In December 2024, 11 percent of survey respondents said that the most important problem facing the United States was the high cost of living and inflation. Another 20percent said that the government and poor leadership was the most serious concern for the nation.

In this 2018 survey, eight percent of respondents stated they think the biggest problem for the United States today is Donald Trump. In fact, most of the important problems mentioned are somehow related to the current POTUS – the most mentioned one being immigration and racism.

A country divided

Since Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, political camps in the United States are deeply divided and global politics is in turmoil; Trump’s job approval ratings are notoriously low, and in fact, they are lower than Reagan’s or Nixon’s averages ever were. Trump’s leadership is controversial at best and his executive orders often cause protests, especially among Democrats and liberals – like the travel ban for Muslims.

On the other side

One of Trump’s main campaign promises was a wall on the border with Mexico in order to keep potential illegal immigrants out and enhance security for American citizens. When he did not get the majority for this plan, he declared a national emergency to force the budget to be allocated, even though the majority of Americans did not support this idea, and it is unclear if the situation at the Mexican border actually warrants it. In fact, the total number of unauthorized immigrants has decreased over the last few years and today, many Americans believe that their country benefits from immigrants and their work .

According to the data from January 2024, 22 percent of respondents said that rising health care costs were the most important health issue facing the United States. Mental health ranked second on the list with 15 percent. Issues with healthcare costsCurrently, the most urgent problem facing American healthcare is the high costs of care. The high expense of healthcare may deter people from getting the appropriate treatment when they need medical care or cause them to completely forego preventative care visits. Many Americans reported that they may skip prescription doses or refrain from taking medication as prescribed due to financial concerns. Such health-related behavior can result in major health problems, which may raise the long-term cost of care. Inflation, medical debt, and unforeseen medical expenses have all added to the burden that health costs are placing on household income. Gun violence issueThe gun violence epidemic has plagued the United States over the past few years, yet very little has been done to address the issue. In recent years, gun violence has become the leading cause of death among American children and teens. Even though more than half of Americans are in favor of tougher gun control regulations, there is little political will to strongly reform the current gun law. Gun violence has a deep traumatic impact on survivors and society, it is developing into a major public health crisis in the United States.

During a July 2024 survey fielded in 10 Central and South American countries, approximately 29 percent of responding exhibition companies said they viewed the state of the economy in their home markets as the industry's most important issue. Internal management challenges and competition from within the exhibition industry followed, mentioned by 17 and 12 percent of respondents, respectively. Meanwhile, in North America, the leading challenges of the Mexican exhibition industry also included the state of Mexico's economy and internal management-related obstacles.

A survey conducted in February 2025 found that the most important issue for 24 percent of Americans was inflation and prices. A further 12 percent of respondents were most concerned about jobs and the economy.

