71 Percent Say U.S. Political System Is ‘Not Broken’ But Is ‘Being Abused’ by Selfish Politicians

An overwhelming majority of Americans, including voters from both major parties, believe the political system is being abused by legislators who have placed their personal interests ahead of the interests of others, according to a new poll.

The survey, released this month by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University for AmericasOne, found that 71 percent of U.S. adults agree with a statement that said the “political system is not broken” but is “being abused by people who are in politics for their own benefit or personal interests.” That same statement also said the system “still works, but it requires officials who will protect our freedoms by applying constitutional principles rather than changing the system to satisfy personal preferences or ideological ideals.”

A total of 70 percent of Democrats, 79 percent of Republicans and 71 percent of Independents agree with the statement.

Meanwhile, 70 percent of Americans agree that “many candidates say what you want to hear.” That statement drew approval from 71 percent of Democrats, 73 percent of Republicans and 72 percent of Independents.

Three-fourths of Americans (76 percent) believe that “individuals should have the rights and freedom to make legitimate choices rather than having the government make those choices for them.” That statement drew more than three-quarters of support from Democrats, Republicans and Independents.  

“Voters have lost confidence in national leaders, national parties, and national institutions,” said Marc Nuttle, founder of AmericasOne. “They have defaulted by instinct to the authority and structure of the nuclear family to determine positions on important and complicated issues. It is imperative they understand that not only is this okay, it is exactly what the Founding Fathers of our great republic intended.

“Americans can unite as one in the mutual respect of each other’s rights through their individual families to determine for themselves their course and particulars for their pursuit of happiness,” Nuttle added. “The re-emerging governing authority of the United States is American families, contributing to the collective national will for the definition of government policy. In this new ordained order, the acceptance of compromise at the ballot box can be realized through the exercise of democracy. And it is this new authority that elected officials and candidates for office must relate to and defer.”

Photo courtesy: Maria Oswalt/Unsplash

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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