American politicians fail to impress their constituents: Poll - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

A recent poll has found that only 16 percent of the 1,000 people surveyed felt that politicians set a good example for their constituents in terms of public service. According to the survey by Tiller LLC, an advocacy and marketing consultancy, when respondents were asked what group’s shows of good will they were most skeptical about, 59 percent cited politicians, while just nine percent cited leaders or celebrities, and eight percent cited religious leaders. While 97 percent of Americans think making the world a better place is at least somewhat important, 79 percent say the increasingly hostility between Republicans and Democrats makes it hard to determine exactly where the country’s good will is headed. “It is hugely ironic that politicians, who are at least nominally public servants – should be viewed so skeptically,” The Politico quoted Rob Densen, CEO of Tiller LLC, as saying in a press release. “The notion of politicians as public servants is bordering on the oxymoronic. In general, politicians are perceived as having done precious little to support our inclination to good works,” he added. Meanwhile, 65 percent of the people said that US President Barack Obama’s call for volunteerism was in some part politically motivated, and just 14 percent said they had increased their volunteer activity since Obama won the election in November 2008.