WASHIINGTON - August 30, 2011 - The percentage of Americans telling the Gallup poll they have a negative view of the federal government has hit a new high, Gallup reported Monday.

In a survey conducted Aug. 11-14, Gallup asked American adults whether their overall view of the federal government was very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative or very negative.

A total of 63% said they had a negative view of the federal government, including 34% who said they had a somewhat negative view and 29% who said they had a very negative view.

That is the highest negative rating the federal government has received since Gallup started asking people to rate their view of the government in an August 2003 survey. Gallup has asked the same question about the federal government every August since then.

The previous high for the percentage of Americans telling Gallup they had a negative view of the federal government was 60% - in a survey conducted Aug. 7-10, 2008.

In the most recent poll, the percentage saying they had a positive view of the federal government also sank to an all-time low of 17% - with 5% saying they had a very positive view and 12% saying they have a somewhat positive view.

The highest positive rating the federal government ever received came in the first survey on the question in August 2003. That year, 41% said they had a positive view of the federal government and 35% said they had a negative view.