Americans’ Disillusion with Politics Deepening: Pew Report
Politicians and politics have always been a subject of dislike among Americans. However, a new Pew report reveals that our disillusionment is reaching new depths.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans according to the Pew Research Center frequently feel exhausted by our politics, while 55 percent admit to feeling angry most of the time. Less than 40 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of either the Republican or Democratic parties, with 28 percent expressing negative views about both. This is a significant increase from just 6 percent two decades ago.
The widespread cynicism and prevailing gloom in our society, where only 10 percent of voters feel hopeful, is entirely justified. This is exemplified by the recent vote-by-mail legislation signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul.
For an outsider, this expansion might appear as a rare moment of optimism. After all, it promises to make voting easier in a state known for its historically low turnout. Governor Hochul presented the bill as a necessary measure against the forces of evil, stating, “You can either be on the side of democracy or against democracy. That’s how you’ll be defined.”
Before you make a judgment on which side Governor Hochul stands, let’s consider that voting by mail was overwhelmingly rejected in a statewide referendum less than two years ago. When asked if New York’s constitution should be amended to allow no-excuse absentee mail voting, 55 percent of voters opposed the idea, compared to 45 percent in favor.
We can debate the merits of the expansion and whether New Yorkers were right in rejecting it. But what cannot be argued is that the voters democratically rejected the expansion, and overriding their decision is fundamentally undemocratic.
This may not fit the conventional definition of voter suppression, but it certainly suppresses the will of the voters.
However, most Democrats in the Legislature refuse to admit this fact. They argue that the new law pertains to early voting by mail, while the referendum was specifically about absentee balloting by mail. In truth, the distinction is purely rhetorical, as State Senator Mike Gianaris, the bill’s sponsor, openly acknowledged. “It’s a legal fine line, to be sure,” Gianaris told me in July, describing the argument as “technical.”
I appreciate his honesty, but it is clear that Democrats are fully aware that they are overturning the decision of New York voters, whom they believe made the wrong choice. It’s no wonder that voters are cynical, feeling unheard and doubting the significance of their ballots.
Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, immediately filed a lawsuit to block the law, arguing its unconstitutionality. They highlight how Democratic lawmakers themselves admitted the need for a constitutional amendment before expanding mail voting, saying, “The Legislature understood that it — like every other Legislature before it — would have to amend the Constitution before expanding mail voting,” according to the lawsuit.
And yet, the tune changed after the voters rejected it. Suddenly, it’s all about “democracy.” You can take the governor’s word for it.
During a recent press conference, Governor Hochul said that the legislation “showcases our commitment to one basic principle, and that is democracy.” She added, “The message is that people’s votes matter.”
Except, apparently, when it comes to the votes cast in the 2021 referendum.
Hochul also accused Republicans of opposing mail voting because they fear it will disadvantage their candidates. While this may be true, Democrats, in all likelihood, support the expansion because they believe it will benefit them. If the circumstances were different, they would take the opposite position. Parties are driven by self-interest, not principle.
None of this is particularly new, but it does shed light on why Americans are so disillusioned with politics and politicians.
In the Pew poll, only 16 percent of Americans believed that most elected officials seek office to serve the public, and a mere 22 percent thought that politicians genuinely seek to address the issues they claim to care about.
Such disillusionment, though understandable, is detrimental to democracy.
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