Poll: New low for government trust

[bhikkhu]

17. Good government begins with involvement, and high expectations

I don't know if trust is really a necessary component of either. I don't "trust" the police, for example, but I have respect for the people who do the job, and I have high expectations of them. Same goes for politicians. If you can't say what you want, the odds of getting it are slim. If you have no idea of what good government looks like (and that requires an educated perspective), the odds of getting it are slim.

I think that trust is harped on mostly by the right wing as a way of creating the malaise that discourages involvement, lowers expectations, and creates the sense of powerlessness that leads to low voter turn-outs, which leads directly to things like the republican majority in the house. The more they can fans the flames, the better their prospects.