Survey: Most Americans believe government broken

[alp227]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- Americans overwhelmingly believe that the government is broken, according to a national poll released Sunday.

But the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey also indicates that the public overwhelmingly holds out hope that what's broken can be fixed.

Eighty-six percent of people questioned say that the system of government is broken, with 14 percent saying no.

Of the 86 percent, 81 percent say that the government can be fixed, but 5 percent say it's beyond repair.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/21/poll.broken.govt/index.html?hpt=T2

[Don Caballero]

1. How many of them are racists?

That is the real issue. They say the government is broken because an African American is in charge. It is just that simple.

[maseman]

2. Some are

But I think this number is veryhigh even before Obama.

[Don Caballero]

4. I would say the majority are racists

Those teabaggers who loved Bush throughout his reign over our country loved government until the day we elected President Obama.

[DJ13]

3. I think its more that nothing is being done to help average people

Its trillions to banks, and a deficit commission to reduce entitlements.

In a nut shell, the majority sees that DC remains beholden to the wealthy.

The race of the President isnt a major factor in feeling that way.

[earthside]

5. Oh, please.

The government is broken.

Barack Obama's race has little to do with that opinion for the vast majority of folks who feel that way ... including me.

A U.S. Senate that is now ruled by an extremist minority is broken.

A Treasury that bails out Goldman Sachs and AIG while we get crumbs is broken.

A government that doesn't end or renegotiate NAFTA and lets even more American jobs go to China and India is broken.

A Supreme Court that reaffirms 'personhood' on corporations and permits them unlimited campaign spending is broken.

A Pentagon and Commander-in-Chief who double-down in Afghanistan is broken.

The government is broken. Period.

[prolesunited]

6. I don't think that's the case for all

and much too simplistic of an answer

I really the the GOP's plan of "just say no" is paying off. They are obstructing any change and corrective action during a time when people definitely need a hand up and those who have reached some level of comfort are watching everything draining away.

People are hurting and the government is "broken" if it can't provide assistance and policy changes to help make things better.

I personally would say government is broken and I am an Obama supporter and have a multiracial family.

[movonne]

7. I really don't think it has anything to do with Obama....open your

eyes our system is broken and we have very little time to fix it...we the people have the desire to fix it but I'm not sure if our leaders will get it done..It was broken long before Obama came to office...

[leftstreet]

11. LOL n/t

[dorkulon]

12. That's kinda bullshit, friend.

I think most people on this board would agree "government is broken." Just because our guy's the president doesn't mean the government works.

[anonymous171]

16. No it's not the real issue. nt

[readmoreoften]

18. Oh yeah that makes sense.

:eyes:


"It's just that simple"

How could 50% of Americans vote for a Black president and 86% of Americans say the government is broken because the President is Black?

Maybe the fact that health care is broken, we're pissing money away in idiotic wars of expansion, and that corporations are considered people has something to do with it.

[girl gone mad]

19. Racism?

Are you for real?

Wake up.

[Taitertots]

20. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the Great Depression

And everything to do with racism against the black man we elected.:sarcasm:

If the government worked we would have:
A) Avoided economic collapse
B) Started to undue the damage

[Statistical]

21. You are sad. Not everything is racist this and racist that.

86% of Americans are racist towards the black President. PLEEEEAAZE.

[Edweird]

22. No, the real issue is that people are losing their jobs and homes.

The real issue is that the administration is willing to give trillions to the bankers that caused this in the first place.
The real issue is that people see NOTHING OF CONSEQUENCE being done to help them.

Those are the real issues.

[alp227]

23. What did you play the race card for?

I'm sure that plenty of people felt the same way during the GWB years, especially considering Bush's low approval ratings in his 2nd term. Oh yeah, don't forget Hurricane Katrina and the infamous saying by rapper Kanye West: "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Oops, did I slip into a hypocritical mode right here?

[SlingBlade]

8. Most Americans would be right. It's called, Bipartisanship !

[Warpy]

9. Oh, I don't think you can call it a belief since it's supported by fact

People see basic services being starved every day while they read about plutocrats with more wealth than some countries getting richer every year on the infrastructure they refuse to pay for. They see problems worsening and Congressmen preening and posturing on CSPAN, loyal to party and playing the gentelemen's club game with no loyalty to either the country or the people who put them into office. People aren't stupid, not collectively, and while they might be fooled for short periods of time, you can't fool them forever. They know damned full well the system is broken.

The problem is that the people who fooled them into voting for Reagan are trying to fool them again. Right now, they're having some success because they run the media. However, people are still more likely to believe their own eyes and the "closed" signs on the libraries and swimming pools than the ridiculous assertion that more tax cuts for billionaires will be the road to riches for all of us.

As conservatism continues to be proven a dismal failure, it's hard to say what will happen. Clearly, the disillusioned and desperate will be acting out more and more every day. Whether they force changes in government or simply a new era of vicious civil repression is anyone's guess at this point.

However, none of us particularly believes the government is broken. We know it is.

[OHdem10]

10. The problem with a question like this: every respondent probably

has a different idea of what is wrong. The response
certainly does not mean all Americans are in agreement
as to what is wrong and how to fix it.

To assume the Republicans can fix it is the worst of pipe
dreams.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. A corrupt oligarchy run by corporations and their lackies broken? Naww. Just needs tinkering.

Tinkering approved by the lobbyists, of course.

[timeforpeace]

14. Screaming racist! at everything is the new corollary to Godwin's Law.

[upi402]

15. Godwin's Law:

"As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches."

[timeforpeace]

17. Approaches 1, I believe is how it ends. Insert racist or racism for nazi these days. And it will

grow as we approach 2012.

[defendandprotect]

24. Corporations and corporatists broke it . . . as intended .. . blocking democracy ...