Inflation, recession, and stagflation are on the minds of most people.
A recent Wall Street Journal-NORC poll showed that most people think the economy is in trouble. More than 4 in 5 people, 83% of respondents, said the nation’s economy is “poor or not so good.” What’s more, a New York Times poll released this week found that more than 75% of registered voters believe the country is headed in the wrong direction.
At the same time, distrust of institutions is reaching an all-time high. Polling from State Policy Network and Morning Consult shows that trust in the federal government is down to 15%, with state governments faring only slightly better at 22%. News organizations, the educational system, and labor unions are at or below 20%. And President Joe Biden’s approval rating is at a net minus 12%.
Pointing back to the Wall Street Journal-NORC poll, 3 in 5 people are generally pessimistic about the prospects of the “American dream.” Just 1 in 4 think they can improve their standard of living, and over half find major life milestones, such as buying a house, purchasing a car, or saving for retirement, out of reach.
The answer to this malaise can’t come exclusively from the government, which, for all intents and purposes, has made the problem worse. Rather, one way forward is through homegrown institutions of civil society or the institutions that help people in their communities but aren’t driven by government or profit — the charities, churches, associations, and nonprofit organizations.
The BETTER WORK program is an example of civil organizations, rather than the government, working together to solve a problem. This collaboration in the Georgia communities of Gwinnett County in metro Atlanta and Columbus prepares lower-income populations for a better future through meaningful work and upward mobility. Businesses, nonprofit groups, community providers, religious institutions, and job placement agencies come together to provide a local safety net. BETTER WORK ensures struggling people receive everything they need, from food to housing assistance, on their journey to job placement. The program helps people like Frankie Johnson, a single mother living in transitional housing who found the support, training, and resources she needed to create a better life for herself and her children.
Hope can only be restored when our social institutions are rebuilt to be strong, trustworthy, and supportive of the people. This takes hard, boots-on-the-ground work by private actors and civic organizations like BETTER WORK. Lives are lived out locally. They are formed in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities. When things go badly for someone, the local level is where lives are transformed. And when people lose hope, local areas are where we can rebuild that lost confidence.
Erin Norman is the Lee Family Fellow and Senior Messaging Strategist at State Policy Network. Randy Hicks is president and CEO of the Georgia Center for Opportunity.
