A majority of Americans, 60 percent, believe that the government has too much power, according to a Gallup poll.
This marks the third year in a row that at least 59 percent of the public believe this while only 32 percent say the government has the right amount of power.
Americans have become increasingly more wary of government power during President Obama’s term. When Obama first took office in 2009, 51 percent of Americans were concerned with government power. That number grew to 59 percent after the federal government passed Obamacare in 2010.
"Overall, the average percentage who thought the government was too powerful during Obama’s first term—2009 to 2012—was 54%," states Gallup. "This term, the average has risen to 60%."
Democrats, moderates, and liberals are also becoming more concerned about the power government holds. Twenty-four percent of Democrats and liberals thought the government had too much power during the president’s first term. Thirty-seven percent believe the same during Obama’s second term.
While Republicans and conservatives have always held this view, now a majority of moderates, 57 percent, and independents, 64 percent, believe the same.
"A comparison of the combined results of Gallup’s polls in Obama’s first term and those in his second term reveal that the rise in concerns over the federal government’s power is being driven by Democrats, moderates and liberals," states the poll.