Gov’t Fails Latest Test of Trust in Gulf (and Everywhere Else)

Don’t let the headline of the article fool you, this isn’t just about the oil spill.  This article is  about our trust (or lack thereof) in the government, and institutions as a whole (from the EPA, to McDonalds).  The only institution Americans seem to trust is the military- which 82% of respondents had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in.

The article raises several good points; and even though the results aren’t surprising, its rather depressing when you put it all together.  The question remains, how bad does it have to get before more people stand up?  People need to stand up not just to government; but to the banks, industries, and corporations that are the root of so many of the problems we see today (including many that the government is blamed for).  Yes, we have the Tea Party, but a majority of the country is still apathetic and/or ignorant when it comes to politics.  There are those few who stand up to the private sector, but without a strong voice or millions of dollars, it is difficult to capture the public’s attention.

We may not have confidence in all of the institutions around us, but what are we doing to fix it?  We elect our government- we chose who is in office.  We choose to spend our money indiscriminately.  How many of you, despite your outrage of the oil spill in the gulf, have actually boycotted BP?  We can’t expect the private sector to have morals and ethics if we aren’t involved and don’t hold them accountable financially.  If you don’t trust the government to handle the banks, insurance companies, oil industry, etc. then punish the companies yourselves by refusing to give them another dime.  And if your trust in government is really that low, then go vote and do your part.  Only 56.8% of Americans voted in 2008, but far more are unhappy with their elected officials.  Hell go one step further and run for office yourself.  You may not win, but you can make a point.