This op-ed by SPN Senior Messaging Strategist Erin Norman first published at the Washington Examiner.

Trust in government has fallen significantly worldwide since the early days of the pandemic. According to the new Edelman Trust Barometer , trust in government across the globe is down 13 points since May of 2020.

In America, the decline follows a much longer trendline. The Pew Research Center has data going back to the 1950s showing a consistent decline in trust in government, from 73% in 1958 to a dismal 24% in the spring of 2021. Gallup data also reveal a long-term steep decline in government trust at the federal level for both the executive and legislative branches.

When trust in government falls, there are real and serious consequences. Most people recognize lower trust in government makes it harder for us to solve our collective problems and destroys a sense of community.

Of particular importance right now, low trust in government affects views of federally controlled or funded agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These agencies require credibility to be effective in a crisis. My organization, the State Policy Network, has been tracking trust in a variety of institutions during the pandemic. We found that trust in the CDC has fallen from 60% in March 2020 to 41% in December 2021. Low trust in government also undermines faith in our processes and procedures that allow for peaceful transfer of power and acceptance of judicial rulings. While skepticism of government is a time-honored American tradition, too little confidence in our leaders will surely lead to ruin.

Read the full article.

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