Gallup finds more see feds as a threat

Roughly half of Americans view the federal government as “an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens,” according to a new Gallup poll.

A Gallup survey released on Monday said that 49 percent see the federal government as a threat. The biggest concern from voters is the size and scope of the federal bureaucracy, with 19 percent saying it is too vast.

{mosads}Another 15 percent of respondents worry the federal government is also violating too many civil liberties and personal freedoms belonging to everyday Americans.

People are especially worried about the federal government taking away their gun rights.

Twelve percent believe the federal government is violating firearms rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Ten percent believe that national bureaucracy has too much involvement in its citizens’ privacy.

An additional 6 percent fear the possibility of a socialist government taking national power.

Gallup also found that 6 percent worry about losing freedom of speech and 6 percent dread eroding freedom of religion.

The polling agency said on Monday that distrust of the federal government’s motives has been rising since 2006, when 46 percent of respondents said it was troubling them.

Gallup added that its results have since reached the 46 percent to 49 percent range in four samplings conducted since 2010.

Its latest survey results are based on telephone interviews with 1,025 adults ages 18 or older conducted nationwide Sept. 9-13. Monday’s results have a 4 percent margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level.