Survey says: too much government
October 31, 2006| By Nathaniel Ward
“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem,” President Ronald Reagan said in his first inaugural address. “Government is the problem.”
A quarter century later, a new poll from CNN finds that a solid majority of Americans continues to share the Gipper’s belief in limited government:
Queried about their views on the role of government, 54 percent of the 1,013 adults polled said they thought it was trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. Only 37 percent said they thought the government should do more to solve the country’s problems.
Many of our elected leaders continue to believe they can put personal political gain above principle and still remain in office. But this survey suggests that these politicians completely misunderstand the electorate: the people want less government interference in their lives, not more. Many self-described conservatives in Washington are expected to fare poorly in next week’s elections, perhaps because they did not take this lesson to heart.
No matter who prevails next Tuesday, The Heritage Foundation will continue to provide the principles, facts and sound analysis that conservatives need in Washington. As we enter this uncertain time, it’s important that as many people as possible stay informed on the issues.
That’s why I’m challenging each MyHeritage.org reader to sign up five new readers: your friends, family members, coworkers—even the liberal ones.
Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation.
