Americans significantly less confident in major US institutions than last year, Gallup poll shows
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Americans from both sides of the political aisle are less confident in major US institutions such as Congress and the Supreme Court than they were a year ago, a new poll from Gallup shows. Conducted between June 1-20, the poll showed significant drops in confidence for 11 of the 16 institutions tested and no increases for any of them.
Gallup reports that the Supreme Court and the Presidency saw the sharpest declines in confidence: confidence in the Supreme Court dropped 11 percentage points to 25%; confidence in the Presidency dropped 15% to 23%.
Confidence in Congress is at a low of 7%, and for the police, it is at a new low of 45%, the poll showed. Confidence in the church and organized religion stands at 31%, newspapers at 16%, and the criminal justice system 14%. Confidence in big tech companies is at a low of 26%.
“Americans’ confidence in institutions has been lacking for most of the past 15 years, but their trust in key institutions has hit a new low this year,” Gallup said.
“Notably, confidence in the major institutions of the federal government is at a low point, at a time when the president and Congress are struggling to address high inflation, record gas prices, increased crime, and gun violence, continued illegal immigration, and significant foreign policy challenges from Russia and China. Confidence in the Supreme Court had already dropped even before it overturned Roe v. Wade, though that ruling was expected after a draft opinion was leaked in May,” Gallup said.