Fifty-seven percent of Americans now believe that government is doing too much, slightly higher than the previous high points of the decade (55% in 2001 and 2004) and the highest since a 59% reading in 1998. Concern about too much government has thus returned to a level last measured in the Clinton administration.

Thirty-eight percent of Americans now say government should be doing more to solve the nation’s problems.

A plurality of Americans, and often a majority, has tilted toward the “government is trying to do too much” position over the past 17 years. In fact, in Gallup’s history of asking this question, only in 1992, 1993, and October 2001 (just weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks) did larger percentages of Americans say the “government should do more” than said the government was doing too much.