Amazing chart documents America's 56-year decline in trust of government

The steep slide in America's trust in government is demonstrated in one chart (above) created by the Pew Research Center.

The squiggly line shows how many people in Pew surveys over the decades have said they trust the government "just about always" or "most of the time."

It tracks the downward trajectory from the 75 percent of the populace that trusted government in a survey taken shortly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, when Lyndon Johnson had ascended to the presidency, to the 24 percent trust level earlier this year.

The interactive version of the graphic is amazing, offering highlights and low-lights in recent history that explain the ups and downs. Plus, with a click of the mouse, a user can see the trust issue from 1958-2014 as it relates to party loyalties, the economy and elections.

Vietnam, the War on Poverty, Watergate, mid-70s malaise, the economic resurgence of the '80s, the Clinton impeachment, 9/11, the Great Recession -- they all play a role in the ups and (mostly) downs on this chart.

The graph was produced by Pew in February and republished today by Chris Cillizza of "The Fix" blog at The Washington Post. He noted that the decline continued in exit polling from the 2014 midterm elections as just 20 percent said they trusted the government to do what's right "always" or "most" of the time while 79 percent said they only trusted the government "some" of the time or "never".

Cillizza concluded:

"The collapse of our collective trust in the government and, by extension, its ability or willingness to help solve problems, has massive reverberations for politicians. They are seen as less-than-honest brokers by large numbers of the American public, meaning that everything they say or do is viewed with suspicion.  That's a tough starting place for any pol. But, if the chart above is any indication, it's the new normal."