Political disillusionment is becoming a crisis of shared reality

It is hard to feel grounded in reality these days. Though Americans feel more divided than ever, one commonality grounds people across the political spectrum — deep distrust in fundamental institutions — including the U.S. government. Across a variety of issues, Americans, wherever they are on the the political spectrum, feel misled, manipulated or blatantly lied to. Trust in government has been on a continuous decline since the 1950s, when trust in government topped 70% amidst a post World War II economic boom. Decline has accelerated through the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War and conflicts in the Middle East, crashing to a low of 17% during the second Trump administration, according to Pew Research. Trust in institutions promotes a sense of safety among citizens and helps to sustain democratic practices, even if individuals are dissatisfied with specific party leaders or policies, according to The New York Times.

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