Americans remain deeply distrustful of, dissatisfied with US government: Pew

NEW YORK - Just 20 percent of the Americans say they trust the government in Washington, DC to do the right thing just about always or most of the time, a sentiment that has changed very little since former US President George W. Bush's second term in office, said Pew Research Center on Monday.

"The public's criticisms of the federal government are many and varied," said the nonpartisan American think tank in a report of its recent survey results.

Just 6 percent say the phrase "careful with taxpayer money" describes the federal government extremely or very well; another 21 percent say this describes the government somewhat well. A comparably small share (only 8 percent) describes the government as being responsive to the needs of ordinary Americans.

Only about a quarter of Americans say the government has done a good job managing the immigration system and helping people get out of poverty. The share giving the government a positive rating for strengthening the economy has declined 17 percentage points since 2020, from 54 percent to 37 percent.

In addition, "majorities of Americans say the federal government does too little to address issues affecting several groups, including lower- and middle-income people, (and) retirees," added the center.