NPR’s Don Gonyea writes:
Recent polls show that many Americans distrust the federal government — a viewpoint that is especially common among conservatives. To many conservatives, the poll results mean that the broader public is coming around to their viewpoint — and giving them political momentum.
The Pew Research Center poll puts overall trust in Washington and the federal government at 22 percent. Break it down to Republicans only, and the number drops to 12 percent.
[...]
It’s the activist approach to government by the Obama White House and the Democratic-controlled Congress that stirs up the current level of conservative animosity.
And that’s helping to energize Republicans looking to make big gains in this year’s midterm elections.
Conservatives rejoicing at the widespread distrust of government should remember that if they take back the House, or the Senate or even the White House, then they will be the government. And in the absence of a stronger economy and lower unemployment, the public will hate them too. There’s a strong chance that Republicans will ride the wind of public discontent to electoral victory, and be promptly be confronted with an electorate that wants to kick them out too.
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