Fewer Republicans (53%) identify lowering health care costs as a top priority. Should the government break up Amazon, Facebook and Google? The 2022 figure is the lowest point since 17% in 2011 and just the fourth time since 1979 that annual satisfaction has been below 20%. In an otherwise treacherous political environment, Democrats see an . Analysis by Amber Phillips. This year again saw many more mass shootings. The other two times were in 1979 and 2008 -- also periods of economic turmoil in the U.S. Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/406739/government-remains-americans-top-problem-2022.aspx, Gallup World Headquarters, 901 F Street, Washington, D.C., 20001, U.S.A, Biden, Congress Job Ratings Unchanged After Midterm Elections, Economic Confidence Shows Slight Uptick; Still Negative, Inflation's Impact on U.S. Consumers Leveling Off, U.S. Public Opinion and the Role of Government, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Average 19% in 2022 name some aspect of government as biggest problem, 16% cite inflation and 12% the economy in general, on average, Satisfaction with direction of the U.S. averages 18%, similar to 2008 and 2011. The government is a broad category of dissatisfaction with the government that includes a range of responses, such as the president himself, Congress, party politics and gridlock, to name a few. Job approval ratings of U.S. presidents at midterm elections 1946-2022; Departures from U.S. Congress in midterm years 1990-2022, by party; U.S. annual GDP growth in midterm election years 1970-2022 Choose an issue below to start exploring. Copyright 2023 NPR. This terrorism comes in many forms, including murders, mass murders, and race-based attacks. The Top 10 Global Risks of 2022 | Time Should private businesses have the right to ask customers for their vaccination status? Should it be illegal to burn the American flag? Subscribe to the NPR Nation RSS feed. After Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, Americans mentions of Russia as the top U.S. problem jumped from 2% to 9% in March. In the wake of two mass shootings in May at a New York grocery store and a Texas elementary school, Americans mentions of guns as the most important problem in the country rose to 8% in June. Both Republicans (25% now vs. 35% in 2021) and Democrats (58% now vs. 68% then) are now less likely to see dealing with the problems low-income families face as a top priority though Democrats continue to prioritize this policy area far more than Republicans. Should the minimum voting age be lowered? A majority of U.S. adults continue to think the federal government should ensure universal healthcare coverage, while they also prefer that the U.S. healthcare . For example, adults under 30 (54%) are more likely to say global climate change should be a top priority than older age groups. As in the past, Republicans and Democrats differ on the importance of most policy priorities, but the partisan gaps have widened significantly for 11 of the 18 items included in the survey including double-digit increases in partisan differences on dealing with immigration, improving the political system, improving the job situation and addressing issues within the criminal justice system. In addition, about two-thirds of Black adults say dealing with the problems associated with poverty (68%) and criminal justice reform (67%) should get top priority this year, compared with around four-in-ten White adults who say this for both issues. Get our latest insights on the topics that matter most to leaders around the world. This year saw the catastrophic damage wrought by Hurricane Ian. President Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to sit on the high court. Should the government increase the tax rate on profits earned from the sale of stocks, bonds, and real estate? Should every 18 year old citizen be required to provide at least one year of military service? Two things in particular need to improve for Biden to make a turnaround the pandemic . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks after giving a Ukrainian national flag to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Vice President Harris during his address to Congress on Dec. 21. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. Another huge topic of discussion is book bans taking place at schools, libraries, and learning centers across the country. The widest gaps between older and younger adults are on strengthening the military and defending against terrorism. The landmark decision was one of the top political stories of 2022. Six-in-ten now say it should be a major priority, down from 78% who said this in 2021. Should the President offer tax breaks to individual companies to keep jobs in the U.S.? Dealing with the coronavirus outbreak is viewed as a less important priority than last year. Black adults (66%) are more likely than either White (27%) or Hispanic adults (47%) to say this should be a top priority. Voting, elections and democracy This year also finds voters concerned about the. Today, that number has fallen to 46%. Instead, it was mostly Democrats and, according to polling, a slim majority of independents who paid closest attention and blamed Trump more for what happened afterward. Should drilling be allowed in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge? Toward