Ben Franklin once said that nothing in life is certain, but death and taxes.
In an open-ended question, respondents to our new national survey said:
“I find it as a game; how to get the largest refund legally.” or
“It’s very complicated and it doesn’t need to be complicated.”
Take a look at our report on how Americans feel about doing their taxes and our interactive to scroll through reactions from lovers and haters of the yearly ritual.
![The percentage saying the U.S. has achieved its goals in Iraq has declined among all partisan groups since November 2011, and opinion among Republicans stands at a record low.
[A Decade Later, Iraq War Divides the Public]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/29958c999735e769c6c4415d6369ab41/tumblr_mjvi22A3Ev1qgnlebo1_400.png)
The percentage saying the U.S. has achieved its goals in Iraq has declined among all partisan groups since November 2011, and opinion among Republicans stands at a record low.
For the past seven years, no more than about 3-in-10 Americans have said they trust the federal government to do the right thing always or most of the time.
Hint: It’s one of ours.
via Wonkblog.
Change over time in Americans’ preferences for increasing or decreasing spending on various programs. The long-term trend over the past quarter-century is, for the most part, away from spending growth.
Our interactive graph charts trust in government since Eisenhower’s presidency. Hover over the different circles to see notable events in history that may have influenced levels of trust and distrust.
Just released: Explore our updated interactive on public trust in government from 1958-2013. Trust has remained at low levels for the past seven years, a period covering the final two years of the Bush administration and Obama’s entire presidency.
Nearly six-in-ten Americans (57%) say government has a responsibility to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves. Do these views vary depending on whether the respondent has personally benefited from a government entitlement program? According to our new report, these data suggest the answer is yes.
Judy Woodruff speaks with Andrew Kohut, President of the Pew Research Center, on the PBS NewsHour last night about the just released 2012 American Values Survey, looking at 25 years of American values and beliefs. The partisan divide has reached a new high. Read the report.
Just a third of Americans have a favorable opinion of the federal government, the lowest positive rating in 15 years. Yet opinions about state and local governments remain favorable, on balance.
