Americans Say Civility Has Worsened Under Trump; Trust In Institutions Down

[DonViejo]

Source: NPR




July 3, 20175:00 AM ET

JESSICA TAYLOR

As Americans prepare to celebrate the country's 241st birthday, they believe the overall tone and level of civility between Democrats and Republicans in the nation's capital has gotten worse since the election of President Trump last year, a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll finds. The same survey also shows distrust of many of the nation's fundamental democratic institutions amongst the public.

Seven in 10 Americans say the level of civility in Washington has gotten worse since President Trump was elected, while just 6 percent say the overall tone has improved. Twenty percent say it's stayed the same. For comparison, 35 percent in 2009 said civility in the country had declined in the U.S. following President Obama's election, per a Gallup survey. Eight years ago, 21 percent of Americans in that poll thought civility and the tone of discourse in the country had improved.

There's also little difference in Americans' views on civility and the level of discourse across partisan lines. Just over eight in 10 Democrats say it's gotten worse since Trump was elected, while 70 percent of independents say the same thing. Sixty-five percent of Republicans say civility between the GOP and Democrats has declined since November, with just 12 percent saying it has improved.

"Searching for consensus in Washington?" asks Lee Miringoff, director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. "There's strong consensus across the board that civility in Washington is on the outs."




Read more: http://www.npr.org/2017/07/03/535044005/americans-say-civility-has-worsened-under-trump-trust-in-institutions-down

[ck4829]

1. Good.

We talk about trust - Where's the trust of the American people FROM the institutions?

Americans voted for Hillary. Nah, let's go with the mystery box says the Electoral College that continues to disappoint.

People who aren't rich are worrying more and more about healthcare and money but let's not fret about it, because the rich are going to get another tax cut.

One party wants to erase liberals from the discourse and their buddies in the alt-right think The Purge is an instructional video.

So... Lack of civility and distrust, or are eyes simply being opened?

[summer_in_TX]

2. Nothing good about the deterioration of civility

Civility and manners allow people to get along. There's a direct correlation, IMO, between its erosion and increasing societal violence. It's a vicious cycle: the more incivility, the more anger. The more anger, the more incivility. A pressure cooker of anger building.

Workplace violence. School shootings. Road rage. Increasing hate crimes. And with the deteriorating sense of safety it seems we judge more, make less and less effort to listen or to give anyone else the benefit of the doubt, to extend a little grace that can help us work through issues and maybe, just maybe avoid more destructive violence.

One of my friends thinks we are headed toward civil war. His comment? Our side isn't as well-armed and it won't end well.