the end of 2021, President Biden's approval ratings took a dive. That all had the effect of burdening Biden's approval ratings, which remained in the low-40s for much of the year. Should foreign terrorism suspects be given constitutional rights? Should the government increase funding for mental health research and treatment? Should people be required to work in order to receive Medicaid? It also weighed in on gun rights, environmental regulations, immigration and more, and appears ready to take aim at race-based affirmative action with a decision coming by June. The share who say dealing with the pandemic should be a top policy priority has fallen among members of both political parties, but the decline is steeper among Republicans: 60% said the pandemic was a top priority a year ago, compared with 35% today. There has been a similar decline among adults ages 50 to 64 who view COVID-19 as a top priority (80% in 2021, 61% today). But there are significant differences in the importance of a number of other issues, especially addressing issues around race, dealing with the problems of poor people and addressing the criminal justice system. Read more about theATPs methodology. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For the seventh year in the past decade, Americans name dissatisfaction with the government as the nations top problem in 2022. Should gig workers such as Uber drivers be classified as employees? What Issues Matter Most To Voters in 2022 U.S. Mid-Term Elections: Long The survey also found that the overall public sees the court as more ideologically conservative than two years ago, and that view is particularly true of Democrats. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, there had been long-term drops in the shares citing the economy and jobs as top policy priorities. That all had the effect of burdening Biden's approval ratings, which remained in the low-40s for much of the year. Should the US assassinate suspected terrorists in foreign countries? Should the President mobilize the U.S. military against Mexican Drug Cartels? Should police officers be required to wear body cameras? Despite a 50-50 Senate and the legislative filibuster still in place, Democrats and sometimes, some Republicans were able to get quite a bit done in 2022, from the Inflation Reduction Act, which tries to address climate change and the cost of prescription drugs; to the CHIPS Act, which aims to boost domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips; to taking a step toward protecting same-sex and interracial marriages with the Respect for Marriage Act; to reforming the Electoral Count Act and funding Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion. report | Jan 31, 2023. Nearly half of Democrats (48%) want Biden to stand up to Republicans on issues important to his voters, even if it makes it harder to address key problems an increase from the 37% who said this last year, shortly before his inauguration. Here are some of the political events that will dominate headlines in 2022. Gas prices and food costs soared, and with Democrats in control of Congress and the White House, it put them on their heels in this year's midterms. But her appointment did not change its ideological balance, which now tips decidedly in conservatives' favor. May 18, 2022. The conservative majority on the Supreme Court made its mark in 2022, stunning the country by overturning the right to an abortion in the U.S. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Should the government attempt to influence foreign elections? Trump announced exceedingly early that he is running for president again, just a week after Republicans underperformed in the midterm elections, with many pointing the finger at Trump for why. Should the government raise the retirement age for Social Security? The results were in large measure because of the intensity of opposition to the Supreme Court's conservative-majority decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and the many election-denying, Trump-backed candidates who were rejected in key swing seats and competitive Senate races. Beyond the economy, Republicans say the president and Congress should prioritize dealing with immigration (67%), defending against terrorism (65%), reducing the budget deficit (63%) and reducing crime (60%). Economy Remains the Public's Top Policy Priority; COVID-19 Concerns Decline Again. Last year, there was essentially no difference between the shares in each party who viewed improving the political system as a top priority (64% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans). The issue that could be the sleeping giant of the 2022 elections Currently, 53% of Democrats say addressing issues around race should be a top priority, compared with 72% who said the same last year. While the economy continues to lead the publics list of priorities, there has been a decline in the share of Americans, especially Democrats, who view it as a top policy priority. While there are wide partisan differences on most priorities, 82% of Republicans and a smaller majority of Democrats (63%) say strengthening the economy should be a top priority for the president and Congress. Abortion rights activist Sierra Frey cries while protesting in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, after