Supplementary Empirical Teaching Units in Political Science (SETUPS) for American Politics are computer-related modules designed for use in teaching introductory courses in American government and politics. The modules are intended to demonstrate the process of examining evidence and reaching conclusions and to stimulate students to independent, critical thinking and a deeper understanding of substantive content. They enable students with no previous training to make use of the computer to analyze data on political behavior or to see the results of policy decisions by use of a simulation model. The SETUPS: AMERICAN POLITICS modules were developed by a group of political scientists with experience in teaching introductory American government courses who were brought together in a workshop supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation in the summer of 1974. The American Political Science Association administered the grant, and the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research was host to the workshop and provided data for most of the SETUPS. The modules were tested and evaluated during the 1974-1975 academic year by students and faculty in 155 classes at 69 universities and colleges. Appropriate revisions were made based upon this experience. This collection comprises 15 separate modules: (1) Political Socialization Across the Generations, (2) Political Participation, (3) Voting Behavior, The 1980 Election, (4) Elections and the Mass Media, (5) The Supreme Court in American Politics, Court Decisions, (6) The Supreme Court in American Politics, Police Interrogations, (7) The Dynamics of Political Budgeting, A Public Policy Simulation, State Expenditures, (8) The Dynamics of Political Budgeting, A Public Policy Simulation, SIMSTATE Simulation, (9) The Dynamics of Political Budgeting, A Public Policy Simulation, SIMSTATE II Simulation, (10) Fear of Crime, (11) Presidential Popularity in America, Presidential Popularity, (12) Presidential Popularity in America, Advanced Analyses, (13) Campaign '80, The Public and the Presidential Selection Process, (14) Voting Behavior, The 1976 Election, and (15) Policy Responsiveness and Fiscal Strain in 51 American Communities. Parts 8 and 9 are FORTRAN IV program SIMSTATE sourcedecks intended to simulate the interaction of state policies. Variables in the various modules provide information on respondents' level of political involvement and knowledge of political issues, general political attitudes and beliefs, news media exposure and usage, voting behavior (Parts 1, 2, and 3), and sectional biases (15). Other items provide information on respondents' views of government, politics, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter as presidents, best form of government, government spending (Part 3), local police, the Supreme Court (Parts 4 and 15), the economy, and domestic and foreign affairs. Additional items probed respondents' opinions of prayer in school, abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment Law, nuclear energy, and the most important national problem and the political party most suitable to handle it (Part 3). Also included are items on votes of Supreme Court judges (Part 5), arrest of criminal suspects and their treatment by law enforcement agencies (Part 6), federal government expenditures and budgeting (Part 7), respondents' feelings of safety at home, neighborhood crime rate, frequency of various kinds of criminal victimization, the personal characteristics of the targets of those crimes (Part 10), respondents' opinions of and choice of party presidential candidates nominees (Part 13), voter turnout for city elections (15), urban unrest, and population growth rate. Demographic items specify age, sex, race, marital status, education, occupation, income, social class identification, religion, political party affiliation, and union membership.

This poll, fielded April 1-5, 2009, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency and issues such as the economy and foreign policy. A series of questions addressed the Obama Administration's approach to solving economic problems and whether the administration's policies favored the rich, the middle class, or the poor. Respondents gave their opinions of First Lady Michelle Obama, the United States Congress, the Republican and Democratic parties, and whether President Obama or the Republicans in Congress were more likely to make the right decisions about the national economy and national security. Views were sought on President Obama's proposed budget plan, including changes in federal income taxes and government spending, and proposals to give financial assistance to the banking and automotive industries. A series of questions addressed the condition of the national economy, the most important economic problem facing the nation, the financial situation of the respondent's household, and how the recession was affecting their life. Respondents compared their current standard of living with that of their parents at the same age and gave their expectations about the standard of living of their children. Other questions asked respondents what the phrase "American dream" meant to them and whether they had achieved the "American dream" or expected to in their lifetime. Additional topics addressed the bonuses given to AIG insurance company executives, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, international trade, health insurance coverage, and government spending on cancer research. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, marital status, household income, employment status, perceived social class, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status and participation history, religious preference, whether respondents had children under the age of 18 years, and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.

A 2024 survey found that over half of U.S. individuals indicated the cost of accessing treatment was the biggest problem facing the national healthcare system. This is much higher than the global average of 32 percent and is in line with the high cost of health care in the U.S. compared to other high-income countries. Bureaucracy along with a lack of staff were also considered to be pressing issues. This statistic reveals the share of individuals who said select problems were the biggest facing the health care system in the United States in 2024.

American democracy in peril : eight challenges to America's future is a book. It was written by William E. Hudson and published by CQ Press in 2012.

This dataset is about books and is filtered where the book is Healthy, wealthy, or wise? : issues in American health care policy, featuring 7 columns including author, BNB id, book, book publisher, and ISBN. The preview is ordered by publication date (descending).

