Two thirds of U.S. citizens disappointed in government - poll

MOSCOW. October 27. KAZINFORM U.S. citizens' optimism in the country's system of government has dropped to the lowest point in 36 years, and the public's belief that America is the greatest nation on earth has decreased significantly over the past few decades, a survey conducted by ABC News and Yahoo News shows; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.

"These results... coming before next week's midterm elections, suggest that public disenchantment extends beyond its economic and political roots to broader questions about the country's governance and American exceptionalism," ABC News said on its website.

According to the poll, 75 percent of U.S. citizens believe that United States "the greatest country in the world," a 13-percent decrease from the 1984 level. About one quarter of those questioned (23 percent) said the United States used to be the greatest country "but isn't anymore," which is 9 percent up from 1984 polls, the U.S. broadcaster said.

"Back in 1974 - shortly after Richard Nixon's resignation in the Watergate scandal - 55 percent of Americans were optimistic about "our system of government and how well it works." Today, 33 percent say that, the lowest number in nearly a dozen measurements taken across the decades," the report said.

While optimism is down, pessimism among U.S. citizens remains almost the same: 20 percent are pessimistic about the government system, about the average over 36 years of polls, ABC News said.

The number of those saying they are "uncertain" about the U.S. system of government and how it is working has reached 46 percent, the polls indicated.

When asked what the problem was - the system itself, or the people in the government, a total of 74 percent answered "the people," with less than a quarter (24 percent) blaming the system.

This poll was conducted between October 13 and 20 and involved 1,025 adults selected randomly; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.

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