What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today? [Open-ended]
|
Recent Trend: |
Apr
6-9,
2008
|
Mar
6-9,
2008
|
Feb
11-14,
2008
|
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS (NET)
|
61
|
55
|
49
|
|
1
|
Economy in general
|
41
|
35
|
34
|
|
2
|
Fuel/Oil prices
|
9
|
8
|
3
|
|
3
|
Unemployment/Jobs
|
6
|
5
|
7
|
|
4
|
High cost of living/Inflation
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
|
5
|
Lack of money
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
|
6
|
Federal budget deficit/Federal debt
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
|
7
|
Taxes
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
8
|
Recession
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
|
9
|
Wage issues
|
1
|
1
|
--
|
|
10
|
Foreign trade/Trade deficit
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
|
11
|
Corporate corruption
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
|
12
|
Gap between rich and poor
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NON-ECONOMIC PROBLEMS (NET)
|
55
|
60
|
67
|
|
1
|
Situation in Iraq/War
|
23
|
21
|
24
|
|
2
|
Poor healthcare/hospitals; high cost of healthcare
|
8
|
8
|
12
|
|
3
|
Dissatisfaction with government/Congress/
politicians; poor leadership; corruption; abuse of power
|
6
|
5
|
6
|
|
4
|
Immigration/Illegal aliens
|
5
|
6
|
9
|
|
5
|
Ethics/Moral/Religious/Family decline;
dishonesty; lack of integrity
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
|
6
|
Terrorism
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
|
7
|
Education/Poor education/Access to education
|
2
|
4
|
3
|
|
8
|
Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
|
9
|
Foreign aid/Focus overseas
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
|
10
|
Lack of energy sources; the energy crisis
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
|
11
|
Crime/Violence
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
|
12
|
National security
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
|
13
|
Judicial system/Courts/Laws
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
14
|
Environment/Pollution
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
15
|
Social Security
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
16
|
Election year/Presidential choices/Election reform
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
|
17
|
International issues/problems
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
|
18
|
Children's behavior/way they are raised
|
1
|
--
|
*
|
|
19
|
Lack of respect for each other
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
20
|
Guns/Gun control
|
*
|
1
|
--
|
|
21
|
Race relations/Racism
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
22
|
War/Conflict between Middle East nations
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
23
|
Unifying the country
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
24
|
Abortion
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
|
25
|
Drugs
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
26
|
Welfare
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
27
|
The media
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
28
|
Overpopulation
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
|
29
|
Medicare
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
|
30
|
Lack of military defense
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
|
Natural disaster relief effort and funding
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Care for the elderly
|
--
|
*
|
1
|
|
Homosexuality/Gay rights issues
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other non-economic
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No opinion
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
142%
|
136%
|
141%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Less than 0.5%
|
