Poll: Americans want government out of their lives
By Aaron Blake, Washington Post
Americans have a very special message for the federal government: Don’t tread on me.
That’s the takeaway from a new poll from the Pew Research Center in which, for the first time in at least the last two decades, a majority of Americans say Washington actually poses a threat to their “personal rights and freedoms.”
And it’s not just tea party supporters, Republicans and gun owners.
Nearly two-fifths of Democrats (38 percent) say the government is a threat to them personally, as do 45 percent of non-gun owners.
Overall, the percentage of Americans who view the federal government as a threat has increased from 36 percent in May 1995 to 53 percent today. It rose late in the 1990s and then dropped again after 9/11, down to 30 percent.
Today, most Americans now feel at least somewhat scared of what the government could do to them, and 31 percent see Washington as a “major threat.”
This is an important piece of data to keep in mind as Congress debates new gun legislation. While polls show broad support for expanding background checks and limiting the manufacture and sale of certain types of so-called assault weapons, the flip side of that is that many Americans are wary of their government going too far in restricting their constitutional rights — be it on guns or anything else.
And if gun rights supporters can convince the public (and members of Congress) that the legislation creates a too-powerful federal government that impinges on people’s rights and freedoms, they may help reverse their early deficit in the polls.
The American public is very receptive to such a message.
Laws that tell other people to do what I think they should do – Good. Laws that tell me to do what other people think I should do – Bad, very bad.
And yet American’s still reelected a President and a Senate that has given the government much more control over our lives, and is intent on continuing the trend. So what are we thinking?
Bad apple in every bushel, at least it isn’t a needle in a haystack, or is it?
The movement to sell American’s that Government knows best is slowly eroding the American culture. It begins in our education system where the majority of our educators back this philosophy that Government knows best and has a role in taking care of people. The family unit is also been on a decline which again has a negative effect on our country. The Government takes advantages of these facts and continually reaches deeper and deeper into our personal and financial lives. Turning this around is a simple matter of going back to the Constitution and document which stands for all time and one that the American people must insist be followed by our elected officials, including this President. It give’s me hope that this poll came out the way it did.
If you want “government” out of your life, move to some part of the world where tribal relations rule – try Somilia maybe? Just because the majority thinks something, doesnt make it true – which is why we are a representative democracy, a nation of laws, and have a constutution. Many of the founding fathers were just as fearful of the “tyranny of the masses” as of government overreach. It’s why we have three branches of government, each which will inherently represent different interests. It’s why it takes so long to get certain things done – which is how it should be!!! – bad ideas tend to fizzle if even idiots get to think about them for a while. If you drive on an interstate or state highway, eat food grown from a place that once had massive soil erosion or uses irrigation, use the internet or even your cell phone to tweet the world about your boring life, you are relying on government. So get real folks – yes there are dangers – certainly the idea that we can off suspected Al Queda that are US citizens (or even those that are not) without due process should be chilling to constitutionalists, but the irony is most of the folks that complain about the current administration somehow being authoritarian are okay with this! Oh and lets not forget which party we have to thank for shaping the “patriot act” and the beginning of this overreach to begin with.
I think “Reader” above hit it on the head. It’s all about me and we live in the “me” generation, what else could even come close to explaining something like Twitter! And it is impossible to escape the connection between the vitriol aimed at Obama and the color of his skin. As far as administrations go, thos one is pretty middle of the road – unless of course you think the doctor our health care system is going to help you pay for is Jospeph Mengele – get real folks! I think I am ready to puke!
Is it not ironic that those who warn of the threat from government are generally part of the government or want to be?
If we threw out 90% of the BS feel good laws that were enacted after 1985 we would be better off.
The 1984 clean air and water act was huge.
Just need a couple of laws for the new technology and call it done. Do we really need that much more supervision than our parents?
Why don’t we through out all the stupid goverment laws about real estate to on that other story!! Then the people that OWN that lot Mr . goodman sold cheap could do there constitutional rights free market rights and have the Freedom to build whatever they may so chose??
I have a feeling this is a situation where know the questions is far more important than in other polls. IF you ask… is there too much govt involment with your gun rights you will a certain group to say yes (for fun, let’s invent the number of 40%), if you ask should the govt restrict a woman’s right to choose you will get a different number (let’s invent 50%). If you have 20% who fall in both groups and deduct them you will end up with 32% and 40%, Added together they make 72%, when in fact in neither case did a majority feel the govt was encroaching. While I know the Pew statistic will hit the right wing entertainment industry in a nanosecond. I would love to see the detail to know if the headline is correct or pure bunk.
Typical, it’s all Bushes fault… and you tell us to get real. Sure.
Hey Boone, if the shoe fits! I mean even his own party basically disowned him.
Boone, ??? did not see where anyone blamed Bush, are you a little paranoid?
As for following the constitution. We currently follow the constitution – end of story. Whether you like the policies of this administration or the past ones, all presidents adhere to the constitution (at least eventually). The final arbiter of what is or is not constitutional is not you, me, congress, pundits, law professor, etc., but the rulings of the Supreme Court. Until such time they choose to hear a case and then act on said case, it is de-facto constitutional – at least that is what the constitution says. You do not have to like their rulings, or unwillingness to hear a case, but that is too bad.
Rick
Rick, I think Boone was referring to ljames sentence:
‘Oh and lets not forget which party we have to thank for shaping the “patriot act” and the beginning of this overreach to begin with.’
Thanks Biggerpicture.
I think whether folks like it or not, administrations from both parties have expanded governments roles in some key ways, including Reagan. What may surprise people is that Obama (according to an analysis conducted by that liberal rag Forbes magazine) has grown the gov more slowly then any administration since Eisenhower.
So while people like to complain about gov expanding, on the flip side, we demand that it expand. Republicans in several key states are attempting to severely hamper women’s access to birth control, abortion services and preventative health care access. So while some gun advocates revel at efforts to expand gun control measures to such things as universal background checks and some restrictions to certain types of guns and ammo (restrictions that even Scalia notes can be consistent with the 2nd Amendment), they have no problem trying to control a women’s crotch.
To say the least we are a bit schizophrenic.
Rick
Amen Rick! What I find interesting is how the GOP screams for less government, yet their agenda is ANYTHING but less government!