The Nation - News from Nov. 28, 1986

The ethical image of politics and politicians has improved markedly over the last three years, according to the Gallup Poll. In the latest survey, conducted during the congressional campaigns, 40% of those polled said that the general level of ethics and honesty in politics and politicians had fallen during the previous decade. That compares to 60% reported in a 1983 survey. However, nearly half of the respondents (42%) said quite a few of the people running state governments were dishonest or crooked. Nine percent said almost all of state officials were dishonest or crooked. Meanwhile, 38% held the same views about their local officials.