A recent Gallup poll confirmed the continuation of a 30-year trend: The median voter believes in himself! The question:

More generally, how much trust and confidence do you have in the American people as a whole when it comes to making judgments under our democratic system about the issues facing our country — a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all?

The answers: “a great deal” – 17%; “a fair amount” – 53%; “not very much” – 27%; “none at all” – 4%.

On closer inspection, though, the fraction saying “not very much” or “none at all” has more than doubled since 1974, and gone up almost 50% in the last two years. A friend jokingly gives me the credit, but I have to think that the real reason is the Iraq War.

HT: John Samples