The dissatisfied public: What can Congress do?

Public dissatisfaction with the federal government is likely to play a prominent role in the 2020 elections, as it did in the election of Donald Trump and various outsider candidates in 2018. Populist candidates abroad have also ridden public dissatisfaction to victory, in some cases leading to increases in authoritarianism and raising questions about the future of democracy.

On January 30, the Program for Public Consultation at the University of Maryland released a series of in-depth studies of American voters that address public dissatisfaction with the federal government. The Governance Studies program at Brookings hosted an event to explore the results. Following a presentation of findings, a panel of experts explored broader questions of public dissatisfaction, including its causes, consequences for democracy, and potential remedies.

After the session, panelists answered questions from the audience.