On the very same day that the White House released the NSA review panel’s recommendations, Gallup published a poll showing nearly three-fourths of Americans stating that Big Government is the greatest threat to our country’s future. This is a record high for the ~50 years that the firm has been asking this question. Via Gallup:
Seventy-two percent of Americans say big government is a greater threat to the U.S. in the future than is big business or big labor[.] … The prior high for big government was 65% in 1999 and 2000. Big government has always topped big business and big labor, including in the initial asking in 1965, but just 35% named it at that time.
The latest update comes from a Dec. 5-8 poll. Gallup has documented a steady increase in concern about big government since 2009, rising from 55% in March 2009 to 64% in November 2011 and 72% today. This suggests that government policies specific to the period, such as the Affordable Care Act — perhaps coupled with recent revelations of government spying tactics by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden — may be factors.
Currently, 21% name big business as the greatest threat, while 5%, a record low, say big labor. The high point for big labor was 29% in 1965. No more than 11% of Americans have chosen big labor since 1995[.] …
The historical high choosing big business, 38%, came in 2002, after a series of corporate scandals rocked major corporations including Enron and Tyco. Also at that time, Americans may have been less willing to choose government given the rally in support for government institutions and officials after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Americans were also more likely to view big business as a big threat during the recent recession, with more than three in 10 choosing it in 2008 and 2009, a time when many large corporations, including financial and automotive companies, failed or were in danger of failing without government intervention. But fewer Americans now view big business as a threat — the current 21% is the lowest Gallup has measured since 1983.
Not surprising that people are concerned about the harmful consequences of a gargantuan government given the current political landscape. Rather the question is whether distrust in big government will continue to trend upwards — as it should.
