So Much for the Government Listening to the Citizens

[volinbham]

Americans Revert to Favoring Reduced Government Role

Bottom Line
More Americans typically prefer a limited government role to an active one, think there is too much rather than too little regulation of business and believe the government is too powerful. The COVID-19 situation and the Trump administration's response to it in 2020 may have briefly changed Americans' views on the proper government role, but whatever effect it had has now disappeared. That could reflect changing government policy on the issue as Biden has been more assertive in using government power to take steps to mitigate the spread of the disease than Trump did. For example, Biden has imposed face mask and vaccine mandates for situations in which his administration believes the federal government has the authority to do so. Those steps have been controversial, and the controversy might have swayed some people -- particularly independents -- into thinking such a strong government response is not ideal.

But the reversal in opinions on government activity also may simply reflect a return to normal attitudes, similar to what occurred after 9/11 when Americans at least briefly advocated for a more active government role to deal with a national challenge, before reverting to favoring a more limited approach.

 

[AshG]

Yep. I'm surprised the majority opinion was only 52%.

 

[McDad]

I am pessimistic this slim majority remains or grows.

 

[RockyTop85]

I am pessimistic this slim majority remains or grows.

I don’t even think it’s a real majority. In my experience, some people who say the government does too much in the abstract often contradict that view when it comes to specific government activities.

 

[LouderVol]

I don’t even think it’s a real majority. In my experience, some people who say the government does too much in the abstract often contradict that view when it comes to specific government activities.

Most people are socialist, just as long as it's their socialism.

 

[lawgator1]

Worthless commentary. The wisdom of regulation is not dependent on public opinion and such opinion varies enormously by subject matter.

Thread should he closed, OP beaten, and may God have mercy on his soul.

 

[NorthDallas40]

Worthless commentary. The wisdom of regulation is not dependent on public opinion and such opinion varies enormously by subject matter.

Thread should he closed, OP beaten, and may God have mercy on his soul.

 

[LouderVol]

Worthless commentary. The wisdom of regulation is not dependent on public opinion and such opinion varies enormously by subject matter.

Thread should he closed, OP beaten, and may God have mercy on his soul.

Where was this for Trump? You constantly parroted his low popularity.

 

[Pepe_Silvia]

Worthless commentary. The wisdom of regulation is not dependent on public opinion and such opinion varies enormously by subject matter.

Thread should he closed, OP beaten, and may God have mercy on his soul.

Ironic.

 

[lawgator1]

Where was this for Trump? You constantly parroted his low popularity.

Entirely different issue.

 

[LouderVol]

Entirely different issue.

Yeah, you typically couldnt even comment on his policies.

 

[SamRebel35]

Worthless commentary. The wisdom of regulation is not dependent on public opinion and such opinion varies enormously by subject matter.

Thread should he closed, OP beaten, and may God have mercy on his soul.

When said regulations pertain to mask mandates, vaccine mandates, lockdowns, and privacy (referring to Patriot Act) for the populace, it very much is dependent on public opinion, and should be. Of the people, By the people, and for the people. Remember?

 

[hndog609]

Most people are socialist, just as long as it's their socialism.

How we first laid it down helped slow the process but:

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy

 

[volinbham]

Worthless commentary. The wisdom of regulation is not dependent on public opinion and such opinion varies enormously by subject matter.

Thread should he closed, OP beaten, and may God have mercy on his soul.

Take it up with Gallup - they are the source. I guess they are idiots for evening tracking this for so long.

 

[lawgator1]

Yeah, you typically couldnt even comment on his policies.

You miss the point.

If you ask people in airport: "Do you think its a good idea for the government to have air traffic control and direct air traffic?" you will get 100 % yes answers.

If you ask people in the chik-fil-A drive through: "Do you think its a good idea for the government to have maximum amounts of salt that can go into a chik-fil-A sandwich?" you'll get maybe 10 % yes.

Do you doubt that? Of course not.

This tells us two things. First, you absolutely cannot use a general sentiment of "too much regulation" to assert that there is too much regulation. Its a false equivalency. Second, the answer is going to vary tremendously depending on what the individual respondent is thinking of when you ask about "regulation" -- air traffic control or salt?

