Trends

Public trust in government has been on a roller coaster ride since Eisenhower where it was a high of 75%. It started down and reached a low point of 27% during the stagflation and deep recession of 1980 in the last year of the Carter administration. It was up and down until it peaked in 2001 at 55% just after 9/11. It has been trending down since then standing at an all time low of 20% today. Trust in the media has followed a similar path going from 76% in1975 to a low of 34% today. Since 1998 other values have changed. Here are the results of a recent survey in percentages showing the decline Having children 59% to 30% Patriotism 70% to 38% Community involvement 62% to 27% Religion 62% to 39% Money 31% to 43% Money is the only category that increased in importance