 12% | 28% | 36% | 20% | 3% |
| 72 May | 24% | 49% | 20% | 4% | 2% |
| B. The Judicial branch, consisting of the U.S. Supreme Court | |||||
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 27% | 51% | 16% | 4% | 2% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 19% | 52% | 22% | 5% | 2% |
| 76 Jun | 16% | 47% | 26% | 6% | 4% |
| 74 Apr | 17% | 54% | 20% | 5% | 5% |
| 72 May | 17% | 49% | 24% | 7% | 4% |
| C. The Legislative branch, consisting of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives | |||||
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 13% | 48% | 30% | 7% | 2% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 6% | 48% | 36% | 8% | 2% |
| 76 Jun | 9% | 52% | 31% | 6% | 4% |
| 74 Apr | 13% | 55% | 24% | 4% | 4% |
| 72 May | 13% | 58% | 22% | 3% | 3% |
How much trust and confidence do you have in the government of the state where you live when it comes to handling state problems -- a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all?
| Great Deal | Fair Amount | Not Very Much | Not At All | No Opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 29% | 51% | 15% | 4% | 1% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 18% | 50% | 25% | 6% | 1% |
| 76 Jun | 13% | 59% | 19% | 7% | 2% |
| 74 Apr | 16% | 59% | 17% | 3% | 4% |
| 72 May | 15% | 48% | 27% | 6% | 3% |
And how much trust and confidence do you have in the local governments in the area where you live when it comes to handling local problems -- a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all?
| Great Deal | Fair Amount | Not Very Much | Not At All | No Opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 23% | 54% | 16% | 5% | 2% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 21% | 48% | 21% | 7% | 2% |
| 76 Jun | 13% | 52% | 23% | 9% | 3% |
| 74 Apr | 16% | 55% | 16% | 8% | 5% |
| 72 May | 12% | 51% | 26% | 7% | 4% |
In general, how much trust and confidence do you have in the mass media -- such as newspapers, T.V., and radio -- when it comes to reporting the news fully, accurately, and fairly -- a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all?
| Great Deal | Fair Amount | Not Very Much | Not At All | No Opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 11% | 44% | 35% | 9% | 1% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 10% | 43% | 31% | 15% | 1% |
| 76 Jun | 18% | 54% | 22% | 4% | 2% |
| 74 Apr | 21% | 48% | 21% | 8% | 2% |
| 72 May | 18% | 50% | 24% | 6% | 2% |
Finally, how much trust and confidence do you have in general in men and women in political life in this country who either hold or are running for public office -- a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all?
| Great Deal | Fair Amount | Not Very Much | Not At All | No Opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 Dec 28-29 | 7% | 56% | 31% | 4% | 2% |
| 97 May 30-Jun 1 | 5% | 52% | 37% | 5% | 1% |
| 76 Jun | 6% | 58% | 28% | 4% | 4% |
| 74 Apr | 7% | 61% | 24% | 4% | 4% |
| 72 May | 7% | 58% | 27% | 5% | 2% |
NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding error
