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Trust in Government

Graffiti with concerned face and the words "What Now?"

Trust in Government

Poll: One-Fifth of Americans Say Government Is Our Nation's Top Problem

Plus: Democrats doubt Harris' ability to win, an end to pandemic emergency status, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 1.31.2023 9:30 AM

Trust

Immigration

Does Immigration Undermine Social Trust? Does it Matter?

Cato Institute immigration policy expert Alex Nowrasteh dissects an important argument raised by restrictionist.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 12.21.2022 3:55 PM

Government trust survey results

Politics

Why Everything About Politics Sucks, in 1 Chart

Only 6 percent of Americans say the federal government is extremely "careful with taxpayer money," yet those same Americans consistently report that they want the government to do more.

Liz Wolfe | 6.10.2022 12:00 PM

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Congress

Banning Lawmakers From Trading Stocks Won't Fix Congress

But it will make the market worse.

Jennifer Schulp | 2.22.2022 4:10 PM

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Military

Public Confidence in the Military Is Slipping

The drop in public trust has finally come for the Pentagon too.

Natalie Dowzicky | 2.17.2022 1:10 PM

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Reason Roundup

Trust in Media and Elected Officials Near Record Lows in Gallup Poll

Plus: Google and YouTube will demonetize climate change denial content, Dems disagree over spending priorities, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 10.8.2021 9:30 AM

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Immigration

How Immigrants Make America Great Again (and Again and Again)

A new book documents that newcomers revitalize beliefs in hard work, property rights, and the rule of law.

Nick Gillespie | 12.21.2020 10:05 AM

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Coronavirus

Trump's Vaccine Cheerleading Is Undermining Public Trust in the Vaccines

Polls show a country increasingly leery of a politicized COVID-19 vaccine approval process.

Ronald Bailey | 9.25.2020 10:25 AM

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Vaccines

Why Americans Fear the COVID-19 Vaccine

Government failure eroded public trust. Fact-based persuasion and brutal honesty about scientific uncertainty are the only way to win it back.

Zach Weissmueller | 8.4.2020 12:20 PM

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Television

How Fox's 1997 Sunday Night Lineup Ate the Universe

Our reality is now Fox Mulder, Dale Gribble, Chief Wiggum, and a home movie of a guy getting hit in the groin.

Jesse Walker | 6.11.2020 8:30 AM

culture

Politics

No Adults in the Room: From Election to The Politician

What do hotly contested high school class presidency elections—set 20 years apart—teach us about our attitudes toward politics?

Sarah Skwire | 1.4.2020 6:00 AM

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Trust in Government

Government Employees Think People Hate Them. Increasingly, They're Right

Many arms of government are unpopular with large swathes of the American population.

J.D. Tuccille | 9.19.2019 11:20 AM

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Big Government

Everyone Agrees Government Is a Hot Mess. So Why Does It Keep Getting Bigger Anyway?

When libertarians dole out blame for the growth of government, perhaps we should take a look in the mirror.

Nick Gillespie | 3.9.2019 6:00 AM

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Trust in Government

Record Number of Americans Call Government Our Biggest Problem

The socialist wave may be more of a media-bubble thing than any sort of legitimate groundswell.

Nick Gillespie | 2.19.2019 5:05 PM

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China

New Chinese App Lets Users ID Debtors Lurking Nearby

How would you like it if nearby strangers could instantly access your credit score on their phones?

Ronald Bailey | 1.25.2019 3:45 PM

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Brett Kavanaugh

The Senate Needs to Hear Out Kavanaugh's Accuser

A fast-moving, public airing of the claims against Kavanaugh would serve the public interest-and could help restore trust in a battered institution.

Nick Gillespie | 9.17.2018 10:20 AM

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Roman Catholic

Why the Fading Credibility of Pope Francis Should Worry More than Just Catholics

Depletion of trust and confidence in public and private institutions is happening across the board and leads to more, not less, government.

Nick Gillespie | 8.28.2018 8:50 PM

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Donald Trump

Wait: The Government Is Incompetent, So We Want it To Do *More*?

The feds can't pass a budget or do much very well, yet a record level of Americans want it more involved in our lives. That's not as crazy as it seems.

Nick Gillespie | 2.6.2018 1:20 PM

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Donald Trump

Donald Trump, Lying, and Eroding Social Trust

Are presidential lies pushing us toward a low-trust society?