 

[hUTch2002]

Worthless commentary. The wisdom of regulation is not dependent on public opinion and such opinion varies enormously by subject matter.

Thread should he closed, OP beaten, and may God have mercy on his soul.

If that were going to happen then you’d have had it happen to you long ago and many times over.

 

[hog88]

You miss the point.

If you ask people in airport: "Do you think its a good idea for the government to have air traffic control and direct air traffic?" you will get 100 % yes answers.

If you ask people in the chik-fil-A drive through: "Do you think its a good idea for the government to have maximum amounts of salt that can go into a chik-fil-A sandwich?" you'll get maybe 10 % yes.

Do you doubt that? Of course not.

This tells us two things. First, you absolutely cannot use a general sentiment of "too much regulation" to assert that there is too much regulation. Its a false equivalency. Second, the answer is going to vary tremendously depending on what the individual respondent is thinking of when you ask about "regulation" -- air traffic control or salt?

What if you believe the airlines should be providing ATC not the .gov and the government regulating salt in hate chicken is terrible?

 

[LouderVol]

You miss the point.

If you ask people in airport: "Do you think its a good idea for the government to have air traffic control and direct air traffic?" you will get 100 % yes answers.

If you ask people in the chik-fil-A drive through: "Do you think its a good idea for the government to have maximum amounts of salt that can go into a chik-fil-A sandwich?" you'll get maybe 10 % yes.

Do you doubt that? Of course not.

This tells us two things. First, you absolutely cannot use a general sentiment of "too much regulation" to assert that there is too much regulation. Its a false equivalency. Second, the answer is going to vary tremendously depending on what the individual respondent is thinking of when you ask about "regulation" -- air traffic control or salt?

So masks and vaccines are salt in this scenario?

When the mandate is wide spread like this yes you can pull general opinion. This isnt just flies. This is people who lived thru a year and half of this. They have watched the government slip and slide on the message, have watched mandates in other nations not have the desired impact, have watched Australia fine people, New Zealand lock down the entire island(s). They have watched their leaders who push the bs completely flaunt their own regulations. Rules for thee but not for me will not fly and definitely impact that should of regulations.

 

[lawgator1]

So masks and vaccines are salt in this scenario?

When the mandate is wide spread like this yes you can pull general opinion. This isnt just flies. This is people who lived thru a year and half of this. They have watched the government slip and slide on the message, have watched mandates in other nations not have the desired impact, have watched Australia fine people, New Zealand lock down the entire island(s). They have watched their leaders who push the bs completely flaunt their own regulations. Rules for thee but not for me will not fly and definitely impact that should of regulations.

I think if you asked if mask mandates are OK in a given scenario you'd get a soft ok by like 70 %. If you ask if vaccine mandates are ok you get maybe 50 % ok.


What does that tell you in terms of strong public policy? Nothing.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Has the government really ever listened to the citizens? I mean are we ever consulted when it comes to major things like spending bills? No. Tax hikes or cuts? No. Going to war? No.

 

[McDad]

I don’t even think it’s a real majority. In my experience, some people who say the government does too much in the abstract often contradict that view when it comes to specific government activities.

Inclined to agree based off my conversations with others.

 

[85SugarVol]

Worthless commentary. The wisdom of regulation is not dependent on public opinion and such opinion varies enormously by subject matter.

Thread should he closed, OP beaten, and may God have mercy on his soul.

This the precedent you want to set? Good luck.

 

[Orangeburst]

I don’t even think it’s a real majority. In my experience, some people who say the government does too much in the abstract often contradict that view when it comes to specific government activities.

What would those specifics be? Defense? Well that is like number 1 priority and has not increased at all or little compared to GDP or % of budget. Anything else? Unless you think conservatives value SS and Medicare.

 

[RockyTop85]

What would those specifics be? Defense? Well that is like number 1 priority and has not increased at all or little compared to GDP or % of budget. Anything else? Unless you think conservatives value SS and Medicare.

Fixing the supply chain problem, apparently.

 

[Orangeburst]

Fixing the supply chain problem, apparently.

What does that have to do with the budget or socialism ?