the court overturned a federal right to an abortion. Now, just 40% in the GOP say this should be a top priority, compared with 61% of Democrats. Should the U.S. withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement? Large majorities of Americans say prices for food and consumer goods (89%), gas prices (82%) and the cost of housing (79%) are worse than they were a year ago. A spring 2021 survey found that 84% of Hispanic adults said there should be a way for undocumented immigrants to stay in the country legally if certain requirements were met, compared with 69% of U.S. adults overall. Most Important Issue Facing Texas (August 2022) | The Texas Politics These were the top political stories of 2022 - NPR Should the U.S. government grant immunity to Edward Snowden? Should universities provide trigger warnings and safe spaces for students? and just the fourth time since 1979 that annual satisfaction has been below 20%. Today, Republicans across all ages are at least 20 points less likely than they were a year ago to say that dealing with the coronavirus outbreak should be a top priority. But that was just the headliner. Should members of Congress be allowed to trade stocks while serving in office? Voters follow social distancing measures at the Halifax Convention Centre as they prepare to vote in the federal . Across racial and ethnic lines, strengthening the economy ranks near the top of the policy agenda. Sign up to receive essential insights on the thoughts and feelings of people in more than 140 countries. In the latest CNN poll, just 9% of Republican voters and 4% of Democratic voters called it their top issue. Do you support the use of nuclear energy? Many of his endorsed candidates lost in purple states, highlighting his political weaknesses. In two instances just days apart, 10 Black people were killed in a supermarket shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., and 21 were killed, including 19 children, in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Polls Dealing with the problems of poor people has declined as a policy priority as well. Politics latest updates: Half of Britons think Tories will lose seats Should local law enforcement be allowed to detain illegal immigrants for minor crimes and transfer them to federal immigration authorities? Views also differ based on age. While the share of the public who says that dealing with the coronavirus outbreak should be a top priority has fallen in the last year, this decline is larger among younger Americans. Meantime, the country is still trying to recover from the COVID pandemic, while girding for a potential recession, as this year also saw high gas prices and soaring inflation. Voter issues U.S. midterm elections 2022 | Statista Notably, majorities rate all of these policy goals either as a top priority for the president and Congress or as an important but lower priority; for each, relatively small shares say they are not too important or should not be done. (For a closer look at the top policy priorities of partisan and demographic groups, see the detailed tables accompanying this report). Donate Smaller shares view seven of the 18 items included in the survey as top policy priorities than did so last year (four items increased). It was the most significant gun legislation signed in decades, but that only shows how difficult it is to get sweeping changes passed federally, like raising the age of who can purchase certain firearms or whether the country could ever return to an assault-style weapons ban. Other issues have declined as policy priorities among members of both parties since last year. Should the government classify cryptocurrencies as legal forms of payment? About Do you support President Bidens student loan forgiveness program? Should foreign lobbyists be allowed to raise money for American elections? Disney paid and collected a total of $1.2 billion in state and local taxes in 2022, according to company disclosures. Should every voter automatically receive a mail in ballot? The publics views of the court are as negative as they have been in many years. Support WUSF now by giving monthly, or make a one-time donation online. Should Jerusalem be recognized as the capital of Israel? Arrests along the border topped 2 million for the first time. Americans now see reducing the budget deficit as a higher priority for the president and Congress to address than in recent years. Here's what the post-Roe polling says about voters' top issues - CNN At a time when Americans rate several issues as lower priorities than they did a year ago, the decline in the share citing the pandemic has been particularly steep: 60% now view dealing with the coronavirus as a top policy priority, down from 78% last year. About three-quarters of Republicans (72%) want GOP leaders to stand up to Biden, up 13 points from last year. U.S. News and National Top Stories : NPR Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, there had been a long-term decline in the shares citing the economy and jobs as top policy priorities. He also remains under the cloud of multiple investigations: his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, was searched due to the removal of classified documents from the White House; the Trump Organization was found guilty of decades of criminal tax fraud; a special counsel is overseeing a federal investigation into the former president; and several years of his taxes were turned over to Congress and partially released Friday. A March 2021 survey of Latino adults found that nearly four-in-ten Latinos (39%) said they worry that they, a family member, or someone close to them could be deported. Should children of illegal immigrants be granted legal citizenship? The 2022 figure is the lowest point since. