Monmouth poll: Vast majority of Americans believe in "Deep state" which orchestrates policy in DC

[NightHawkeye]

From the "We seem to have a lot in common", files: Majority in new poll: ‘Deep state’ manipulating policy | The Hill

The Monmouth University Polling Institute found that 74 percent believe in a “deep state” when it is described as a collection of unelected officials running policy. Twenty-one percent said they do not believe this kind of group exists.

The poll notes that more than 7 out of 10 Americans polled in each political group, Republican, Democrat and independent, believe in a deep state. Thirty-one percent of Republicans and 33 percent of independents say they believe a deep state “definitely exists,” while 19 percent of Democrats believe this.
​

Curiously, more "Independents" believe in a "Deep State" than either Republicans or Democrats.

 

[Nithavela]

Isn't this why you guys have the second ammendement for? I think I've been told things like that numerous times on this forum.

Well, hopp-skip to it then, 74% of the USA. I'll be cheering you on.

 

[wing2000]

hmmm

Pollsters also found that a majority of those polled, 63 percent, said they were “not familiar” with the term "deep state," however. Thirteen percent said they were “very familiar,” while 24 percent said they were “somewhat familiar.”

 

[Speedwell]

I wonder who is running it? Very few of the politicos we know about seem competent to govern, much less to govern and keep it a secret.

 

[Kentonio]

How can you be 'not familiar' with a term, but also think it definitely exists?

 

[NightHawkeye]

How can you be 'not familiar' with a term, but also think it definitely exists?

Happens all the time. People deal with concepts all the time without knowing specific terms coined for those concepts.

 

[PeachyKeane]

Amazingly, the same poll found that 83% of Americans believe in Sasquatch when defined as 'tall, thin athletes trying to get a ball into a hoop during March Madness'.

 

[PeachyKeane]

Happens all the time. People deal with concepts all the time without knowing specific terms coined for those concepts.

You mean like how people don't realize when they're referring to an 'oligarchy'?

 

[Rion]

How can you be 'not familiar' with a term, but also think it definitely exists?

Because the use of the term only recently started being applied to a problem that's been pretty evident for years, if not decades. The term doesn't actually mean some X-Files level nonsense, rather, it's the bureaucracy that's built up over the generations, and which isn't elected into office. That's how people on both sides of the aisle were applying it immediately after Trump's election.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

How can you be 'not familiar' with a term, but also think it definitely exists?

Because the poll asked something like "Do you believe there is a collection of unelected officials that dictate US policy?", then redefined that in the results to refer to "Deep State." Personally, I think far more policy is dictated by lobbyists and special interest groups, which while unelected, are not "officials" either.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Because the poll asked something like "Do you believe there is a collection of unelected officials that dictate US policy?", then redefined that in the results to refer to "Deep State." Personally, I think far more policy is dictated by lobbyists and special interest groups, which while unelected, are not "officials" either.

You don't consider them part of the deep state?

 

[RocksInMyHead]

You don't consider them part of the deep state?

Not really, given the definition in the poll. They're not officials.

ETA: I've always understood "deep state" to refer to career government employees in influential positions.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Not really, given the definition in the poll. They're not officials.

ETA: I've always understood "deep state" to refer to career government employees in influential positions.

Definition: Deep state in the United States - Wikipedia

Deep state was defined in 2014 by Mike Lofgren, a former Republican U.S. congressional aide, as "a hybrid association of elements of government and parts of top-level finance and industry that is effectively able to govern the United States without reference to the consent of the governed as expressed through the formal political process.​

 

[Veritas]

From the "We seem to have a lot in common", files: Majority in new poll: ‘Deep state’ manipulating policy | The Hill

The Monmouth University Polling Institute found that 74 percent believe in a “deep state” when it is described as a collection of unelected officials running policy. Twenty-one percent said they do not believe this kind of group exists.

The poll notes that more than 7 out of 10 Americans polled in each political group, Republican, Democrat and independent, believe in a deep state. Thirty-one percent of Republicans and 33 percent of independents say they believe a deep state “definitely exists,” while 19 percent of Democrats believe this.
​

Curiously, more "Independents" believe in a "Deep State" than either Republicans or Democrats.

The 21% who don't believe are in denial.

 

[Speedwell]

Well, if there is any actual governing going on in Washington now, it must be a very deep secret indeed.

 

[mark kennedy]

I've always believed in some kind of a deep state, just never thought it was partisan.

 

[CitizenD]

Happens all the time. People deal with concepts all the time without knowing specific terms coined for those concepts.

Except you got that backwards: you're using the word without having a well defined concept.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Except you got that backwards: you're using the word without having a well defined concept.

I think you must mean Monmouth University. I understand both the definition of "Deep State" and how Monmouth used the term.

 

[CitizenD]

I think you must mean Monmouth University. I understand both the definition of "Deep State" and how Monmouth used the term.

Yes. "You" being imprecise.

 

[cow451]

I've always believed in some kind of a deep state, just never thought it was partisan.

It isn’t. It’s a phenomenon that happens with any large complex entity made up of human beings. Normally it is fairly innocuous. At it’s worst it is wasteful and inefficient at it’s best it could save America from lying, cheating, stealing real estate tycoons that somehow manage to get elected President by running against Hillary Clinton.