Washington Policy Center: Americans say the federal government is too big and should be given more power, but there’s a catch …

By Donald Kimball

“People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis of proof but on the basis of what they find attractive.” French thinker Blaise Pascal voiced this bit of wisdom some 300 years ago, but modernity has vindicated his insight in a number of ways.

One fascinating example is a recent national poll of registered voters commissioned by State Policy Network (SPN). In it, respondents express conflicting views about the importance and effectiveness of local versus national government. The findings suggest that while Americans fundamentally distrust the federal government compared to local authorities, they will overwhelmingly vote to strengthen federal agencies to solve local issues.

When asked how much trust they had in the federal government, 51% answered that they did not trust it at all or had hardly any trust in it. Only 17% expressed a great deal of trust or complete trust in their federal government.

When asked the same question regarding state governments, 36% expressed no trust or hardly any trust while 26% expressed a great deal or complete trust. Local governments faired similarly, with 32% expressing no trust or hardly any and 25% expressing a great deal or complete trust in them.

The first category of questions shows the breakdown of trust: Only 49% of registered voters indicated any sense of trust in the federal government, with higher totals of 64% in state government and 68 % in city and local government. This is a reasonable skew, as the smaller and closer governments are to the public the more generally accountable they become.

Voters were also asked a series of questions pertaining to local government, with 84% agreeing that local participation is critical to maintaining the American system of government, 76% agreeing that the most meaningful change happens at the community and local level, and 61% agreeing that their politicians at the state and local level are more focused on getting things accomplished than national politicians.

Continuing this trend, 59% agreed that local elections have more impact on people’s lives than national elections, while 65% agreed that the federal government has too much control over our day-to-day lives.

Consistently and overwhelmingly, respondents affirmed the importance and effectiveness of local government and granted it a greater measure of confidence and trust than our distant federal government. But consistency is no guarantee in American politics or public opinion. Even after affirming a higher level of trust, effectiveness and importance of more local governments, a majority of respondents, 56%, still affirmed that, between the two choices, a strong federal government is the best way to solve our nation’s problems, rather than stronger local governments.

While there are certainly points to be made about the unique role the federal government plays in our nation, it is interesting to note how little faith people have in the institution they believe must be strengthened to fix problems (with a majority specifically critical of the scope of the federal government as already too big).

While the enormity of problems might tempt us to shift responsibility to a distant, large government, many Americans appear to recognize deep down that this is not an ideal solution. It’s crucial to re-engage citizens in caring about local governance, reinstating responsibility for problem-solving at the state, local and community levels.

Removing legal and regulatory barriers is a significant step in empowering individuals for change. Reinforcing transparency measures at every level of local governance is also key to enfranchising citizens in the decision-making process. Taking practical steps to match actions with internal beliefs about local change can catalyze permissionless innovation, a concept my colleague Todd Myers extensively and convincingly explores in the environmental sphere.

In navigating the paradox between stated preferences for federal solutions and the underlying belief in the efficacy of local governance, we ought to forge a path that aligns actions with convictions, fostering a renewed commitment to the idea that the strength of change lies fundamentally in the hands of local communities and by no coincidence, much closer to the eyes and ears of the people they serve.

Donald Kimball is the communications manager, free markets destroy lead and tech exchange editor at the Washington Policy Center.