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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Uncle Sam Doesn’t Do Well In Poll North Idaho Leads State In Distrust Of Government

It’s well-known that the state’s residents are willing to take Uncle Sam’s dollars to build logging roads and subsidize farming.

But an overwhelming majority of Idahoans still have little confidence in the federal government, according to the results of a Boise State University opinion poll released Wednesday.

BSU conducts the annual Public Policy Survey to measure government performance and citizen concerns.

The Panhandle stands out for having the highest percentage of people who don’t trust government at any level - local, state, federal.

That’s no surprise considering freshman U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth, R-Idaho, curries support for suggesting everything from disarming U.S. Forest Service officers to gutting federal environmental regulations.

“This feeling that Helen Chenoweth is picking up on is not unique to Idaho,” said Darel Cupp, who moved to Bonners Ferry a year ago.

“As a former Texan and Louisianan, I can tell you they don’t have any use for the federal government either.

“They are an all-pervasive, invasive, subjugating force. … People are craving some of the freedoms that are in the Constitution,” Cupp said.

Idahoans’ opinions of the federal government, however, differ significantly, depending upon age, politics and income.

The less people earn, the more likely they are to say the federal government best responds to their needs, the survey found.

Democrats gave more credence to the federal government than Republicans.

Idahoans over age 60 gave Uncle Sam the most credit for responding to their needs.

The longer people live in the state, the less they trust the federal government, the poll indicates.

Statewide, residents said the economy, taxes, government spending, the environment and crime are Idaho’s most important issues.

Panhandle residents led the pack in picking taxes and government spending.

North-central Idaho seems most concerned about the environment, among the top issues.

Growth captured first place among concerns in southwestern Idaho while education is the top concern in the southeastern area.

Overall, women picked education as the top problem while men leaned toward rapid growth.

Better-educated people are more optimistic, the poll found.

, DataTimes MEMO: IDAHO HEADLINE: Uncle Sam doesn’t fare well in poll

IDAHO HEADLINE: Uncle Sam doesn’t fare well in poll