Trump beware: US voters are concerned about government corruption
Alleged self-dealing by the president and his allies doesn’t look so good as corruption emerges as a key issue for midterm voters Government corruption a top issue for US midterm voters, exclusive poll finds Voters under 50 probably won’t remember the “ welfare queen ”. But she once embodied Republicans’ claim of the underlying reason for US societal decay: the poor are a bunch of fraudsters.…
Government corruption is emerging as a significant concern for US midterm voters, according to a recent poll conducted by the Guardian. The issue ranks just behind the rising cost of living as the second most important topic for voters heading to the polls. The findings reveal that 87% of respondents believe that corruption is a significant problem, indicating a growing alarm among the electorate.
This concern stems from allegations of self-dealing by the Trump administration, its allies, and Donald Trump himself. Critics point to examples such as the $40 million fraud discovered in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the nixing of health coverage for 760,000 people insured under Obamacare on suspicion of fraud. The Trump Organization has also been involved in deals with nations that have a vested interest in Trump's foreign policy, further fueling suspicions of corruption.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has accused Trump and his associates of putting their own financial interests ahead of the public's. Despite these allegations, Vice President Kamala Harris claimed that Trump has not seen any evidence of him participating or sanctioning these corrupt activities. However, the 65% of voters planning to vote in the midterms who consider the corruption a "major problem" are unlikely to be convinced.
The US ranks 29th on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, a decline from the previous year and down from 18th place in 2016. Despite these concerns, there are indications that Trump's administration may not be as corrupt as feared. For instance, Trump's SEC paused a lawsuit for fraud against a crypto billionaire who invested in Trump's crypto businesses, and the administration dropped investigations into several crypto companies that contributed to his campaign.
Nonetheless, concerns about the president's wealth accumulation and alleged violations of the emoluments clause continue to loom large in the minds of American voters.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
