Most Important Problem

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%

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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