Article Begins Here - Who, Me Worried?
According to 13 issues Gallup measured in a March poll, summarized by Lydia Saad, 71% of Americans say they worry about the economy "a great deal," more than worry about 13 other issues. 64% worry a great deal about federal spending and the budget deficit. Race relations is the only issue about which the majority of Americans is "only a little" or "not at all" concerned.
Gallup has tracked 10 of the 14 items measured this year every year since 2001, except for 2009. Federal spending/the deficit as well as the size and power of the federal government, both hallmark concerns of the national Tea Party movement, are new to the list this year. The "possibility of future terrorist attacks" was added to the list in 2002 and Social Security in 2005.
The availability and affordability of energy is the only issue about which Americans have grown significantly more worried since last year, from 38% to 46%. The current level of concern about this is similar to what it was from 2006 to 2008.
The economy and unemployment are top-ranking concerns for Republicans, independents, and Democrats. Additionally, majorities of Republicans and Democrats are highly worried about Social Security.
Beyond these areas of common concern, however, the parties diverge. Large majorities of Republicans say they worry a great deal about federal spending and the size and power of government, and more than half worry a great deal about immigration. All of these issues are absent from Democrats' top concerns. In contrast, Democrats' top-ranking issue, healthcare, is not a great concern to most Republicans.
Among the four issues of concern to a majority of independents, the economy and unemployment are issues they have in common with both major parties, while federal spending is primarily a Republican concern and healthcare, a Democratic one.
Of note,says the report, women are significantly more likely than men to be worried about healthcare, hunger/homelessness, Social Security, crime, unemployment, the environment, and drug use.
Young adults aged 18 to 34 are significantly less likely than older Americans to be concerned about Social Security and the size and power of the federal government. Young adults are significantly more likely to be concerned about the quality of the environment.
Americans' economic anxiety has not abated over the past year, as 7 in 10 Americans continue to tell Gallup they personally worry a great deal about the economy. This has ranked as Americans' top concern on this measure since 2008. Healthcare led the list from 2002 through 2007 and remains among the top five today.
This year's additions reveal that federal spending and the budget deficit worry Americans nearly as much as the economy. The interesting distinction is that all three party groups worry about the economy, while the deficit concerns far more Republicans and independents than Democrats.
Special note: This year's survey was conducted before a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck Japan on March 11, launching a series of events that has sparked a nuclear crisis in that country and has raised Americans' concerns about the safety of nuclear power, says Gallup
For more about Gallup measurements and this study, please visit here.
| Americans' Concerns (% of respondents; Fourteen National Issues) | |||
Degree of Concern | |||
| Issue | Great Deal | Fair Amount | A Little/ None |
| Economy | 71% | 22% | 7% |
| Federal spending and budget deficit | 64 | 23 | 12 |
| Availability and affordability of healthcare | 58 | 25 | 17 |
| Unemployment | 57 | 27 | 15 |
| Social Security system | 51 | 26 | 22 |
| Size & power of federal government | 48 | 24 | 28 |
| Availability & affordability of energy | 46 | 33 | 21 |
| Crime and violence | 44 | 30 | 25 |
| Illegal immigration | 42 | 23 | 34 |
| Hunger and homelessness | 41 | 34 | 26 |
| Future terrorist attacks in US | 40 | 29 | 31 |
| Drug use | 40 | 24 | 35 |
| Quality of the environment | 34 | 34 | 31 |
| Race relations | 16 | 28 | 54 |
| Source: Gallup, March 201 | |||
The availability and affordability of energy is the only issue about which Americans have grown significantly more worried since last year, from 38% to 46%. The current level of concern about this is similar to what it was from 2006 to 2008.
| Energy Availability and Affordability Concern (% of Respondents Saying "A Great Deal") | |
| Year | % Who Worry ("A Great Deal) |
| 2001 | 46% |
| 2001 | 32 |
| 2003 | 27 |
| 2004 | 35 |
| 2005 | 39 |
| 2006 | 48 |
| 2007 | 43 |
| 2008 | 47 |
| 2009 | n/a |
| 2010 | 38 |
| 2011 | 46 |
| Source: Gallup, March 2011 | |
Beyond these areas of common concern, however, the parties diverge. Large majorities of Republicans say they worry a great deal about federal spending and the size and power of government, and more than half worry a great deal about immigration. All of these issues are absent from Democrats' top concerns. In contrast, Democrats' top-ranking issue, healthcare, is not a great concern to most Republicans.
Among the four issues of concern to a majority of independents, the economy and unemployment are issues they have in common with both major parties, while federal spending is primarily a Republican concern and healthcare, a Democratic one.
| Top Concerns By Party Affiliation (At least 50% Worried "A Great Deal") | ||||||
Republicans | Independents | Democrats | ||||
| Rank | Issue | Worried | Issue | Worried | Issue | Worried |
| 1 | Federal spending | 79% | Economy | 72% | Healthcare | 69% |
| 2 | Economy | 76 | Federal spending | 65 | Economy | 64 |
| 3 | Size/power of government | 62 | Healthcare | 58 | Unemployment | 60 |
| 4 | Unemployment | 58 | Unemployment | 55 | Social Security | 53 |
| 5 | Illegal immigration | 55 | ||||
| 6 | Social Security | 52 | ||||
| Source: Gallup, March, 2011 | ||||||
Young adults aged 18 to 34 are significantly less likely than older Americans to be concerned about Social Security and the size and power of the federal government. Young adults are significantly more likely to be concerned about the quality of the environment.
Americans' economic anxiety has not abated over the past year, as 7 in 10 Americans continue to tell Gallup they personally worry a great deal about the economy. This has ranked as Americans' top concern on this measure since 2008. Healthcare led the list from 2002 through 2007 and remains among the top five today.
This year's additions reveal that federal spending and the budget deficit worry Americans nearly as much as the economy. The interesting distinction is that all three party groups worry about the economy, while the deficit concerns far more Republicans and independents than Democrats.
Special note: This year's survey was conducted before a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck Japan on March 11, launching a series of events that has sparked a nuclear crisis in that country and has raised Americans' concerns about the safety of nuclear power, says Gallup
For more about Gallup measurements and this study, please visit here.
