Snipped from americablog.com.

I am always intrigued by the Pew Polling data because it gives a snapshot of where people’s opinions and views are concerning every aspect of the American political and social landscape. What has happened to our opinions of many trusted institutions such as the mainstream news media, the Supreme Court and Congress is very revealing about how Americans don’t trust them anymore. I can remember a time especially when Walter Cronkite delivered the news every evening, that I felt reassured and most definitely informed about what was truly going on in the world. But now, I don’t trust any of them and I’m not alone. You may be feeling the same way as what the polling data suggest.

What is the most compelling about the downward spiral of trust is that it coincides with Bush’s election in 2001. The data reveals a public fatigued and frustrated with the Republicans waste of unparalleled opportunity on the foreign stage, a never-ending and poorly executed Iraq War, endless infringements on civil liberties and rights and an escalation of blatant partisan politicization of government and the media.

When you look at the data, there is notably an erosion in the favorability of virtually every political and media institution in the U.S. with the Republican Party at the very bottom. People today are asking what has happened to my government? They are feeling more and more invisible to the process and powerless to do anything about it.

I know personally, when I write my Legislators about situations for which I am very passionate, I get a form letter in response, composed by staff and rubber stamped by their boss. My letter feels just about as powerful as a leaf falling from a tree. What we need today is change and I mean substantial change. The polling data show it and people are ready for it but I guess the question is..do we have a candidate or even an opposition party who can actually pull it off?

Here is a portion of the article that sheds a little light on the subject.

Notably, there is an erosion in the favorability of virtually every political and media institution in the United States, but the Republican Party is at the very bottom — lower than the press, the judges, the liberals, the Congress and all of its other Evil bogeymen. Yet the Democrats continue to give them whatever they want, dreadfully fearful of their great power and popularity.

To check out the polling data and read the full article click the image below.