Opportunity Lost: The Decline of Trust and Confidence in Government After September 11

According to a new survey by the Center for Public Service, the surge in public support of the federal government that followed September 11 has crested and fallen. In the past eight months, public trust in the federal government, elected officials, and government workers has declined dramatically and across the board.

The survey report will be released, and its findings discussed, on Thursday, May 30 at the Brookings Institution. Among the questions to be addressed are: Why was the “September 11 effect” on public attitudes toward government so temporary in nature? What is driving the decline in trust in government? And what, if anything, can be done to reverse this trend in declining confidence?