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Skepticism is the lens through which many Americans now view their elected officials.
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A recent study conducted by the conservative-libertarian non-profit FreedomWorks finds interesting statistics on voters’ suspicions that cross party lines.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, 70 percent of Republican respondents believe the abuses of power within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) were deliberately conducted against conservative groups. Many are also wary of the National Security Administration, whose massive domestic surveillance program under the Obama Administration has sent shock waves throughout the country.
However, Republicans’ skepticism is not limited to the opposing party. 41 percent of respondents who identified as Republican said they trust neither party. They also voiced criticism of their own party leadership and its ability to choose candidates. They prefer backing candidates with “stronger conservative principles” over ones whom establishment voices assure “can win.”
But, with the deteriorating trust in the GOP’s old guard, where do “conservative principles” lie?
While traditional values and strong national defense have long been rallying cries for the right, promoting them is now an interest of only 27 and 18 percent, respectively. Perhaps due to the aggressive IRS and NSA, 40 percent of Republicans are more interested in he advancement of “individual freedom through lower taxes and reducing the size and scope of government.”
Economist and president of FreedomWorks, Matt Kibbe, voiced a possible explanation:
“We are seeing a realignment of the GOP, and a return to the fiscal policy priorities that fueled the last Republican midterm sweep. It’s 2009 all over again, only this time combined with a growing distrust of an executive branch plagued with scandal. Between the debt, unemployment, Syria, constant budgetary trickery and GOP reluctance to take a bold stance on defunding Obamacare, a perfect storm is brewing for a referendum on the unchecked authority and arrogance of big government in 2014.”
The left is experiencing a similar situation. African Americans, who have been a stronghold of the Democratic party, may be reconsidering how much faith they put in government to achieve their ends.
Although black voters have a disproportionately high approval rating of Obama (73 percent compared to 41 percent), they feel more disenchanted with his party. Nearly a third of black voters feel that the Democratic Party takes them for granted. Another 36 percent do not trust either party.
Even five years under the first black president’s charge, black voters are skeptical of the advances that society has made toward achieving Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of one’s character mattering more than one’s skin color. Although 43 percent of young (18-24) black voters believe “a lot” of progress has been made, another 43 percent believe there has been only “a little” progress. Furthermore, only 1 percent believes the dream has been achieved.
With data that crosses party lines and shows that a whopping 61 percent of Americans believe the “economic policies coming out of Washington” are “hurting” rather than “helping,” perhaps Republicans and Democrats can come together and find common ground in their distrust of Washington.
Zenon Evans is currently an intern at Reason. Follow him on Twitter @ZenonEvans.
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