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. All of the state's top political leaders Speaker Philip Gunn, Lt. Gov, Delbert Hosemann and Gov. Should gay couples have the same adoption rights as straight couples? Should the government ban surcharges tacked onto concert tickets, cable bills, banking services, hotel bookings and other purchases? Most Popular Political Issues of 2023 - iSideWith But many Trump supporters never watched. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Only about half of Americans currently view improving the job situation as a top priority (52%), compared with 67% last year. A smaller share of men (54%) say the same. Economic issues dominate as top issue for voters, new poll shows Democrats and Republicans are tied when adults are asked which party should control Congress after the 2022 midterms. Further down the list, immigration, unifying the country, COVID-19, race relations and crime each average 4% to 6% of mentions in 2022. While the issue faded in mentions of the most important problem in subsequent months, it has remained elevated among Democrats. Should the redrawing of Congressional districts be controlled by an independent, non-partisan commission? The decline is steeper among Republicans than Democrats 60% said the pandemic was a top priority a year ago compared with 35% today but fewer Democrats also still view it as a major priority (93% last year, 80% now). Roughly half of adults under 50 (54%) say dealing with the coronavirus should be a top priority, compared with 61% of adults ages 50 to 64, and 72% of those ages 65 and older. hide caption. Should the IRS create a free electronic tax filing system? It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Older adults in each party are generally more likely to prioritize the coronavirus than younger ones. Here are just some of the top political stories of 2022, in no particular rank or order: It's going to be divided federal government come the new year. The share of Americans who say that addressing issues around race is an important priority this year has fallen from 49% in early 2021 to 37% this year. President Joe Biden's job approval is steady at 40%, as is congressional approval, which is currently 22%. Black Democrats (71%) also are almost twice as like as White Democrats (38%) to say that addressing the criminal justice system should be a top priority; 53% of Hispanic Democrats see this as a major priority. Russia's move tested Biden's ability to maintain NATO unity and get funding from not just the U.S. Congress but the governments of those other countries. Annual averages for 2008 through 2012 -- during and after the Great Recession -- show that the economy was most often named as the top problem in the U.S. and that unemployment was also a dominant issue. All the while, there has been no movement on a comprehensive federal immigration overhaul in almost a decade in a country that has millions of immigrants living in the U.S. after crossing the border illegally and massive backlogs in immigration courts due to understaffing and underfunding. As expected, Republicans won control of the House, but the GOP will only have a narrow, four-seat majority, and Democrats held the Senate. Should the government acquire equity stakes in companies it bails out during a recession? It's all taking a toll on communities. The share of Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party who say strengthening the economy should be a top priority has fallen from 75% a year ago to 63% today. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Put the customer at the core of every part of your organization to deliver exceptional experiences and grow your business. Do you support limiting police unions collective bargaining power for cases involving misconduct? It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Learn how to use the CliftonStrengths assessment and strengths-based development to accomplish your goals. Do you support increasing taxes for the rich in order to reduce interest rates for student loans? Majority in U.S. In two instances just days apart, 10 Black people were killed in a supermarket shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., and 21 were killed, including 19 children, in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. A slim majority of U.S. adults (54%) said in January that they have a favorable opinion of the Supreme Court while 44% have an unfavorable view. Should the U.S. remain in the United Nations? Social & Policy Issues. Should health insurers be allowed to deny coverage to individuals who have a pre-existing condition? Older Americans are only somewhat less likely to say that dealing with the pandemic should be a top priority (80% a year ago, 72% today). There was a lot that happened in politics in 2022, from the consequential midterm elections to the U.S. Supreme Court's historic abortion ruling and record migration at the southern border. Should transgender athletes be allowed to compete against athletes that differ from their assigned sex at birth? Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/406739/government-remains-americans-top-problem-2022.aspx Yet, between August and December, no more than 2% of U.S. adults named it. Here are the three. While the COVID-19 pandemic has improved throughout the year, inflation has worsened and heightened Americans concerns. There is also a partisan divide: 53% of Democrats say this should be a top priority, compared with 14% of Republicans. Should U.S. citizens be allowed to save or invest their money in offshore bank accounts? Environmental shocks, economic crisis and COVID-19 restrictions are driving inflation. Do you support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources? Republicans are more likely to rate dealing with immigration and reducing the budget deficit as top priorities than did so last year, while there has been little change in views on the importance of these issues among Democrats. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Still, the share of Americans who cite strengthening the economy as a top priority has dropped 9 percentage points from a year ago, and concern about jobs has declined. Should there be a 5-year ban on White House and Congressional officials from becoming lobbyists after they leave the government? Should the President be able to authorize military force against Al-Qaeda without Congressional approval? Our Vice President for Policy and Strategic Initiatives unpacks five key global issues to watch in 2022, laying out both the challenges and opportunities of global cooperation in ensuring an equitable, sustainable global response and recovery. system be based on private insurance rather than government-run. However, Republicans ages 65 and older are somewhat more likely to rate dealing with the coronavirus as a top goal than Republicans under 65 (44% vs. 32%). Ukraine has held off Russia in a deadly war that has lasted since February. A year ago, 78% of the public said it was a top priority; today, that share has fallen to 60%. +1 202.715.3030. Should cities be allowed to offer private companies economic incentives to relocate? Veronica G. Cardenas/AFP via Getty Images, The midterm elections dust has settled in Washington. Another 7% said it was no threat at all. Overall, about half of Americans (49%) say that dealing with immigration should be a major priority for the president and Congress this year, up 10 points from a year ago. Should local police increase surveillance and patrol of Muslim neighborhoods? Among Republicans, 79% said they have little or no confidence in the fairness of the Jan. 6 committees investigation, including 46% who have no confidence at all. Should immigrants be deported if they commit a serious crime? Fierce fighting across Sudan has left hopes for a peaceful transition to civilian rule in tatters. Should the government require businesses to pay salaried employees, making up to $46k/year, time-and-a-half for overtime hours? The publics policy agenda reflects continued concerns over the economy. Do you support the legalization of Marijuana? The Federal Reserve raised interest rates multiple times throughout 2022, squeezing borrowing in hopes of stemming inflation. Dissatisfaction with the government did not emerge in recent history as one of the top issues facing the nation until 2012. Abortion rights activist Sierra Frey cries while protesting in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, after the court overturned a federal right to an abortion. Should the U.S. raise or lower the tax rate for corporations? Do you support a universal basic income program? For this analysis, we surveyed 5,128 U.S. adults in January 2022. This year saw the catastrophic damage wrought by Hurricane Ian. Russia's move tested Biden's ability to maintain NATO unity and get funding from not just the U.S. Congress but the governments of those other countries. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Publics Top Priority for 2022: Strengthening the Nations Economy. Create a culture that ensures employees are involved, enthusiastic and highly productive in their work and workplace. Do you support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)? While there is a large partisan gap in views of the coronavirus as a top priority, there are also age differences within each party. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, pledge to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, State of the Union 2022: How Americans view major national issues, Publics Top Priority for 2022: Strengthening the Nations Economy, A growing share of Americans say affordable housing is a major problem where they live, People in U.S., Western Europe differ over what needs more fixing: Their nations political or economic system, Majority of Americans Confident in Bidens Handling of Foreign Policy as Term Begins, What the data says about Americans views of climate change, Podcasts as a Source of News and Information, AI in Hiring and Evaluating Workers: What Americans Think, Americans confident in Zelenskyy, but have limited familiarity with some other world leaders, How Public Polling Has Changed in the 21st Century.