Down on government? You are not alone

The Gallup Poll has released a series of measures of public confidence in the federal government. Nearly all of them are at or near record lows, including 81% dissatisfied with the way the nation is governed, 15% approval of the way Congress is doing its job, and 49% who now feel that the federal government poses "an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens."

Gallup's bottom line: 

Americans' various ratings of political leadership in Washington add up to a profoundly negative review of government -- something that would seem unhealthy for the country to endure for an extended period. Nevertheless, with another budget showdown looking inevitable and a contentious presidential election year getting underway, it appears the ratings reviewed here could get worse before they improve.

So it appears that I am not the only "gloom and doomer" around here...