In God we trust, but in government not so much. According to a new poll from the Pew Research Center that the majority of Americans just do not trust the government. In 2017 elections, the polls show that only 19% of Americans trust the government most of the time, and the lowest it has been in around sixty years. Many Americans just distrust their government for many reasons. America has been through many crises, inside and out. Unfortunately, the lack of the politicians in resolving the country's problems has decreased the hopes of Americans in a brighter future and has led to unhealthy American society. Therefore, there is need to look into this problem of public mistrust in the government and give probable solutions that may help to raise public trust and confidence status towards the government.
The problem of distrust in the government is not a one-day attitude by the people. It is a culmination of series of events or occasions and evaluation of the government's work to the Americans. Trust has been falling for decades, with Donald Trump being an inheritor for the government's trust problem. According to the American National Election Studies (UNES), in the year 1964, over 75 percent of the Americans trusted the government in doing the right thing with that figure reducing up to 25 percent by 1996. Politicians conduct of corruption between 1958 and 1994 have been said to be a factor for the diminishing trust. Erosion of trust started with the escalation of the Vietnam War in the 1960s and continued with the worsening economic struggles and Watergate scandal in 1970s. Politics have also contributed to the reducing public trust when the politicians spell trouble for incumbents with the two parties (Republicans and the Democrats) trying to outdo each other. According to many pieces of literature, citizens' attitudes are a function of their values. Thus, it is either the citizens are expecting more, or the government has been performing poorly, or both.
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With only 19% of Americans who believe in the government, it means that the majority feel betrayed by how the political class operates. Indeed, it can be said that American voters choose their leaders according to their likability or connection to the candidates but not according to their values. Ironically, when politicians are in office, they are judged and evaluated according to performance. Thus, the quest of wanting to change the narrative of public distrust goes beyond changing policies. Instituting fairness across all citizens can be a significant step towards regaining trust in the government. This means that job opportunities and distribution of available resources are shared equitably without discrimination. Corruption characteristics such as extortion, the culture of bribery, favors among friends, and other unethical engagements downgrade fairness. Corruption being one of the factors that cause distrust, it can be a thing of the past if all people are treated fairly. Equal and fair government administration helps to improve confidence, productivity, and livability. People who are treated relatively can participate socially and economically to the community and to enhance growth and prosperity of the country. Thus, enabling fairness and equality in the arms of government can be a solution to the declining trust in the government.
Enhancing openness, accountability, and honesty to the citizens can bridge the widening gap of distrust. In matters of national security and defense and corruption allegations, the government should always come clear to its decisions to take actions. Those implicated in corruption claims should be made to follow the due process of the law without any compromise. Budget and actions accountability should be made a must thing, and the leaders who fail to account their expenditure should be prosecuted. State prosecution of those in power mostly fails, just because there lack the goodwill to arrest and jail the lawbreakers. The law mostly takes its course when a poor American without power is prosecuted. If this can change, it can alternatively revolutionize trust in government. Americans want to know the magnitude of the problems they confront. Hence honesty is essential. The government should be able to explain in details what they intend to do and why, and give citizens a chance to talk their mind. It is simpler for the people to handle the truth than battle a lie. Transparency should be the rule because feeding people with secrecy and lies promote distrust of the government.
Changing rules or policy or even electing new leaders will not rebuild trust in American government. The process will start with the electorates voting in politicians who stand for good values and overlook their political affiliation or connections with them. The manner in which the elected officials transact the business of the government, and their willingness to embrace openness, honesty, fairness, and accountability should be the determining factor in choosing the leaders. Failure of politicians to step up in the course towards revitalizing the diminishing public trust and confidence in the government is causing more harm than good. Lack of trust in the American government is more severe than politicians perceive it, one that requires a sophisticated strategy to resolve it. This calls for the leaders and their electorates to return to their fundamental values and characters to be able to solve the problem of trust in government.
