GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
In his 1997 State-of-the-Union speech President Clinton stressed new initiatives in education more than in any other area, an emphasis which the American public seems to support. According to a Gallup poll conducted shortly before the president's speech, Americans rank education and crime as the top two issues they would like the Congress and President to address in 1997, with Social Security, health care, and Medicare close behind. The budget deficit also ranks high, but trails these other issues.
The poll also shows that Americans currently have more confidence in Clinton than in Congressional Republicans to deal with most of the top issues, although they express somewhat greater confidence in Congressional Republicans to deal with the budget deficit.
Overall, 42% of Americans say education should be a "top" priority for Congress and the President to deal with in 1997, the largest percentage for any issue among the 14 measured in the survey. Another 53% of Americans say education should be given "high" priority, for a total of 95% who give this issue significant importance.
Americans rate crime almost as important as education, with 93% saying it should be given "top" or "high" priority. Social Security (mentioned by 88%), health care (88%) and Medicare (87%) are close behind.
The public ranks four issues on a secondary level of priority: the federal budget deficit, rated as a high or top priority issue by 79% of Americans, the environment (76%), tax cuts for families with children (74%), and welfare (72%). Lowest priority is given to defense spending (54%), campaign finance reform (49%), capital gains tax (49%), abortion (41%), and congressional term limits (41%).
Clinton's Leadership Preferred On Most Top Issues
By a margin of 48% to 39%, Americans say they are more confident in
Clinton than in Congressional Republicans to provide leadership for
the nation over the next four years. When it comes to specific
issues, however, Americans are divided. On most of the major
issues, they express greater confidence in Clinton, while on many
of the lower-ranked issues they express greater confidence in
Congressional Republicans.
On the highest priority issue of education, 57% of Americans say Clinton would do a better job and 35% say Congressional Republicans -- a 22-point margin in favor of the president. On the second most important issue, crime, Clinton's margin is just six percentage points (46% to 40%). Clinton's margin is greater on the other high-ranking issues of Social Security (16-point margin in favor of Clinton), health care (17 points), and Medicare (17 points).
Congressional Republicans are favored over Clinton on the federal budget deficit (47% to 41%), but on the other three issues with secondary priority Clinton is favored by 12 to 14 points: the environment, tax cuts for families, and welfare.
Among the five lowest-ranked issues, Congressional Republicans are favored over Clinton on four: defense spending (by 9 points) campaign finance reform (15 points), capital gains tax cut (16 points), and congressional term limits (6 points). Clinton is favored on the issue of abortion by 9 points.
Attitude Toward Government May Limit
Initiatives
Despite the public's more favorable attitudes toward Clinton than
toward Congressional Republicans, the public's general
disenchantment with government and its role in solving social
problems has not abated. Shortly after Clinton took office in 1993,
with a promise to reinvigorate the health care system, Americans
were about evenly divided over the role of government: just under
half said it was doing too much to try to solve the country's
problems, and the same number said it should do more.
By the end of 1993, however, the public's view had become more negative, choosing the limited role of government by a margin of 55% to 38%. Today, sentiment is even more negative, with 58% saying government is doing too much, and just 33% saying it should do more.
Survey Methods
The current results are based on telephone interviews with a
randomly selected national sample of 1,056 adults, conducted
January 31-February 2, 1997. For results based on a sample of this
size, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the error
attributable to sampling and other random effects could be plus or
minus 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.Who do you want to have more influence over the direction
the nation takes in the next four years -- Bill Clinton or the
Republicans in Congress?
| More Influence: Clinton or GOP?- Trend | ||||
| Clinton | GOP | Both equally (vol.) | No opinion | |
| 1997 Jan 31- Feb 2 |
48% | 39 | 9 | 4 |
| 1996 Nov 21-24 |
43% | 41 | 9 | 7 |
| 1996 Apr 9-10 |
50% | 42 | 4 | 4 |
| 1996 Jan 5-7 |
41% | 47 | 3 | 9 |
| 1995 Nov 6-8 |
48% | 42 | 2 | 8 |
| 1995 Feb 24-26 |
37% | 52 | 4 | 7 |
| 1995 Jan 16-18 |
40% | 49 | 5 | 6 |
Here are some issues now being discussed in Washington. For each one, please tell me whether you think it should be the top priority for Congress and the President to deal with in 1997, a high priority, a low priority, or not a priority at all. First, [item].. Next, [item]... (RANDOM ORDER) Priority of National Issues
| (Percent saying "Top" or "High" priority) | ||||
| Most Confidence in | ||||
| Clinton | GOP | Clinton advantage | ||
| Education | 95% | 57% | 35% | +22 |
| Crime | 93 | 46 | 40 | +6 |
| Health care | 88 | 54 | 37 | +17 |
| Social Security | 88 | 51 | 35 | +16 |
| Medicare | 87 | 54 | 37 | +17 |
| Federal budget deficit | 79 | 41 | 47 | -6 |
| Environment | 76 | 53 | 38 | +15 |
| Tax cuts for families with children | 74 | 50 | 37 | +13 |
| Welfare | 72 | 52 | 40 | +12 |
| Defense spending | 54 | 40 | 49 | -9 |
| Campaign finance reform | 49 | 33 | 48 | -15 |
| Capital gains tax cut | 49 | 34 | 50 | -16 |
| Abortion | 41 | 46 | 37 | +9 |
| Congressional term limits | 41 | 38 | 44 | -6 |