Most Important Issue Facing the Country (October 2021)

Most Important Issue Facing the Country (October 2021)

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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]"
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categoryTotal
Political corruption/leadership15%
Coronavirus/COVID-1912%
The economy8%
Border security8%
Immigration8%
Moral decline5%
Health care5%
Environment5%
Federal spending/national debt5%
Income inequality5%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Measurement of Party ID for this figure is based on two questions. First, respondents were asked whether they consider themselves to be a Democrats, Republicans, independents, other, or not sure. Those who responded that they are independents or "other" were then asked if they lean toward either the Democrats or Republicans. If they indicated that they lean toward one party or the other, they are considered Democrats or Republicans for the purposes of this figure. Only "pure" independents or members of a third party who indicate that they have no preference for Democrats vis-a-vis Republicans are considered independents. Respondents who answered that they are "not sure" for either of the two aforementioned questions are not incorporated into this figure.
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CategoryDemocratIndependentRepublican
Political corruption/leadership12%10%18%
Coronavirus/COVID-1920%11%4%
The economy2%17%11%
Border security0%6%15%
Immigration1%8%14%
Moral decline2%3%7%
Health care9%6%1%
Environment11%2%1%
Federal spending/national debt1%2%8%
Income inequality11%3%0%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
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CategoryLean DemocratNot very strong DemocratStrong Democrat
Political corruption/leadership20%11%8%
Coronavirus/COVID-196%26%24%
The economy1%3%2%
Border security0%0%0%
Immigration2%1%1%
Moral decline1%5%1%
Health care8%12%8%
Environment8%11%13%
Federal spending/national debt0%2%1%
Income inequality22%7%8%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
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CategoryLean RepublicanNot very strong RepublicanStrong Republican
Political corruption/leadership25%10%17%
Coronavirus/COVID-194%4%4%
The economy7%11%13%
Border security12%19%15%
Immigration12%9%17%
Moral decline6%9%8%
Health care1%1%1%
Environment3%1%0%
Federal spending/national debt10%7%8%
Income inequality0%1%0%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLiberalsModeratesConservatives
Political corruption/leadership13%9%19%
Coronavirus/COVID-1917%18%5%
The economy2%11%11%
Border security0%4%14%
Immigration1%5%14%
Moral decline2%3%8%
Health care8%10%1%
Environment13%3%1%
Federal spending/national debt1%3%8%
Income inequality13%4%1%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLean liberalSomewhat liberalExtremely liberal
Political corruption/leadership7%16%13%
Coronavirus/COVID-1926%13%16%
The economy2%1%2%
Border security0%0%0%
Immigration3%1%1%
Moral decline4%1%0%
Health care6%10%7%
Environment12%12%16%
Federal spending/national debt1%0%2%
Income inequality5%9%24%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLean conservativeSomewhat conservativeExtremely conservative
Political corruption/leadership21%17%20%
Coronavirus/COVID-197%6%4%
The economy11%13%10%
Border security10%17%13%
Immigration12%9%19%
Moral decline9%6%9%
Health care2%0%1%
Environment5%1%0%
Federal spending/national debt11%8%7%
Income inequality2%0%1%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Race is calculated according to the race variable.
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CategoryWhiteBlackHispanic
Political corruption/leadership19%3%8%
Coronavirus/COVID-198%22%15%
The economy10%6%4%
Border security8%0%11%
Immigration10%0%9%
Moral decline5%5%3%
Health care4%6%8%
Environment4%6%7%
Federal spending/national debt5%6%2%
Income inequality4%9%6%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Gender is calculated according to the GENDER variable.
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CategoryMaleFemale
Political corruption/leadership16%14%
Coronavirus/COVID-1914%10%
The economy8%8%
Border security7%8%
Immigration8%8%
Moral decline4%5%
Health care5%5%
Environment5%6%
Federal spending/national debt4%5%
Income inequality4%6%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Community type is based on the following question, " Would you say that you live in an urban, suburban, or rural community?"
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CategoryUrbanSuburbanRural
Political corruption/leadership10%15%19%
Coronavirus/COVID-1921%9%5%
The economy7%9%8%
Border security6%7%11%
Immigration5%9%11%
Moral decline3%5%7%
Health care5%5%3%
Environment5%6%2%
Federal spending/national debt4%4%7%
Income inequality8%4%2%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Age is calculated according to the AGEG variable.
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Category18-2930-4445-6465+
Political corruption/leadership11%12%17%16%
Coronavirus/COVID-1916%15%7%12%
The economy6%8%8%10%
Border security3%4%9%15%
Immigration4%5%9%14%
Moral decline1%4%5%8%
Health care4%6%7%1%
Environment17%2%3%2%
Federal spending/national debt0%5%6%6%
Income inequality8%8%4%1%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Education is calculated according to the EDUC variable.
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CategoryNo HSHigh school graduateSome college2-year4-yearPost-grad
Political corruption/leadership0%14%15%15%17%14%
Coronavirus/COVID-1911%18%10%9%10%9%
The economy3%6%8%13%9%7%
Border security31%8%8%7%5%7%
Immigration6%7%9%5%11%7%
Moral decline0%4%5%3%5%7%
Health care22%5%3%6%5%3%
Environment0%3%9%8%3%5%
Federal spending/national debt0%3%5%8%5%6%
Income inequality23%2%5%2%6%6%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Religiosity is calculated according to the IMPORT variable.
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CategoryExtremely importantSomewhat importantNot very importantNot at all important
Political corruption/leadership14%13%13%20%
Coronavirus/COVID-198%15%8%16%
The economy9%9%7%5%
Border security10%7%5%5%
Immigration10%11%2%4%
Moral decline9%2%4%1%
Health care5%3%9%5%
Environment1%4%11%12%
Federal spending/national debt7%5%3%2%
Income inequality2%6%6%10%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Fundamentalism is calculated according to the LITERAL variable.
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CategoryThe Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word.The Bible is the word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally, word for word.The Bible is a book written by men and is not the word of God.Don't know.
Political corruption/leadership13%15%16%16%
Coronavirus/COVID-1911%11%14%11%
The economy8%11%3%15%
Border security7%11%4%5%
Immigration13%8%4%8%
Moral decline9%4%1%3%
Health care6%3%7%3%
Environment2%3%12%9%
Federal spending/national debt7%6%1%4%
Income inequality0%4%11%8%

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