(Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

Nearly 8 in 10 Americans say they are dissatisfied and don’t trust the federal government, according to the latest survey from the Pew Research Center.

While political pundits say this could spell trouble for the Obama administration and fellow Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections, the Pew survey finds enough hostility and rancor to go around:

Favorable ratings for both major parties, as well as for Congress, have reached record lows while opposition to congressional incumbents, already approaching an all-time high, continues to climb.

The Tea Party movement, which has a small but fervent anti-government constituency, could be a wild card in this election. On one hand, its sympathizers are highly energized and inclined to vote Republican this fall. On the other, many Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say the Tea Party represents their point of view better than does the GOP.

Ironically, respondents who distrust their government also see an upside:

…despite the frustration most Americans feel with government, a majority of the public (56%) says that if they had a child just getting out of school they would like to see him or her pursue a career in government; and 70% say the government is a good place to work…

Wondering how you’d fare on the government-satisfaction survey? Take the online quiz to see how your responses compare with more than 2,500 other Americans.

The Pew Research Center also offers a fascinating interactive graphic of how trust in our government has shifted since the Eisenhower administration.