An October 2005 survey commissioned by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute found that “only 6 percent of Wisconsin citizens believe their elected officials represent the interests of their constituents on important issues. Most (47%) believe their local officials represent their own interests, while 40% believe they represent special interests over the interests of their constituents.”
The numbers have dropped significantly since the last time the data was surveyed in March of 2002 when 21% thought that elected officials represented their constituents’ interests. The current survey reports that the lack of faith in elected public officials, “was widespread across every demographic group. The most stunning number was that there were no Blacks who believed their elected officials put constituents’ interests first.”
If we think this little of the state’s elected officials I’d like to see a poll on what Wisconsinites think of people “serving” in Washington.
