Burning Question: Is government broken, and can it be fixed?

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Over at GovLoop, they're having a discussion (you need to be signed up for the site to see it) about a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey showing that 86 percent of Americans think government is "broken."

The perhaps more surprising finding is that 81 percent of respondents think it can be fixed. Only 5 percent think government is beyond repair.

Of course, when people make these kind of assessments, they're usually rating politicians, not the civil service. Many people's view of government is based on the politicians they see arguing on the he-said, she-said cable news shows. And at the same time, any assessments of government's performance tend to be closely correlated with the economic situation in the country.

Not surprised by the 86% - but by the 81%
(GovLoop)

Burning Question is a recurring feature that looks at key issues and compelling stories being explored at other publications and social media sites covering the federal government.

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