Opinion of Federal Responsibilities

 From Pew:

As public trust in the federal government remains low, Americans continue to say the federal government has a responsibility to provide support and services for all Americans in a number of forms.

U.S. adults broadly agree that it is the federal government’s role to provide clean air and water (87%) and high-quality K-12 education (79%) for all Americans. More modest majorities say it is the government’s responsibility to provide health insurance (64%), adequate income in retirement (58%) and an adequate standard of living (56%).

Fewer than half – about four-in-ten – say it is a responsibility of the government to provide access to high-speed internet (43%) or a college education (39%).

A new Pew Research Center survey, conducted April 5-11 among a nationally representative sample of 5,109 adults who are members of the Center’s American Trends Panel, finds that public views about the federal government’s responsibilities are little changed since before the start of the coronavirus outbreak. One exception is that the share of Americans who say the government has a responsibility to provide access to high-speed internet has increased by 15 percentage points since September 2019 (from 28% to 43%)