Thursday, September 29th, 2011 12:11:48

Needling Politicians Back, the Power of the Pen

Are you frustrated with the American government? If so, then you are not alone. According to Gallup’s annual governance survey, you have more company than usual. “A record-high 81 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the way the country is being governed,” said the poll, which was released Monday.

This dissatisfaction is apparent in both parties, but more pronounced for Republicans, with Gallup noting “majorities of Democrats (65 percent) and Republicans (92 percent) are dissatisfied with the nation’s governance.” The difference between the two parties’ level of discontent might be explained by the fact that Democrats hold both the White House and the Senate, while Republicans control only the House of Representatives.

It’s not just that we are disgruntled with our government — we also have very little confidence in our government’s ability to get its work done. According to Gallup, “57 percent have little or no confidence in the federal government to solve domestic problems.”