According to the survey, the economic downturn has led to an increased interest in government jobs. Over half of respondents said they would recommend the government as an employer because of job security and benefits.
The Partnership and Gallup concluded that the President’s policy and agenda can impact public attitude because views correlate to the way the government operates, whether that be spending money wisely, making merit based decisions over political ones, hiring talented civil servants and demonstrating strong leadership.
"Broad public support for our government has been lacking for decades, which diminishes government’s capacity to tackle our collective challenges," said the Partnership’s president and CEO, Max Stier.
"This research reveals a unique opportunity for President-elect Obama to dispel old clichés about government and restore the connection between the American people and their government," he added.
In another key finding, nearly 80 percent of respondents said they have seen news stories related to the performance of federal agencies, but just 7 percent said the coverage was positive. Respondents that said they have seen favorable coverage were twice as likely to have positive views of the government.
