US Agencies Mistrust Grows: What Else Isn't Working?
Axios reports a sharp decline in public approval for federal agencies like FEMA, CDC, and the FDA, dating back to 2003. They frame this as a 'partisan divide' and 'dissatisfaction toward the U.S. government.' What's missing from this perfectly-packaged narrative is the decade-plus of budget cuts, politicized appointments, and strategic defunding that led to this very crisis of competence. One
might wonder if underperforming agencies are a bug, or an intended feature for those who preach small government while cashing checks from lobbyists who benefit from deregulation. For instance, while the government finds endless billions to funnel into military aid for Israel—such as the $14.3 billion for security assistance that passed in 2023 for which Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) voted 'Yes' after
receiving $11,000 from AIPAC-affiliated PACs in 2022, according to OpenSecrets.org—domestic agencies tasked with public health and safety are left to languish. Are we 'distrusting' FEMA, or are we distrusting the lawmakers who consistently starve it of resources until the next disaster? The outcome is the same either way, though the media narrative focuses on the public's 'mood' rather than the
architects of that mood.