(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Adults in the United States express more confidence in themselves than in their elected representatives, according to a poll by Gallup released by CNN and USA Today. 78 per cent of respondents trust the American people as a whole when it comes to making judgments about issues facing the country.

Local governments are next on the confidence ranking with 70 per cent, followed by the judicial branch with 68 per cent, state governments with 67 per cent, the legislative branch with 62 per cent, and politicians as a whole with 58 per cent.

In American presidential elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. In November 2004, Republican George W. Bush earned a second term after securing 286 electoral votes from 31 states. 52 per cent of respondents express a great deal or a fair amount of trust in their head of state.

In the November 2004 congressional ballot, the Republican Party elected 232 lawmakers to the U.S. House of Representatives, while the Democratic Party secured 202 seats. The Republicans also have a majority in the Senate, with 55 members in the 100-seat upper house.

Respondents were almost equally divided in their assessment of the country's mass media. 50 per cent express confidence, while 49 per cent do not.

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