A recent Gallup report Trust in Federal Government Sinks to New Depths helped me confirm that I’m not alone in my feelings of despair in our federal government. I am much more encouraged by our local elected officials who have displayed some amazing leadership ability.

Americans’ trust in the federal government across the board is the lowest in Gallup’s records. Though trust has been declining for about two decades, this year saw sharper drops in trust in the federal government to handle international problems and in trust in the executive branch, sending both well below their prior lows.