Government structures and systems

Causes for the Public to Trust/Not Trust the Government

Trust in the Government

There are many reasons for civilians to trust the government. Examples include government agencies that were created or founded and exist to help people. The fact that they exist to benefit people is a reason we should trust the. Examples of reasons to trust the government include: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Each of these organizations works to benefit people. The FAA regulated the safety and training of airline personnel to ensure that corners are not cut and people's lives are safe. Case in point? Thomas Cloyd and Christopher Hughes, two pilots recently fired by the FAA for showing up to work drunk, which may have comprised the lives of hundreds of passengers (CNN, 2005). The SEC investigates stock trading to ensure no one corners the market. If American public utilizes for exampled were controlled by ENRON the entire nation would be at stake. Fortunately this isn't an issue. The EPA and FDA work to control air pollution and ensure food safety.

Distrust in the Government

There are of course many reasons not to trust the government. Case in point when the military goes bad. The recent abuse of Abu Ghraib prisoners caused citizens to question members of the militaries ethical practices (Christianity Today, 2004). One may also question Bush's incentives for attacking those in the Middle East to begin with. Weapons of mass destruction? Is this just a front for Bush carrying out his own personal vendettas against Hussein? And what of other government officials who have engaged in distrustful behaviors? Other examples include top officials in the White House and VP Dick Cheney's office who await criminal prosecution for their participation as whistleblowers (Lobe, 2005). Such circumstances suggest that the government may at best be dysfunctional and untrustworthy. Even during Clinton's regime and his accusations of infidelity citizens had reason to question the authority of the government. Even historical president's including Nixon had problems in the white house. Indeed there is much not to trust in the realm of politics, as much as there are agencies built around trust and support.