Gallup randomly surveyed 1,013 adults over 18 years of age in all 50 states between December 1-20, 2023. Congratulations to America's nurses. They came in solidly in first place at 78 percent. A tribute to people who are consistently overworked, understaffed, and underpaid. Engineers came in second at 60 percent. Americans seem to be confident that the buildings and structures they walk into and use frequently are well-designed and structured, which is always a good thing. Rounding out the top three were dentists. No one likes going to see them, but we have confidence in them when it is a necessary evil. 

The bottom of the list might not be that big of a surprise. Car salespeople came in at eight percent; we've all been sold a lemon. U.S. senators also came in at eight percent, and members of Congress at just six percent. A common thread among those surveyed might be that the bottom two might fit into the "lemon" category and brought on the low ratings themselves. Senators and Congress members managed to hit new lows in this year's poll, along with journalists at 19 percent, another "surprise," while clergy came in at 32 percent and pharmacists at 55.

A recent Gallup poll rated the honesty & ethical standards of 12 professions. Members of Congress ranked last, w/ 62% of US respondents giving them a thumbs down. They're the ones who take us to war and tax & regulate us to death. NO LEGITIMACY=INSTABILITY.https://t.co/eZUQ8LeKYY

— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) January 14, 2023

This might look like any run-of-the-mill poll about how Americans feel about the people who affect their lives every day and how well they do their jobs. But it was when the poll respondents were broken down by political affiliation that things got interesting. The honesty and integrity of police officers among Democrats came in at 37 percent, at the bottom of the list, among Republicans, that number went up to 55 percent. In the age of woke college professors, teachers at America's colleges and universities came in at the top of the list for Democrats at 62 percent, but with Republicans they only scored a measly 22 percent. Democrats' view of the police is similar to a February 2023 CBSNews/YouGov Poll that said 62 percent of Democrats felt major changes were needed in police procedures, while just 29 percent of Republicans agreed. College teachers ranked high among Democrats because the majority of them can be counted among their ranks. A 2022 "College Fix" survey across seven college campuses revealed that Democrat teachers outnumbered Republicans by a ratio of 11 to 1.

Another interesting finding, politicians came in toward the bottom of the list for both party affiliations. Senators came in at 14 percent among Democrats and just four percent among Republicans. State governors were at 20 percent for Democrats and 12 percent for Republicans. The most amusing statistic in the "honesty and integrity" poll is members of Congress came in for Democrats at nine percent and Republicans at just two percent. The conclusion here is that Americans of all political stripes do not think the people they elected have much honesty or integrity. Also in the top three for Democrats, wait for it, journalists, who came in at 32 percent, and among Republicans at seven percent.

So, let's review. Democrats think woke college professors and journalists are more trustworthy than the police, and no one trusts politicians in either party. Choose your profession accordingly.

Americans’ ratings of ethical & moral standards in nearly all professions are lower than they've been in recent years. For Business Execs, only 12% think these are "very high/high." Not too far from advertisers, car salespeople & members of Congress. https://t.co/peUNVGADa6 pic.twitter.com/SpGsS3Zf7j

— Michele Zanini (@MicheleZanini) January 22, 2024