Iraq and Terrorism Are Top Priorities for President and Congress

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Government activity in Washington, D.C., will begin to slow down as Christmas approaches and members of Congress retreat to their home districts and states for the holiday period. But January will bring a new year and new challenges for the nation's leaders. A recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll asked Americans to rate the importance they would place on a series of eight distinct issues as priorities for the president and Congress to deal with in the new year.

The results show that Americans ascribe the highest priority to two foreign policy issues -- terrorism and the situation in Iraq -- both given "extremely important" ratings by more than half of Americans. Between 41% and 48% of Americans say that healthcare costs, the economy, Social Security, and gas and home heating costs are extremely important for Congress and the president to deal with. Americans give the lowest importance to immigration issues -- including the issue of controlling illegal immigration.

A Closer Look at the Issues

The basic question used on the survey is as follows: "How important is it to you that the president and Congress deal with each of the following issues in the next year -- is it -- extremely important, very important, moderately important, or not that important?"

It is clear that very few Americans rate the issues as "not that important," and large numbers rate the issues in one of the top two importance categories -- extremely or very important. (The full responses for the eight issues are presented at the end of this article.)

This analysis focuses on the percentage of Americans who rate each issue as extremely important, under the assumption that it is this "top box" rating that identifies issues of real significance to the public.

The average extremely important rating across all eight items is 44.4%. Four of the items have extremely important ratings above this average, one is right at the average, and three have below-average importance. (It is important to remember that these items are being compared to the specific list included in this survey; had other issues been included, the relative priority for issues would have changed.)

How Important a Priority for the President and Congress in the New Year
% extremely important

Key findings:

• The two issues with the highest perceived importance relate to foreign policy: the situation in Iraq and terrorism.
  
  
• Healthcare costs and the economy are slightly above the average in perceived importance.
  
  
• Americans ascribe average importance to Social Security.
  
  
• Gas and home heating prices are slightly below average importance.
  
  
• Both "immigration" and "controlling illegal immigration" come in significantly below average in terms of perceived importance.

Time Changes Perceived Importance

How have these priorities changed over time?

Perhaps the most important answer to this question is the finding that all items except for gas and home heating prices have risen in importance over time, even if slightly. In other words, each issue with the exception of gas and home heating prices is now more likely to be rated as extremely important than was the case across the previous times the issue had been measured in this fashion since 2001.

The two issues with the largest relative jump in importance in this survey (compared to the average importance rating in previous surveys) are the situation in Iraq and terrorism. This is of some interest. The current 59% extremely important rating for the situation in Iraq is the highest measure in the four times this item has been asked in this fashion. It is higher than in January 2003, just before the invasion, and is higher than the one time it was measured in 2004 and both times it was measured earlier this year.

Terrorism is perceived to be slightly more important now than its average across time. Note that 70% and 62% of Americans rated terrorism as extremely important in October 2001 and January 2002 -- just months after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But the perceived importance of terrorism fluctuated from that point forward. Still, the current 58% extremely important rating given to terrorism is higher than the three previous measures stretching back to December 2004, and, as noted, is slightly higher than the average across all times the issue has been measured in this format.

Partisan Differences

The recent partisan wrangling in Congress over a number of issues such as budget cuts and the Patriot Act has highlighted differences in the ways Democrats and Republicans view the world today.

The table below displays the percentages of Republicans (including independents who lean Republican) and Democrats (including independents who lean Democratic) who rate each item as extremely important:

How Important a Priority for the President and Congress in the New Year
% extremely important, by party
Dec. 9-11, 2005

The data show that these issues are almost across the board of more importance to Democrats than Republicans. Republicans average an extremely important rating of 37% for the eight issues, while Democrats average a 51% extremely important rating. Democrats are in particular most likely to rate healthcare costs, gas and home heating prices, Social Security, the economy, and the situation in Iraq higher than do Republicans. The two partisan groups are roughly equal in the importance attached to terrorism and the two questions about immigration.

Age Differences

There are also differences in ascribed importance by age groups:

How Important a Priority for the President and Congress in the New Year
% extremely important, by age
Dec. 9-11, 2005

Key differences:

• The economy is of less importance to Americans aged 65 and older, many of whom are out of the workforce.
  
  
• Terrorism is also of less importance to Americans aged 65 and older.
  
  
• Healthcare costs are of most importance to those between ages 30 and 64; they are less important to those who are younger and older.
  
  
• The situation in Iraq is of less importance to Americans aged 65 and older.
  
  
• Gas and home heating prices are of slightly lower importance to those who are younger than age 50.
  
  
• Immigration and controlling illegal immigration are of slightly lower importance to younger Americans than older ones.
  
  
• Interestingly, Social Security is of most importance to those in the 30 to 64 age bracket; it is of less importance to those who are younger and older.

Regional Differences

• Illegal immigration is of most importance to those living in the South (a region that includes border states Texas and Florida).
  
  
• Gas and home heating costs are of most importance to those living in the East.
  
  
• Terrorism and the economy are of more importance to those living in the South and East.
  
  
• The situation in Iraq is of most importance to those on the two coasts, which is most likely an artifact of the fact that these areas have the highest percentage of Democrats.
  
  
• Social Security is of less importance to residents of the Midwest than in any other region.

How Important a Priority for the President and Congress in the New Year
% extremely important, by region
Dec. 9-11, 2005

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,003 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Dec. 9-11, 2005. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

6. How important is it to you that the president and Congress deal with each of the following issues in the next year -- is it -- extremely important, very important, moderately important, or not that important? How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

A. The economy

B. Terrorism

C. Healthcare costs

D. The situation in Iraq

E. Gas and home heating prices

F. Immigration

BASED ON 503 NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A

G. Controlling illegal immigration

BASED ON 500 NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B

H. Social Security