Zogby International: poll shows Americans have low regard for media, courts, gov

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" Zepp " <zepp

Wed, 24 May 2006 14:25:19 -0700

[Zepps_News] Zogby International: poll shows Americans have

low regard for media, courts, government AND corporations

 

 

 

 

http://zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1116

 

U.S. Public Widely Distrusts Its Leaders

 

Lichtman/Zogby Interactive poll: Gov't., corporate scandals damage

public trust in institutions at the bedrock of society.

 

As an increasing volume of news about political and corporate leaders

comes out of investigations and federal courthouses instead of

boardrooms and Capitol Hill hearing rooms, a new Lichtman/Zogby

Interactive poll confirms Americans are distrustful of leaders across

the societal spectrum.

 

Three out of four (75%) said they trust government less than they did

five years ago, just 5% said they think corporations do right by the

consumers they are in business to serve, and only 25% feel the

reporting

is fair and accurate in the newspapers they read or the nightly

broadcast network news they watch on television. Nearly 60% said they

believe the " state of honesty in America " today is in poor shape (18%

said it is in the worst possible shape).

 

The poll was commissioned by author and ethics specialist Jim Lichtman.

His latest book, What Do You Stand For?, is now available.

 

Overall, just 3% said they think Congress in general is trustworthy,

compared to 24% who said President Bush is trustworthy and 29% who said

they can put their faith in the national court system, the survey

shows.

Corporate leaders in America are nearly as widely distrusted as

Congress

– just 7% said they are trustworthy.

 

However, Americans do feel they can bank on the actions and words of

their friends and co–workers – 75% said the people they work with and

live near are trustworthy. Almost everyone (97%) said they consider

themselves to be trustworthy, and 85% said they think their personal

goals in life are less important than acting with honesty and

integrity.

 

How Americans rate the trustworthiness of select groups, with 5 being

most trustworthy and 1 being not at all trustworthy.

 

 

 

High (4+5)

Medium (3)

Low (1+2)

Not Sure

 

Friends and Co-Workers

75%

21%

4%

1%

 

Corporate Leaders

7%

23%

69%

1%

 

The Media

11%

31%

58%

 

 

––

 

The President

 

24%

7%

69%

 

 

––

 

The Courts

 

29%

38%

33%

1%

 

Congress

3%

20%

76%

 

––

 

In a wide–ranging survey of more than 8,000 respondents nationwide,

Americans were put to the test as to how they would react in a variety

of ethical circumstances, and they identified steps that could be taken

to improve integrity in the U.S. In the workplace, almost all (95%)

said

that " all employees should be held to the same ethical standards, " and

65% said the " virtue " should not be the only reward for doing the right

thing – that those who come forward with information regarding an

illegal or unethical act should be regarded in a similar manner to

those

people who meet a sales or other goal, the poll showed.

 

" In the last few years, we have seen an unsettling number of ethics

scandals involving corporate CEOs, politicians, athletes, and other

celebrities. The good news is that, for the most part, Americans would

seem to demonstrate honesty and integrity in their lives, " said

Lichtman. " When tested with eight, real–life narratives, more often

than

not, the majority chose to do the right thing. "

 

When asked " What 2 or 3 specific changes would have to take place in

order to improve your trust in government today? " , the top three called

for, " personnel changes/impeachment proceedings; curtail/eliminate

lobbying, minimize cronyism; and campaign finance reform. "

 

Americans also want to see their elected officials live up to their

responsibilities with greater transparency, less greed and

partisanship,

and a lot more honesty and integrity, the survey shows.

 

The survey was conducted April 18–24, 2006, and included 8,175 adults

online, including those panelists who have agreed to participate in

Zogby online polls. The margin of error is 1.1 percentage points.

 

Report available here

 

(5/23/2006)

 

 

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