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Abstract

The percentage of Americans who trust the government in Washington always or most of the time has been increasingly declining since the John F. Kennedy presidency in the early 1960s The reasons for this sharp downward bend are unclear. Americans do worry about political disagreement, which they see as an indication of an anomaly in the system. However, given the choice, they would rather concern themselves about nonpolitical issues. That factor has not stopped them from failing to trust their government. The expectations placed by Americans on their administration are excessively high. Thus, disappointment is inevitable. The declining trust exhibited by all Americans, regardless of their political views, party affiliations, age, gender, and race are equally evident across the board. Economic reasons, social and cultural elements, the polarization of American parties are all solid reasons to explore. However, in this paper the roots of American’s distrust for the government will be analyzed according to race.

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