Can The Government Be Trusted?

By Alyssa Tompkins

I’m asking the age old question once again: can the government be trusted?

My feelings are pretty ambiguous, but I'll give it my best shot, because I myself want some form of an answer.

So, here we go. According to yahooanswers. com, "Government should never be trusted. No one's government, at any time. It is a necessary element for large societies to function, but it is an unfortunate necessity." Thanks, Yahoo.

Now onto more credible sources (not that yahoo isn't credible, but yeahhh, they're not). According to the New York Times Democrats have higher confidence in the government when their candidate is in office, and this is also true for Republicans when their party is in power. Those who ideologically identify as Independent usually reflect the views of the party who is not the majority. Now, I am not saying I nor the New York Times know best, but I do feel that this showcases America's trust in the government. It makes sense though: you trust the officials that you feel align with your own ideologies more. For example, I don't fully trust the current Trump Administration. This is not necessarily because I identify as Liberal, but because of who is in the administration and who everyone is around them.

As a female, I do not trust the Trump Administration on their work-- or lack of-- towards female empowerment. Birth control is not to be spoken about, in my mind, by men who are not educated on the female reproduction. Rape as well (President Trump's forever remembered quote) is not something I want a man to have full decision about (I know these are not examples from this administration era, but they should still be known about). Furthermore, I do not appreciate this administration because of one simple thing: I do not respect an opinion that does not support someone else's existence. You either try to understand the world and its inhabitants and respect the things you learn, or you keep your mouth shut until you can learn to appreciate the things you did not previously know. No one is immune to having thoughts that may undermine others, but please don't do what this administration is doing and voice them before you know what you are using your power to say.

Now that I've wrapped up that side tangent, let's get back to business. The Washington Post agrees with what The New York Times says about the party in power determining the trust in the government. That being said, I do have a slight trust in the government for only one reason: profit. Trump in his past has proven time and time again to be monetarily driven. My theory is that Trump will try (not try his best, but something) to not run the economy into the ground. If he wants to maintain his own growing fortune he will need to be sure he does not ruin the country.

Yet, with my theory in mind, I have to explain one more thing which traces back around to why I do not trust the Trump Administration. Money drives him, not people. Michael Cohen proved this when he admitted that Trump paid off Stormy Daniels to protect his campaign. Lying to the American people demonstrates that Trump does not care about how people see him, or about the people at all.

Trump has cut a deep divide into the country and has made no visible steps toward healing that rift. In fact, his Twitter rants seem to only deepen the divide further. Those who trust the government relish in such minute-to-minute updates that Twitter provides. But others, like me, don't enjoy the access to the citizens that the platform specializes provides this administration. I personally am old fashioned in my beliefs that the President should know and be able to back up what they say to the nation, not just spout off random and illegitimate messages whenever convenient.

So, in a very round about way I answered the question. The government, in theory, should be trusted, but is not always. People trust the government when their favored political party is in power, and don't when the other party is in control. But, your own personal beliefs also influence your trust, whether your party is in power or not.