Top pollster's new book makes the case for self-governance
Independent public opinion pollster Scott Rasmussen reflects on America’s broken political system and how it threatens our nation’s heritage of self-governance
ASBURY PARK, NJ – In Search of Self-Governance, by the prolific public opinion pollster Scott W. Rasmussen, president of the media company Rasmussen Reports, spotlights a country full of frustration and makes the case that the nation’s historic commitment to self-governance is under assault by a governing clique revolving around Washington, D.C. and Wall Street.
Rasmussen’s theory is this: The political system in America is broken. Years of public opinion polls have shown a growing disconnect between the American people and the nation’s political leaders. His conclusion: Americans don’t want to be governed from the left, the right or the center. They want to govern themselves. The American desire for – and attachment to – self-governance runs deep. It is one of our nation’s cherished core values and an important part of our cultural DNA. And right now, it needs to be saved.
“Self-governance is about far more than politics and government,” says Rasmussen. “It requires a lot of the American people, and it has nothing to do with the petty partisan games played by Republicans and Democrats. Unfortunately, even after more than 200 years of success, there is an urgent need to defend this most basic of American values.”
Rasmussen dissects the issues brought about by an “unholy alliance” between government and big business. He details the concept of self-governance, how we live it every day through the choices we make at home and in our communities, and how we exhibit it through volunteerism and other things outside the world of politics.
The book is not filled with polling data, but the ideas and attitudes presented are shared by a solid majority of Americans. In many ways, it is a celebration of consensus. “Not everybody will agree with every single detail,” Rasmussen writes, “but the overwhelming majority shares a deep commitment to self-governance. That’s what makes our nation special."
In Search of Self Governance is available through RasmussenReports.com, Amazon.com and other outlets.
About the Author
Scott W. Rasmussen is founder and president of Rasmussen Reports, an independent media company specializing in the collection, publication and distribution of public opinion polling information. The company provides in-depth data, news coverage and commentary on political, business, economic and lifestyle topics at RasmussenReports.com, America’s most trafficked public opinion polling site. Rasmussen speaks regularly at events and with the media, translating poll numbers into meaningful analysis about current events, highlighting underlying trends and the questions that Americans are most curious about. Follow his work at twitter.com/RasmussenPoll or on the Rasmussen Reports website.