Marianna Sotomayor. The incidents led to modest gun reforms signed into law. Views also differ based on age. Should there be a limit to the amount of money a candidate can receive from a donor? Should funding for local police departments be redirected to social and community based programs? The military removed civilian leaders in October 2021, and the resulting political uncertainty could destabilize peace efforts with armed groups. Should terminally ill patients be allowed to end their lives via assisted suicide? About as many said either that a little (34%) or nothing at all (15%) needs to be done. As expected, Republicans won control of the House, but the GOP will only have a narrow, four-seat majority, and Democrats held the Senate. Nearly two-thirds of women (65%) say that dealing with the coronavirus outbreak should be a top priority for the president and Congress this year. The year also saw political violence with Pelosi's husband, Paul, attacked in their California home and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh targeted, which led to stepped up security for the justices. Across racial and ethnic lines, strengthening the economy ranks near the top of the policy agenda. 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. Despite registering relatively low annual averages, several issues have been notably higher at some points this year. Should the government require children to be vaccinated for preventable diseases? In the New York Times/Siena poll, just 5% of registered voters name abortion or women's rights as the single most important problem facing the country, ranking it behind the economy (20%),. All of the state's top political leaders Speaker Philip Gunn, Lt. Gov, Delbert Hosemann and Gov. Arrests along the border topped 2 million for the first time. In addition, Republicans are more than twice as likely as Democrats to name inflation and the economy in general, while the readings among independents fall between the two partisan groups. a political STUNT," former President Donald J. Trump wrote last week on . Should the Federal Government suspend the gasoline tax? Similarly, about three-quarters of adults ages 65 and older say that defending against terrorism should be a top priority, compared with about a third of those under 30. Copyright 2023 NPR. 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 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 the Federal Reserve Bank be audited by Congress? Paraguayans on Sunday elected a president from the rightwing party in power for nearly eight decades, rejecting a center-left challenger who had railed against endemic institutional corruption.Economist and former finance minister Santiago Pena, 44, took the election with more than 42 percent of the vote to continue the hegemony of the conservative Colorado Party, results showed.Sixty-year-old . President Joe Biden's job approval is steady at 40%, as is congressional approval, which is currently 22%. Many in the media and some in law enforcement say domestic terrorism is on the rise, which is likely why it's landed on the Pew Research Center's list of controversial topics for 2022. Do you support the use of nuclear energy? The survey found that about half of U.S. adults (49%) considered Russia a competitor of the U.S., while 41% said it is an enemy. 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. Should the government build a network of electric vehicle charging stations? Should Supreme Court justices be prohibited from making financial transactions with people who have a vested interest in court outcomes? Should online payment platforms be forced to report all transactions over $600 to the IRS? As if 2020 and 2021 weren't unpredictable and challenging enough, there is no doubt that 2022 will . Electoral Count Act and funding Ukraine's defense, Voting rights groups sue over state's 'inadequate' voter registration form, Florida professor who was allegedly fired over a racial justice unit files a civil rights complaint, DeSantis signs a bill allowing the death penalty in child rape convictions, 7 bodies have been found during a search for missing Oklahoma teens, Here are all the best looks from the Met Gala 2023, The U.S. could run out of cash to pay its bills by June 1, Yellen warns Congress, Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr sues over her removal from House floor. Should gender identity be added to anti-discrimination laws? Should the government require businesses to pay salaried employees, making up to $46k/year, time-and-a-half for overtime hours? These issues are far less salient for Republicans: Democrats are on average about 33 points more likely than Republicans to rate each as a top priority. About Should the government stop construction of the Dakota Access pipeline? Should the government support peace talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran? Should companies be allowed to require mandatory diversity training for employees? A plurality of Democrats (29%) say threats to democracy was the most important issue facing the country, while 17% of independents and 17% of Republicans agree. Should the redrawing of Congressional districts be controlled by an independent, non-partisan commission? Ukraine has held off Russia in a deadly war that has lasted since February. Dealing with the coronavirus outbreak ranked among Americans top three policy concerns in the January survey, but Americans view it as less important than they did last year. Should the U.S. government grant immunity to Edward Snowden? By contrast, there has been almost no change in views among Republicans and GOP leaners (85% top priority then, 82% today). Should the government support a separation of church and state by removing references to God on money, federal buildings, and national monuments? Should drug traffickers receive the death penalty? Should gig workers such as Uber drivers be classified as employees? Jan 9, 2023. Should police officers be required to wear body cameras? Should health insurance providers be required to offer free birth control? Similarly, nearly two-thirds of those without a college degree (63%) say securing Social Security should be a top priority for the president and Congress. About six-in-ten Americans (61%) say that reducing health care costs should be a top policy priority for the president and Congress this year, according to the January survey. Should there be more restrictions on the current process of purchasing a gun? This compares with 42% of those ages 30 to 49, 36% of those ages 50 to 64 and 39% of those age 65 and older. Despite the furor over congressional redistricting, new state House and Senate maps were arguably more impactful in 2022. Today, two-thirds of Republicans (67%) view immigration as a top priority, compared with just 35% of Democrats. Should illegal immigrants have access to government-subsidized healthcare? Now, with Republicans set to take control of the House, the select committee will be disbanded and the two GOP members on the panel won't be returning to Congress. Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images Larger shares of women than men also say reducing health care costs, improving education, addressing issues around race and dealing with drug addiction should be top priorities in the year ahead. 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. Last year, 65% of Democrats said they had a favorable view of the court. Do you support affirmative action programs? And it means local and federal leaders are scrambling in the short term to come up with disaster recovery funding and unable to, in a consistent and united way, prepare for the long term. Next year, every state official and every member of the Texas Legislature and . About half of women also say that dealing with the issue of poverty should be a top priority, while men are 10 points less likely to say this. Should foreigners, currently residing in the United States, have the right to vote? WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For the seventh year in the past decade, Americans name dissatisfaction with the government as the nations top problem 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. Should schools be allowed to require mandatory diversity training for teachers and faculty? When it comes to other foreign policy concerns, the share of Americans who rank defending the country against future terrorist attacks as a top policy priority has been steadily declining in recent years: 55% of Americans said in the January policy priorities survey that this should be a major priority, dropping from 63% last year and 74% in an early 2020 survey. Among Republicans, who were far less likely than Democrats to rate this as a priority, there has been a 10 percentage point decline in the share rating it as a top priority (24% to 14%). Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, Black adults are more likely than White or Hispanic adults to rate a number of issues as top policy priorities. 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. Wellbeing. There are some exceptions to this pattern, however. Learn how to develop and engage employees to create an exceptional workplace and boost your business outcomes. Older adults are also more likely than younger adults to prioritize dealing with immigration, securing Social Security and strengthening the economy. Should the government increase environmental regulations to prevent climate change? Dealing with the coronavirus outbreak is viewed as a less important priority than last year. Further down the list, immigration, unifying the country, COVID-19, race relations and crime each average 4% to 6% of mentions in 2022. Should the government increase funding for mental health research and treatment? Since 2013 -- when the government shutdown caused mentions of the government to surge -- it has been the first or second most-citedissue each year. Should the U.S. increase restrictions on its current border security policy? Explore the official statistics for measuring what matters most at work and in life, including: ESG: Environmental, Social and Governance, Government Remains Americans' Top Problem in 2022, COVID-19, Russia, Abortion, Guns Increased in Importance at Points in 2022. Support WUSF now by giving monthly, or make a one-time donation online. Humanitarian risks Should the United States transition to a four-day workweek? Satisfaction at Lowest Point Since 2011, Americans satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S. has tumbled nine percentage points, to 18%, from last years average. 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). The tightly scripted hearings featured never-before-seen video and explosive testimony from people who participated in the deadly riot, local elections officials and people who worked in the Trump administration or on his campaign hoping to get him reelected. U.S. as the top U.S. problem. There are substantial differences in views of policy priorities by education. 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. Should the current estate tax rate be decreased? Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Adults under 30 are the only age group in which a majority (54%) say global climate change should be a top priority. Do you support mandatory minimum prison sentences for people charged with drug possession? Here are some of the political events that will dominate headlines in 2022. Should the government use economic stimulus to aid the country during times of recession? Copyright 2023 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Gallup World Headquarters, 901 F Street, Washington, D.C., 20001, U.S.A There has been almost no change in views among Republicans and GOP leaners: 85% said it was a top priority last year, and 82% view it that way today. It has caused political headaches for Biden and his administration, and led to political stunts like Texas' and Florida's governors sending migrants to Democratic-controlled cities and enclaves. Ukraine has held off Russia in a deadly war that has lasted since February. In a separate January 2022 survey, 55% of Americans said the cost of health care is worse now than it was a year ago, and a larger share of Americans said they agreed with the Democratic Partys health care policies than with the Republican Partys (42% vs. 26%). The latest news and how to stay informed. 