Posted on 12/18/2013 1:06:08 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
A record number of Americans think that “big government” is the biggest threat to the country, according to a new poll.
The Gallup survey released on Wednesday showed that 72 percent of people say that “big government” is a bigger threat to the country than “big labor” or “big business.”
That’s the highest percentage of Americans who have expressed the preference since the pollster began asking the question in 1965.
According to the poll, just 21 percent of Americans cite “big business” as the greatest threat to the country, and only 5 percent have concerns about “big labor.”
The recent wariness about the government could be partly due to troubles with the recent rollout of ObamaCare, as well as revelations about surveillance from the National Security Agency (NSA), Gallup noted.
Though Republicans have driven the recent trend and are more concerned about government overreach, they are not alone. The survey found that 56 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of independents also fear “big government.”
The new findings chart a steady increase in concern about the government over recent years, since a low point in 2001 that could be partly attributable to sentiments following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The size of the federal government has certainly grown in recent years.
Though there are only imperfect metrics of measuring the pace of regulatory activity at the federal government, most accounts show that federal power is increasing every year.
Fears about "big government" have always topped the poll since Gallup began asking the question nearly 50 years ago.
The previous high mark for Americans’ concerns about the federal government was in 1999 and 2000, when 65 percent of the public said they feared it more than labor or business.
The Gallup poll was conducted from Dec. 5 to 8 and was based on interviews with more than 1,000 people across the country.
Fine with me. And bring on some term limits too.
Government is the only entity that can legally use deadly force to impose its will on people.
Business cannot, without the assistance of government.
Labor unions DO, but cannot legally do so, but are often use violence to get their way because government allows it.
I saw some guy on the intenet say that “big money makes you fail”. Could never figure out if he actually believed it or was just trolling. I think Marx would agree with that statement.
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
(sigh).....well, then, QUIT ASKING IT TO DO STUFF FOR YOU!!!!!
Not only were they against shutting down the government, they accepted the blame.
If 72% believe government is too big and less than 50% support republicans, it shows me republicans are see as being for big government. And they are.
The people should be telling the government what to do; instead, the government is telling the people what to do. We need to turn this despotic situation around and fast.
Republicans love big government as much as Democrats. The only difference is that Dems are more open about it.
bttt
It’s going to be painful and it won’t happen overnight but I think we will get there. The founders foresaw this day and they had confidence that we would overcome. Look at the Tea Party. They exist only because of the founders ideas. All we really need is a megaphone.
At least that’s what I think :-)
From what I see in every day Americans, there is a record high number of them arming up. Come hell or high water they want to be ready.
Right. When did government become the master instead of the servant?
Impeachment File for the 2014 Impeachment of “B. Hussein Obama,” aka Barry Soetoro, a documented legal citizen of the Sovereign Nation of Indonesia.
________
Documentation File for the 2014 Impeachment of John Boehner for Dereliction of Congressional Duty by Speaker Boehner for failure to appoint a Special Investigator for repeated violations of the US Constitution by “B. Hussein Obama.”
Yet just eight years later, Americans elected the strongest proponent of big government in our nation's history. Remember when McCain accidentally called Obama, "Senator Government" during the 2008 debates?
What the hell is wrong with people?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.