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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    American 'Distrust, Discontent' toward Government

    A BBC World Service poll shows America's influence in the world as positive for the first time since 2005. President Obama is getting the credit. But in the US, pollsters are finding the highest level of distrust in Washington in 50 years. Is Obama getting the blame? Almost 80% of Americans say they don't trust Washington to do what is right.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    A BBC World Service poll shows America's influence in the world as positive for the first time since 2005. President Obama is getting the credit. But in the US, pollsters are finding the highest level of distrust in Washington in 50 years. Is Obama getting the blame? Almost 80% of Americans say they don't trust Washington to do what is right. Just 22% says it's right "most of the time." Since the second term of Dwight Eisenhower in 1958, confidence in the federal government has been on the decline. Andrew Kohut is President of the Pew Research Center.

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Darrell Satzman

      Producer

    • KCRW placeholder

      Karen Radziner

      Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?

    • KCRW placeholder

      Andrew Kohut

      Pew Research Center

      NewsNationalPolitics
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