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Most Important Problem

Percentage of Americans Mentioning Economy as Most Important Problem

Party That Can Do Better Job of Handling Most Important Problem

What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today? [Open-ended]

Recent trend:

Nov
5-8,
2009

Oct
1-4,
2009

Aug 31-
Sep 2,
2009

%

%

%

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS (NET)

58

51

57

1

Economy in general

31

26

29

2

Unemployment/Jobs

20

17

15

3

Federal budget deficit/Federal debt

6

5

9

4

Lack of money

4

4

5

5

Recession

1

1

1

6

High cost of living/Inflation

1

1

1

7

Taxes

1

1

1

8

Wage issues

*

*

*

9

Corporate corruption

*

*

1

10

Gap between rich and poor

*

*

*

11

Fuel/Oil prices

*

*

1

12

Foreign trade/Trade deficit

*

*

1

NON-ECONOMIC PROBLEMS (NET)

55

57

56

1

Poor healthcare/hospitals; high cost of healthcare

22

22

26

2

Wars/War (nonspecific)/Fear of war

8

3

4

3

Dissatisfaction with government/Congress/politicians;
Poor leadership; corruption; abuse of power

8

11

10

4

Situation/War in Afghanistan

4

3

1

5

Ethics/Moral/Religious/Family decline; dishonesty

3

4

5

6

Education/Poor education/Access to education

3

2

3

7

Situation/War in Iraq

3

4

3

8

Terrorism

2

2

1

9

Immigration/Illegal aliens

2

1

2

10

Lack of respect for each other

2

2

1

11

National security

1

2

2

12

Judicial system/Courts/Laws

1

*

1

13

Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness

1

1

1

14

Crime/Violence

1

1

*

15

Environment/Pollution

1

1

1

16

Care for the elderly/Medicare

1

*

1

17

Foreign aid/Focus overseas

1

1

1

18

Lack of military defense

*

*

1

19

Social Security

*

*

1

20

Energy/Lack of energy sources

*

*

1

21

International issues/problems

*

1

*

22

Children's behavior/way they are raised

*

1

*

23

War/conflict between Middle East nations

*

*

1

24

Drugs

*

*

*

25

Abortion

*

1

1

26

Unifying the country

*

1

*

27

Race relations/Racism

*

*

1

28

Elections/Election reform

*

*

*

29

Welfare

*

*

*

30

The media

*

*

*

31

Guns/Gun control

*

--

*

Situation with North Korea

--

*

--

Gay rights issues

--

--

1

Overpopulation

--

--

--

Other non-economic

1

3

2

No opinion

3

2

2

* Less than 0.5%

Which political party do you think can do a better job of handling the problem you think is most important -- the Republican Party or the Democratic Party?

Republican

Democratic

Other party/
No difference/
No opinion

%

%

%

2009 Aug 31-Sep 2

34

45

20

2008 Sep 8-11

39

46

14

2007 Sep 14-16

30

47

22

2006 Sep 7-10

34

49

16

2005 Sep 12-15

39

40

21

2005 Jan 3-5

41

41

18

2004 Sep 13-15

46

43

11

2004 Jan 12-15

39

46

15

2002 Jul 26-28

38

36

26

2001 Jan 10-14

39

39

22

1999 Jan 15-17

33

43

24

1998 Apr 17-19

40

42

18

1997 Jan 10-13

33

43

24

1996 Jul 25-28

37

41

22

1996 May 9-12

40

44

16

1995 Jan 16-18

42

32

26

1994 Oct 22-25

41

37

22

1994 Aug 15-16

38

37

25

1994 Aug 8-9

39

37

24

1994 Jul 15-17

39

32

29

1994 Jan

31

39

30

1993 Sep 10-12

31

37

32

1993 Jan 8-11

29

45

26

1992 Mar 26-29

34

40

26

1991 Jul 11-14

36

28

36

1991 Mar 7-10

40

27

33

1990 Oct

30

29

41

1988 Sep

38

33

29

1988 May 9-11

27

40

33

1987 Apr 10-13

29

37

34

1986 Jan 10-13

33

28

39

1985 Jan 25-28

39

29

32

1984 Aug 10-13

39

37

24

1984 Feb 10-13

30

32

38

1983 Nov 18-21

28

35

37

1982 Aug 13-16

26

35

39

1981 Jan 8-11

39

20

41

1980 Mar 28-31

28

32

40

1979 Oct 12-15

25

33

42

1976 Apr 23-26

18

39

43

1975 Oct 17-20

15

42

43

1972 Aug

28

34

38

1968 May

30

28

42

1964 Apr 24-29

16

40

44

1960 Feb 4-9

24

32

44

1956 Sep 20-25

55

45

--

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