Government should be better, not smaller.

• Position: Political survey - YOUR LIFE - Brief article

Public confidence in government is at an all-time low, according to a survey commissioned by the Center for American Progress, Washington, D.C., and yet clear majorities of Americans of all ages want and expect more Federal involvement in priority areas such as energy, poverty, and education, the poll found.

The key lesson embedded in these seemingly paradoxical results: Americans want a Federal government that is better, not smaller. The research indicates that people would rather improve government performance than reduce its size, and they are extremely receptive to reform efforts that would eliminate inefficient programs, implement performance-based policy decisions, and adopt modern management methods and information technologies.

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The survey indicates that lack of confidence in the government's ability to solve problems is more closely related to...