Public: Terrorism, Economy Top List of Congressional Priorities

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- The 108th Congress begins its first session today, with the Republicans enjoying majority control of both the House and Senate. A new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll finds that among 14 issues measured, respondents rate terrorism and the economy as the most important they want the president and Congress to address in the next year. The public rates Republicans as better able to deal with national security and foreign policy issues, and the Democrats as better able to handle most of the domestic issues. The two parties are rated about equally in their ability to deal with the economy, the budget deficit, and taxes.

The poll was conducted Jan. 3-5, and finds that nine of 10 Americans say terrorism and, separately, the economy are "extremely" or "very" important issues for the president and Congress to deal with in the coming year. Intensity of feeling is higher on the terrorism issue, as 59% say it is "extremely" important, compared with 49% who say that about the economy. These results reinforce Gallup's monthly measure of the most important problem facing the country, which has shown these two issues swamping all others for much of 2002.

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]?

About eight in 10 Americans rate each of the next eight issues -- after terrorism and the economy -- as either extremely or very important. Four of these issues are rated as "extremely" important by 44% to 46% of Americans, with 80% to 83% rating the issues as "extremely" or "very" important. They include the situation in Iraq, healthcare costs, education, and prescription drugs for older Americans. The next four issues in importance are Social Security, unemployment, foreign affairs, and Medicare. From 36% to 41% of respondents rate each as "extremely" important.

Substantially lower in perceived importance are the federal budget deficit, taxes, and the environment. Fewer than seven in 10 Americans rate each of them as very or extremely important. The least important issue to the public among those measured is abortion. Only 37% give the issue a high importance rating, and only 17% say it is extremely important.

Which Party Better Able to Handle the Issue?

When asked which party in Congress would do a better job of dealing with each of the issues, the public clearly favors the Republicans over Democrats in three areas, all dealing with international concerns: terrorism (55% to 27%), the situation in Iraq (53% to 29%), and foreign affairs in general (51% to 34%). On the economy, the parties are essentially tied, with 43% choosing the Republicans and 42% the Democrats. On two other issues, the differences in ratings of the parties are less than 10 percentage points: the federal budget deficit (Democrats are favored by 43% to 39%), and taxes (Republicans are favored by 46% to 40%).

On the other eight issues measured in the poll, all dealing with domestic matters, the public favors Democrats over Republicans by margins of 13 to 29 percentage points: education (48% to 35%), abortion (46% to 33%), Social Security (50% to 36%), healthcare costs (50% to 35%), unemployment (52% to 32%), prescription drugs for older Americans (54% to 31%), Medicare (54% to 30%), and the environment (56% to 27%).

Do you think the Republicans in Congress or the Democrats in Congress would do a better job of dealing with each of the following issues and problems? How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

SUMMARY TABLE: CONGRESS HANDLING OF ISSUES/PROBLEMS

Advantage to Parties Compared by Importance of Issue to Public

The results show how important the issue of national security is to the Republican Party at this time, just as that issue was critical to the mid-term elections last November. With the beginning of the new Congress, the political struggles between the two parties will remain on familiar grounds.

While the Democrats enjoy higher ratings on most of the domestic issues, the two issues that dominate the public's consciousness these days -- terrorism and the situation in Iraq -- both favor the Republicans. The most salient struggle in the next several weeks will be in the area of the economy, as both the Republicans and Democrats propose their economic stimulus packages. At this time, Americans remain divided as to which party will do the better job there, as Americans were just prior to the 2002 mid-term elections.

Projected Accomplishments of the 108th Congress

Americans are moderately optimistic that Republican control of both Houses of Congress, combined with a Republican president, will improve that body's legislative record. Overall, 40% say they think Congress will accomplish more because of Republican control, 20% say less, and 38% predict no change.

Now that the Republicans control both houses of Congress as well as the presidency, do you expect this Congress to accomplish -- [ROTATED: more than it has in recent years, about the same amount, or less than it has in recent years]?

Republicans are much more likely to say more will be accomplished (65%) than are independents (33%) or Democrats (24%).

Survey Methods

The latest results are based on telephone interviews with 1,000 national adults, aged 18+, conducted Jan. 3-5, 2003. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the 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.

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]?

ITEMS A-F: BASED ON –487—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A

ITEMS G-H: BASED ON FULL SAMPLE

ITEMS I-N: BASED ON –513—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B

A. Education

B. Prescription drugs for older Americans

C. Taxes

4. 1. Medicare

    

   	Extremely important	Very important	Moderately important	Not that important	No opinion
   2003 Jan 3-5	36%	43	18	3	*

   
   
   
5. Unemployment

F. Terrorism

G. The economy

H. Foreign affairs

I. Social Security

J. The environment

11. 1. The situation with Iraq

     

    	Extremely important	Very important	Moderately important	Not that important	No opinion
    2003 Jan 3-5	46%	35	15	3	1

    
    
    
12. Abortion

M. The federal budget deficit

SUMMARY TABLE: ISSUES SALIENCE

Do you think the Republicans in Congress or the Democrats in Congress would do a better job of dealing with each of the following issues and problems? How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

ITEMS A-F: BASED ON –487—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A

ITEMS G-H: BASED ON FULL SAMPLE

ITEMS I-N: BASED ON –513—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B

A. Education

B. Prescription drugs for older Americans

C. Taxes

D. Medicare

E. Unemployment

F. Terrorism

G. The economy

H. Foreign affairs

I. Social Security

J. The environment

K. The situation with Iraq

L. Abortion

M. The federal budget deficit

N. Healthcare costs

SUMMARY TABLE: CONGRESS HANDLING OF ISSUES/PROBLEMS

* -- Less than 0.5%