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%. Politics December 13, 2022 Government Remains Americans' Top Problem in 2022 by Megan Brenan Story Highlights Average 19% in 2022 name some aspect of government as biggest problem 16%. Do you support Common Core national standards? Staff writer. The landmark decision was one of the top political stories of 2022. The nations sharply divided political landscape and the troubled economy no doubt have affected the publics satisfaction with the direction of the country. In a survey conducted in April 2021, majorities of Americans said the federal government was doing too little to reduce the effects of global climate change (59%) and to protect important aspects of the environment including air quality (59%), water quality of lakes, rivers and streams (63%) and animals and their habitats (57%). The year also saw political violence with Pelosi's husband, Paul, attacked in their California home and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh targeted, which led to stepped up security for the justices. Between 2004 and 2007, the Iraq War was viewed as the most important problem; in the early 2000s, the economy and terrorism were named most often. And it means local and federal leaders are scrambling in the short term to come up with disaster recovery funding and unable to, in a consistent and united way, prepare for the long term. Please support our research with a financial contribution. The publics views of the court are as negative as they have been in many years. Jan 23, 2023. In April, Prime Minister Imran Khan lost a no-confidence vote in parliament, continuing a streak in which no Pakistani prime. December 13, 2022 Americans now see reducing the budget deficit as a higher priority for the president and Congress to address than in recent years. report | Jan 31, 2023. On most other issues, however, there are substantial partisan differences especially on dealing with global climate change and the coronavirus outbreak. Only 28% rate economic conditions as excellent or good. Should every voter automatically receive a mail in ballot? top issues for american voters in 2022 u.s. mid-term elections: #1 economy and #2 coronavirus . (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. 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. 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. But strengthening the economy continues to be the public's top policy priority. Should the government increase the tax rate on profits earned from the sale of stocks, bonds, and real estate? PublishedDecember 31, 2022 at 5:01 AM EST, Veronica G. Cardenas / AFP via Getty Images. Should the federal government require racial sensitivity training for employees? Black adults (66%) are more likely than either White (27%) or Hispanic adults (47%) to say that addressing issues around race should be a top priority. Should the US assassinate suspected terrorists in foreign countries? 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. Methodology for each Pew Research Center poll can be found at the links in the post. In Divided Washington, Americans Have Highly Negative Views of Both Parties' Leaders Americans express highly negative views of President Joe Biden, congressional leadership in both parties and Congress more broadly. FAQs Many of his endorsed candidates lost in purple states, highlighting his political weaknesses. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 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. One of the top issues, as it is in most federal elections, is the economy. There are three topics dealing with global trade issues, reducing the budget deficit and dealing with immigration that men view as higher priorities than do women. There is also a partisan divide: 53% of Democrats say this should be a top priority, compared with 14% of Republicans. President Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to sit on the high court. 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. 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. Should a business be able to deny service to a customer if the request conflicts with the owners religious beliefs? This year, 67% of Republicans view immigration as a top priority, compared with just 35% of Democrats. Analyze and improve the experiences across your employee life cycle, so your people and organization can thrive. hide caption. In both cases, it ranked behind the government. Dealing with the problems of poor people has declined as a policy priority as well. Economy Remains the Public's Top Policy Priority; COVID-19 Concerns Decline Again. hide caption. Should the US increase or decrease foreign aid spending? Black adults (66%) are more likely than either White (27%) or Hispanic adults (47%) to say this should be a top priority. and just the fourth time since 1979 that annual satisfaction has been below 20%. Over the past three years, the share of adults with a favorable view of the court has declined 15 points, driven largely by a drop-off among Democrats. May 18, 2022. The incidents led to modest gun reforms signed into law. Subscribe to the NPR Nation RSS feed. Do you support President Bidens student loan forgiveness program? 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. This year saw the catastrophic damage wrought by Hurricane Ian. Do you support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)? Half of all adults said in a July 2021 survey that a lot more needs to be done to ensure equal rights for all Americans regardless of their race or ethnicity. Should foreign terrorism suspects be given constitutional rights? Should local police increase surveillance and patrol of Muslim neighborhoods? Should the U.S. continue to participate in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)? Should the government acquire equity stakes in companies it bails out during a recession? Smaller shares view seven of the 18 items included in the survey as top policy priorities than did so last year (four items increased). In addition to strengthening the economy, Democrats leading priorities are dealing with the coronavirus (80%), reducing health care costs (69%), improving education (66%) and dealing with global climate change (65%). Should the government prevent mega mergers of corporations that could potentially control a large percentage of market share within its industry? Should schools be allowed to require mandatory diversity training for students? Should the government give tax credits and subsidies to the wind power industry? 