Most Important Problem Facing the Country Today (February 2011)

Most Important Problem Facing the Country Today (February 2011)

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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important.
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categorycolumn-1
The economy22%
Federal spending/national debt19%
Unemployment/jobs16%
Political corruption/leadership 10%
Health care5%
Education5%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. 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
The economy29%16%17%
Federal spending/national debt5%24%29%
Unemployment/jobs24%14%9%
Political corruption/leadership 5%16%13%
Health care7%5%4%
Education7%7%2%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. 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
The economy8%27%19%
Federal spending/national debt37%19%29%
Unemployment/jobs6%14%8%
Political corruption/leadership 17%12%11%
Health care3%2%5%
Education1%6%1%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. 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
The economy35%25%29%
Federal spending/national debt4%8%4%
Unemployment/jobs19%23%27%
Political corruption/leadership 4%7%4%
Health care10%6%7%
Education10%5%6%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. 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
The economy25%25%19%
Federal spending/national debt4%12%29%
Unemployment/jobs28%18%10%
Political corruption/leadership 5%8%12%
Health care9%4%4%
Education9%5%2%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. The ideology measure is based on respondent self-placement in response to the following question: "On a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is extremely liberal, 7 is extremely conservative, and 4 is exactly in the middle, where would you place yourself?" The placements are further classified such that 1 is extremely liberal, 2 is very liberal, 3 is somewhat liberal, 4 is moderate, 5 is somewhat conservative, 6 is very conservative, and 7 is extremely conservative.
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categoryLeaning conservativeSomewhat conservativeExtremely conservative
The economy20%21%17%
Federal spending/national debt26%30%29%
Unemployment/jobs15%8%9%
Political corruption/leadership 9%12%15%
Health care5%5%1%
Education5%1%1%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. The ideology measure is based on respondent self-placement in response to the following question: "On a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is extremely liberal, 7 is extremely conservative, and 4 is exactly in the middle, where would you place yourself?" The placements are further classified such that 1 is extremely liberal, 2 is very liberal, 3 is somewhat liberal, 4 is moderate, 5 is somewhat conservative, 6 is very conservative, and 7 is extremely conservative. 
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categoryLeaning liberalSomewhat liberalExtremely liberal
The economy33%14%20%
Federal spending/national debt2%10%2%
Unemployment/jobs22%36%27%
Political corruption/leadership 5%4%9%
Health care14%3%5%
Education8%13%6%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. Tea Party identification is based on the following question, also asked in the survey: "Suppose the Tea Party movement organized itself as a political party. When thinking about the next election for Congress, would you vote for the Republican candidate from your district, the Democratic candidate from your district, or the Tea Party candidate from your district?" Those who responded "Republican candidate" are considered Republicans (non-Tea Party movement) and those who responded "Tea Party candidate" are considered Tea Party Republicans. 
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categoryDemocratRepublicanTea Party
The economy29%20%15%
Federal spending/national debt5%26%34%
Unemployment/jobs25%12%7%
Political corruption/leadership 6%8%17%
Health care8%4%1%
Education7%2%0%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. Race is calculated according to the RACE variable.
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categoryWhiteBlackHispanic
The economy19%30%27%
Federal spending/national debt24%5%12%
Unemployment/jobs14%21%17%
Political corruption/leadership 10%6%8%
Health care5%9%5%
Education5%4%6%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. Gender is calculated according to the GENDER variable. 
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categoryMaleFemale
The economy22%22%
Federal spending/national debt22%16%
Unemployment/jobs15%17%
Political corruption/leadership 12%7%
Health care4%6%
Education4%5%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. Location is based on the following question, "Would you say that you live in an urban, suburban, or rural community?" 
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categoryUrbanSuburbanRural
The economy29%20%18%
Federal spending/national debt14%21%24%
Unemployment/jobs17%17%11%
Political corruption/leadership 8%8%15%
Health care5%5%5%
Education6%5%1%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top six problems the public deemed most important. Education is calculated according to the EDUC variable. 
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categoryNo high schoolHigh school graduateSome college2-year4-yearPost-grad
The economy11%19%25%17%25%28%
Federal spending/national debt7%21%19%14%19%21%
Unemployment/jobs22%12%17%23%17%16%
Political corruption/leadership 8%11%9%11%8%5%
Health care0%8%4%0%4%4%
Education8%2%4%7%9%5%

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