Does the Political Class Care What You Think?
If you’ve wondered whether politicians really care what you think, there is now survey data showing that 68% of those recently surveyed and reported July 15 by Rasmussen Reports (TM) “believe the nation’s Political Class doesn’t “care what most Americans think.’ Only 15% believe the Political Class is interested in the views of those they are supposed to serve. Another 17% are not sure.”
According to Rasmussen Reports (TM), “Skepticism about the Political Class interest in voters is found across just about all demographic and partisan groups. However, self-identified liberals are evenly divided on the question. Eighty-eight percent (88%) of conservatives and 64% of moderates reject the notion that the Political Class cares.” They also add that:
“The perception that the Political Class doesn’t care what voters think helps explain much of the frustration displayed by those voters in recent years.”
In a separate report of responses, dated July 16, 2010, from what appears to be the same survey, Rasmussen Reports (TM) also found:
“Over the past couple of years, most Americans have opposed many initiatives of the Political Class including the bailouts of the financial and auto industries. Additionally, most voters still favor repeal of the national health care plan and overwhelmingly disagree with the Justice Department's decision to challenge Arizona's new immigration law in court.
“Fifty-five percent (55%) don’t even think most members of Congress pay all the taxes they owe.
“Voters are evenly divided over the notion that a group of people randomly selected from the phone book could do a better job than the current Congress.
“One reason for skepticism about the Political Class is that 70% believe Big Government and Big Business are on the same team working together against the rest of us.
No wonder the pollsters found that “just 23% of voters nationwide believe the federal government today has the consent of the governed.”