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Home Front: Politix

Survey: Most Americans believe government broken

2010-02-24

Americans overwhelmingly believe that the government is broken, according to a national poll released Sunday.

But the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey also indicates that the public overwhelmingly holds out hope that what's broken can be fixed.

Eighty-six percent of people questioned say that the system of government is broken, with 14 percent saying no.

Of the 86 percent, 81 percent say that the government can be fixed, but 5 percent say it's beyond repair.

The percentage of Americans who believe the government is broken has increased by eight points since 2006.

"That increase is highest among higher-income Americans and people who live in rural areas," said Keating Holland, CNN polling director. "Maybe it's just a coincidence, but those are the groups that make up the bulk of the Tea Party activists today."

The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted February 12-15, with 1,023 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Posted by:gorb

#2 It only takes a brief look at the fiasco ' corruption and mismanagement going on in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to realize how broken and uncaring US government is !
What was only fifteen years ago a fantastic government institution supporting innovation and protecting the rights of small inventors and bussinesses (the main dynamo behind American innovation, economy and job creation) to being the lapdog eating scrapes off the hand of big corporations and corrupt congressmen.
Somehow Americans have lost their healthy instincts that made them a great power of the past. A Government that cannot see how its organs are being mangled and destroyed for the sake of a few selfish dollar driven individuals is indeed broken.

Posted by: Elder of Zion 2010-02-24 12:04

#1 Is there any surprise at the high negative response to this bogus poll? Often surveys are forced to use vague terminology. Sometimes the questions are phrased to elicit the maximum input from respondents. And, as in this case, sometimes polls are specifically created with an agenda in mind.

First, in this context, what exactly are the definitions of broken or fixed? Of course the answers are whatever definition the respondent wants to project.

Next, what is the definition system [of government]? Is it representative democracy, the predominantly bicameral process, political posturing, or maybe a set of parliamentary rules? Or is it, again, whatever definition the respondent wants to project.

Finally, what is the definition government? Which do they mean; local, state, federal, or all of the above? Which branch of government do they mean: legislative, executive, judicial, or all of the above? Does this also include government agencies and organizations such as the IRS and the Post Office? Is this strictly civilian or does it include the military? Does this refer to only elected officials or does it also include people that are appointed to their positions? Again, its whatever definition the respondent wants to project.

One can only speculate on CNNs motivation. Perhaps asking such a spurious question is a political calculation. Maybe its to advance he White House narrative of gridlock? Then again, CNN is broadcasting a weeklong segment titled Broken Government. Perhaps, a good guess may be that CNN is a cluster-fuck of shameless whores that will dispense with any and all shreds of integrity in the hopes of bolstering their rancid ratings.

Posted by: DepotGuy 2010-02-24 11:30

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