Public distrust of U.S. government at record high

The U.S. public's distrust of the U.S. government reached a record high of 89 percent, while most Americans believe the country is on the wrong track, revealing a remarkable sense of pessimism and skepticism, according to a poll published on Wednesday. While 89 percent of Americans say they distrust government to do the right thing, 74 percent say the country is heading in the wrong direction and 84 percent disapprove of the U.S. Congress, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. Nearly all Americans agree that the nation's economic outlook is bleak, with 49 percent saying the economy is at a standstill and 36 percent saying it is getting worse. But nearly three- quarters of Americans lack confidence that Congress will be able to reach agreement on a job-creation plan, the poll found. While nearly all Americans are fearful that the U.S. economy is stagnating or deteriorating further, two-thirds of them believe that wealth should be distributed more evenly in the country. Two- thirds of Americans object to tax cuts for corporations and a similar number favor increasing income taxes on millionaires. Meanwhile, almost half of Americans think the sentiment at the root of the Occupy movement that has spread across the country generally reflects the views of most Americans. The movement, originated from the Occupy Wall Street, highlights Americans' grievances about the economic situation, income inequality and the disenfranchisement of the poor and middle class. The approval rating for President Barack Obama stands at 46 percent, and 60 percent approve of his handling of Iraq, a question added to the poll after he announced last Friday to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq by the end of the year. But Obama's disapproval rating is also at 46 percent, and his latest job-creation proposals also get mixed reviews from the public as more than half of Americans say he lacks a clear plan for creating jobs. The poll findings underscore a dissatisfaction and restlessness heading into the election season that has been highlighted through competing voices from the Occupy Wall Street and Tea Party movements, the New York Times reported.