Dysfunction in Congress Contributes to Declining American Faith in Core Institutions

Recent polls present bleak outlook with over 50% of adults expressing little confidence in Congress, reflecting a wider mistrust in national institutions including the Supreme Court, Justice Department, and even organized religion.

• The dysfunction within the Republican party has been the main factor halting business in the U.S House while critical issues, like wars abroad and an impending budget crisis, linger.
• Both major parties are contributing to the negativity, with a federal case against Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez for bribery exacerbating the public's dim view.
• Polls indicate a profound distrust in key national institutions, extending beyond Congress to the courts, the Supreme Court, the Justice Department, organized religion, and banking.
• According to an AP-NORC Center poll, about 53% of adults have little to no confidence in those running Congress. Similarly, about 39% of adults lack trust in the executive branch, and approximately 36% and 33% have no faith in the conservative-majority Supreme Court and the Justice Department, respectively.
• David Bateman, an Associate Professor at Cornell University, highlighted that Trump's false claims about the 2020 elections and the GOP's support of these claims have significantly damaged trust in the country's institutions.

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