'We will cope with today . 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. With inflation at a four-decade high, 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. Should the minimum voting age be lowered? 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. Should convicted criminals have the right to vote? While the issue faded in mentions of the most important problem in subsequent months, it has remained elevated among Democrats. Should the government break up Amazon, Facebook and Google? But her appointment did not change its ideological balance, which now tips decidedly in conservatives' favor. He is the president of Eurasia Group, a. 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. 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. It has caused political headaches for Biden and his administration, and led to political stunts like Texas' and Florida's governors sending migrants to Democratic-controlled cities and enclaves. A relatively large share of U.S. adults (33%) said they were not sure how Russian actions toward Ukraine affected U.S. interests. More funding will be needed and was a major reason why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his first trip outside the country since the war began, cloaked in secrecy, to the United States and addressed Congress this month. Should social media companies ban political advertising? Do you support increasing taxes for the rich in order to reduce interest rates for student loans? Should the federal government increase funding of health care for low income individuals (Medicaid)? Should the military upgrade Air Force One? Should a politician, who has been formerly convicted of a crime, be allowed to run for office? They painted a picture of a then-president who inspired a mob of his supporters to storm the Capitol and did nothing to tamp down the violence for hours despite watching it all unfold and being urged to do so. Would you favor an increased sales tax in order to reduce property taxes? 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. 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. Republicans satisfaction, already a low 8% in 2021 after President Joe Biden took office, is down to 4% in 2022. A smaller share of men (54%) say the same. July 5,. Environmental shocks, economic crisis and COVID-19 restrictions are driving inflation. Should universities provide trigger warnings and safe spaces for students? Extreme weather events and billion-dollar disasters continue to be more common than they were decades ago. Everyone who took part in the surveys is a member of the Centers American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. 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. Domenico Montanaro is NPR's senior political editor/correspondent. Around a quarter of adults (24%) said that while there are many inequities in U.S. laws and institutions, necessary changes can be made by working within the current systems, while roughly as many (25%) said that most laws and major institutions need to be completely rebuilt because they are fundamentally biased against some racial and ethnic groups. Should there be term limits set for members of Congress? Last year, 71% of Democrats said jobs should be a top priority; today, only about half of Democrats say this (49%). A year ago, 78% of the public said it was a top priority; today, that share has fallen to 60%. 6 questions for politics in 2022. Although the Biden administration has acted on a number of fronts to reverse more restrictive Trump-era immigration policies, deportation remains an important concern for many U.S. Latinos. 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. Should the government be allowed to seize private property, with reasonable compensation, for public or civic use? He also helps edit political coverage. Should an in-state sales tax apply to online purchases of in-state buyers from out-of-state sellers? 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. Should the government hire private companies to run prisons? Less than half of those with a college degree (44%) say that issue should be a top priority. There was record drought in the West and low levels in the Mississippi River, along with extreme rainfall and flooding in other parts of the U.S. Dissatisfaction with the government continues to exceed all other single issues as the most pressing in the U.S. in 2022. Should women be allowed to wear a Niqb, or face veil, to civic ceremonies? Should the military fly drones over foreign countries to gain intelligence and kill suspected terrorists? Should immigrants be required to learn English? Do you support qualified immunity for police officers? But that was just the headliner. Most U.S. adults (71%) identify this as a top concern, according to a Center survey conducted in January that asked about the importance of 18 policy priorities. Should private businesses have the right to ask customers for their vaccination status? Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Political, economic, and climate crises wracked Pakistan in 2022. Should the government fund the World Health Organization? Voting, elections and democracy This year also finds voters concerned about the. Should pension plans for federal, state, and local government workers be transitioned into privately managed accounts? NPR coverage of national news, U.S. politics, elections, business, arts, culture, health and science, and technology. Candidate Login Data & Insights 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. Still Say Gov't Should Ensure Healthcare. Immigration is considered a top problem more so among Republicans than Democrats and independents, while the opposite is true of race relations and abortion issues.