“People trust their peers much more than they trust their political leaders or news organizations.”

 
Uri Friedman, Atlantic

Public trust in the government has dropped to a historic low in the last two years, with less than 20% of the American people trusting Washington DC to do what is right even “most of the time,” according to Gallup. This lack of trust can have a real impact on the ability for governmental bodies to effect positive change in their communities: taxation for services, changes to infrastructure, and planning regulations are often met with hostility by a suspicious community.