Taegan Goddard

Maybe Congress really is a reflection of us?

The extent to which Americans believe in conspiracy theories is frightening

Taegan Goddard

While a wide majority of Americans look at Congress with disdain, sometimes it’s important to look at the context. Our lawmakers were elected by voters after all, who according to a new Public Policy Polling survey released this week, don’t always see the world very clearly.

A sampling of the more alarming results:

• 6% of voters believe Osama bin Laden is still alive.

• 21% of voters say a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 and the federal government covered it up.

• 28% of voters believe secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world through an authoritarian world government, or New World Order.

• 28% of voters believe Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

• 7% of voters think the Apollo moon landing was faked.

• 13% of voters think President Obama is the anti-Christ.

• 14% of voters say the CIA was instrumental in creating the crack cocaine epidemic in the inner cities in the 1980’s.

• 9% of voters think the government adds fluoride to our water supply for sinister reasons.

• 51% of voters say a larger conspiracy was at work in John F. Kennedy's assassination, while just 25% say Lee Harvery Oswald acted alone.

• 15% of voters say the government or the media adds mind-controlling technology to TV broadcast signals.

• 5% believe exhaust seen in the sky behind airplanes is actually chemicals sprayed by the government for sinister reasons.

• 15% of voters think the medical industry and the pharmaceutical industry “invent” new diseases to make money.

• 11% of voters believe the US government allowed 9/11 to happen.

So the next time you scoff at something dumb said by a lawmaker on Capitol Hill, keep in mind how they got there. 

Recommended

Indicting the 'Teflon president'
Two hands in cuffs, one giving a thumbs-up and the other giving a thumbs-down
Talking point

Indicting the 'Teflon president'

Do Republicans want to bomb Mexico?
Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks at CPAC
Behind the scenes

Do Republicans want to bomb Mexico?

DeSantis plays both sides in comments on a possible Trump indictment
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Talking point

DeSantis plays both sides in comments on a possible Trump indictment

ICC issues warrant for Putin
Vladimir Putin
WANTED

ICC issues warrant for Putin

Most Popular

The truth about alcohol
Alcohol being poured into a rocks glass.
Briefing

The truth about alcohol

Russia's spring Ukraine offensive may be winding down amid heavy losses
Ukrainian tank fires near Bakhmut
Attrition

Russia's spring Ukraine offensive may be winding down amid heavy losses

North Korea claims 800,000 people volunteered to fight against the U.S.
North Korean soldiers march in a parade in 2018.
A Frightening Figure

North Korea claims 800,000 people volunteered to fight against the U.S.