FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 24, 2008
Contact: Sarah Howe
202-775-9111

NEW "IN THE PUBLIC WE TRUST" POLL SUGGESTS TIMING IS RIGHT TO RESTORE CONNECTION BETWEEN AMERICANS AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama has a rare opportunity to usher in a new era where Americans look to the federal government as part of the solution, not the problem. A new public opinion poll released today by Gallup and the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service identifies opportunities to renew the connection between the government and the public.

“Broad public support for our government has been lacking for decades, which diminishes government’s capacity to tackle our collective challenges,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “This research reveals a unique opportunity for President-elect Obama to dispel old clichés about government and restore the connection between the American people and their government.”

“Federal agencies have the opportunity to work on some key areas,” says Warren Wright, Managing Partner of Gallup’s Government Practice. “The public is paying attention, and we know the government's processes, portals, and interactions directly influence the perception of the American public. These essentially translate to the ‘how’ of what government does, and the public sees many areas for improvement.”

The Partnership for Public Service partnered with Gallup on the In the Public We Trust: Renewing the Connection between the Federal Government and the Public poll to examine the public’s attitudes toward government. The poll is part of the Partnership’s State of the Public Service initiative to gauge the health of the federal government.

While the survey confirms that most Americans continue to think poorly of their government in general, it shows there is a broad range of opportunities to dramatically shift public opinions of government. The potential to re-engage the public in transforming the government is rooted in six key findings from the new survey:

• Americans are paying attention. Prompted by the economic crisis and two wars, Americans are attuned to government and see its connection to their personal lives. Eighty-four percent of Americans claim to be paying close attention to what is happening in government, and 80 percent believe government has an impact on their lives.

• Experiences matter. Direct interactions with government move the needle of public opinion.Those who come into direct contact with the federal government are more likely to view that interaction favorably (32 percent) than unfavorably (18 percent). Additionally, those who have been satisfied with their contacts with federal agencies are three times more likely to give a positive performance rating to the federal government in general than are those who have been dissatisfied with their interactions (41 percent versus 14 percent).

• Technology enhances touch. The Internet is the public’s primary portal into federal government agencies. More than half of Americans have visited the Web site of a federal department or agency, with 38 percent having visited such a Web site in the past six months. Additionally, it’s not just young people driving this figure. In the past six months, sizable percentages across all age groups say they visited a federal Web site.

• Economic downturn = increased interest in government jobs. The downturn in the economy appears to be favorably impacting the way Americans think of government as a potential employer. Despite negative opinions about government performance on the whole, most Americans (53 percent) would recommend the federal government as an employer. The main reasons for encouraging the federal government as an employer are job security and benefits.

• Don’t forget the process. The new administration needs to think about HOW government gets things done. The president’s policy agenda can influence public attitudes toward government, but this new research suggests public views are strongly correlated to the way government does its job. Across the board, the public gives low ratings of the processes by which government operates (i.e., how government does its work). However, Americans consistently rate government performance higher when they believe government gets the process right—by spending money wisely, making decisions based on merit and not politics, hiring talented civil servants, and demonstrating strong leadership.

• Media matters. The media have tremendous power to move public opinion. The media are a key driver of public attitudes about government, particularly for those who have not had direct interactions. Nearly eight in 10 say they have seen news stories about the performance of federal agencies, but only 7 percent describe the coverage as positive. In addition, people who have seen positive stories about government in the press are twice as likely (45 percent to 22 percent) to give a positive performance rating for the federal government, than those seeing mostly negative stories.

This Gallup poll is part of the Partnership’s State of the Public Service project, which is based on the premise that good government starts with good people. The project will provide a report card on how well government is addressing the core components of an effective federal workforce: the right talent, workforce engagement, strong leadership, effective systems and structures, and public support.

This report is only a preliminary analysis of Gallup’s and the Partnership’s research for the State of the Public Service project. This is the first in a series of planned releases that will offer additional insights about public opinion of government. In particular, it will examine Americans views of specific federal agencies and about government’s top priorities. It will also dig deeper into early data discussed in this release. The full report will be released in 2009. After the release, the entire findings will be available upon request from the Partnership for Public Service.

The fact that this survey was conducted before the presidential election provides a baseline that will allow researchers to see how much the change in administrations moves the needle of public opinion.

The Partnership for Public Service works to revitalize the federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works. For more information, visit www.ourpublicservice.org.

The Gallup Organization has studied human nature and behavior for more than 70 years. Gallup’s reputation for delivering relevant, and visionary research on what people around the world think and feel is the cornerstone of the organization. Gallup employs many of the world’s leading scientists in management, economics, psychology, and sociology, and its consultants assist leaders in identifying and monitoring behavioral economic indicators worldwide. Gallup consultants also help organizations boost organic growth by increasing customer engagement and maximizing employee productivity through measurement tools, coursework and strategic advisory services. Gallup’s 2,000 professionals deliver services at client organizations, through the Web, at Gallup University’s campuses, and in 40 offices around the world. For more information, go to www.gallup.com.

Results for this study are based on a self-administered survey conducted via mail and Web with 2,808 adult members of the Gallup Panel, including 1,398 responses received via mail, and 1,410 received via Web. The Gallup Panel is a nationally representative multi-mode panel, whose members are recruited from a random digit dialing sampling frame and are then assigned to receive surveys either by mail or Internet (or phone), depending on Internet usage and willingness to provide an email address. Independent samples were pulled for mail and Web such that each would be nationally representative. Data were collected from September 26-October 14, 2008. Mail and Web data were combined and weighted to reflect population estimates from the Current Population Survey, March 2008. The margin of sampling error is +/-2.2 percent for the overall sample, and is larger for subgroups. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

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