Ronald Bailey | 12.15.2017 5:05 PM

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Reasontv

Why Libertarians Should Want *More* Trust in Government

Paradoxically, government grows because of our lack of confidence in it.

Nick Gillespie and Todd Krainin | 8.28.2017 1:30 PM

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Donald Trump

That Moment Mitt Romney Realized He Wasn't Invited TO Dinner…

but that he WAS dinner.

Nick Gillespie | 11.30.2016 5:30 PM

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Reasontv

Economic Growth, Coherent Foreign Policy, Trust in Govt: What WON'T Be Settled Today

Whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump wins the election, massive challenges face the next president of the United States.

Nick Gillespie and Meredith Bragg | 11.8.2016 10:39 AM

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Trust in Government

Trust in Authority Is Declining—Thank Goodness

When institutional authority declines, social gains follow. Even if there's also a rise in weird beliefs.

Jesse Walker | 8.31.2016 4:45 PM

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Trust in Government

This Used To Be a Helluva High-Trust Country, But Our Leaders Are Destroying That

There's simply a huge cost when officials and politicians lie all the time.

Nick Gillespie | 5.23.2016 5:32 PM

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Politics

Only 1 in 4 Americans Trust the Federal Government 'Most of the Time'

That seems high, to be honest

J.D. Tuccille | 4.22.2015 2:01 PM

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Politics

What Do New Yorkers and Utahns Have in Common? Distrust of the Feds.

Mutual disdain for Washington, D.C. can bring us all together

J.D. Tuccille | 3.26.2015 10:56 AM

Politics

Loss of Trust in Government Leads to Power Swings

Americans have less faith than ever in government and politics, leading to volatility in congressional control.

Jason Keisling and Nick Gillespie | 12.3.2014 4:31 PM

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Politics

Suspicious Minds

The '70s saw a strange interplay of skepticism and nostalgia.

Jesse Walker | 11.27.2014 3:00 PM

Politics

Americans Distrust Government Too Much to Answer Census Questions, So Let's Threaten 'Em, Says Official

J.D. Tuccille | 10.13.2014 3:22 PM

Politics

Suspicious Minds in the 1970s

Rick Perlstein's new book shows the strange '70s interplay of skepticism and nostalgia.

Jesse Walker | 8.24.2014 10:00 AM

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Politics

Obama Goes on a Brief, Factually Inaccurate Rant About Russia

Zenon Evans | 8.4.2014 12:35 PM

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Culture

People 'Trust' Strangers Out of Respect, Moral Obligation, Not Perceived Trustworthiness

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 5.19.2014 3:00 PM

Politics

52 Percent Don't Trust Obama, 60 Percent Disapprove of Obama's Health Care Handling

Emily Ekins | 11.13.2013 9:12 AM

Politics

Introversion Isn't Obama's Problem, His Inability To Tell the Truth Is

Given the disaster his presidency has become, you can't blame the guy for wanting some alone time.

Gene Healy | 11.12.2013 12:00 PM

Politics

Poll: Americans Commit to Community Involvement Even as They Turn Against Government

J.D. Tuccille | 7.25.2013 7:46 PM

Politics

Americans Have More Faith in Charities Than Distrusted Government

Logically

Reason Staff | 7.25.2013 3:10 PM

Politics

What if Distrust in Government Breeds Demand for *More* Government? Nick Gillespie in Daily Beast

Nick Gillespie | 7.12.2013 10:06 AM

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Politics

Poll: Millennials Increasingly Distrust the Government

J.D. Tuccille | 5.2.2013 8:55 PM

Politics

Poll: Young Americans Distrust Government

The military is the only exception

Reason Staff | 5.2.2013 7:20 PM

Politics

Poll: Americans Don't Trust Government

But they still want free stuff

Reason Staff | 4.18.2013 5:10 PM

Politics

5 Unacknowledged, Unexpected, and Unavoidable Facts about Govt Spending and the Economy

Nick Gillespie and Todd Krainin | 4.11.2013 12:21 PM

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Politics

Less Than 3 in 10 Americans Trust Government

Emily Ekins | 3.12.2013 10:25 AM

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Politics

Less Than 3 in 10 Americans Trust Government

Emily Ekins | 3.12.2013 10:25 AM

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