This special topic poll, conducted April 30 to May 6, 1996, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This poll sought Americans' views on the most important problems facing the United States, their local communities and their own families. Respondents rated the public schools, crime, and drug problems at the national and local levels, their level of optimism about their own future and that of the country, and the reasons they felt that way. Respondents were asked whether they were better off financially than their parents were at their age, whether they expected their own children to be better off financially than they were, and whether the American Dream was still possible for most people. Respondents then compared their expectations about life to their actual experiences in areas such as job security, financial earnings, employment benefits, job opportunities, health care benefits, retirement savings, and leisure time. A series of questions asked whether the United States was in a long-term economic and moral decline, whether the country's main problems were caused more by a lack of economic opportunity or a lack of morality, and whether the United States was still the best country in the world. Additional topics covered immigration policy and the extent to which respondents trusted the federal, state, and local governments. Demographic variables included respondents' sex, age, race, education level, marital status, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration and participation history, labor union membership, the presence of children in the household, whether these children attended a public school, and the employment status of respondents and their spouses.

Graph and download economic data for Net Issues of International Bonds and Notes for All Issuers, Nationality of Issuer in Latin America and Caribbean (DISCONTINUED) (IBANAININI4U) from Q4 1971 to Q2 2015 about Caribbean Economies, Latin America, issues, notes, bonds, and Net.

Graph and download economic data for Net Issues of International Debt Securities for Issuers in Other Financial Corporations, All Maturities, Residence of Issuer in Latin America and Caribbean (DISCONTINUED) (IDSOFAMRINI4U) from Q1 1987 to Q2 2015 about Caribbean Economies, Latin America, issues, finance companies, companies, finance, maturity, financial, debt, residents, securities, and Net.

In a survey conducted in 2022, 64 percent of the opinion leaders and prominent journalists surveyed in Latin America said that job creation and economic growth was the most important problem Latin America would face in the incoming 18 months. The second main issue according to these experts was inflation and economic instability.

Judgement on the presence of American troops in West Germany.

Topics: Most important problems of the FRG; attitude to participation of the FRG in the costs of stationing NATO military forces and to American troops remaining in the FRG; attitude to a reduction in American military forces; general judgement on the American soldiers; perceived changes in the relationship of American soldiers to the German civilian population; criticism of the way of life of American soldiers; frequency of contact with American soldiers after the war; attitude to construction of housing settlements for the families living in Germany; perception of the Americans as occupying forces or protective forces; attitude to children of members of the occupying forces and their mothers; judgement on the confiscation of buildings by Americans; residency; participation in the world war and deployment in battle against the Americans.

Demography: membership in clubs, trade unions or a party und offices taken on there; party preference; age (classified); sex; marital status; religious denomination; school education; occupation; employment; household income; head of household; state;

Interviewer rating: social class and willingness of respondent to cooperate; number of contact attempts; city size.

Also encoded was: identification of interviewer; sex of interviewer and age of interviewer.

Graph and download economic data for Number of Issues, with a Maturity Greater Than 80 Days, Used in Calculating the A2/P2 Nonfinancial Commercial Paper Rates (NONFINGT80A2P2VOL) from 2001-01-02 to 2025-03-18 about 80 days +, A2/P2, used, issues, commercial paper, nonfinancial, maturity, commercial, rate, and USA.

Research Data, 3._Coef_Plots_and_Tables for Protest Issues and Political Inequality in Latin America by Nicolás M. Somma, Matías Bargsted and Felipe Sánchez in American Behavioral Scientist

The Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) is an academic institution hosted by Vanderbilt University that began with the study of democratic values in Costa Rica, but today carries out surveys in much of Latin America, Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. In 2004, LAPOP established the AmericasBarometer as multi-country, regularly conducted survey of democratic values and behaviors in the Americas, and the first round included voting-age respondents from 11 countries. LAPOP collected opinions on major problems facing the country and community, threats to security, attitudes towards the country's political system, and trust in government institutions. Also measured were respondents' participation in community organizations, attitudes towards government critics, voting behavior, confidence in local government, and the prevalence of crime. Demographic information collected includes nationality, ethnicity, native language, age, gender, education level, occupation, religion, and whether the respondent lives in an urban or rural area.

Graph and download economic data for Number of Issues, with a Maturity Between 21 and 40 Days, Used in Calculating the AA Nonfinancial Commercial Paper Rates (NONFIN2140AAVOL) from 2001-01-02 to 2025-03-26 about 21-40 days, used, AA, issues, commercial paper, nonfinancial, maturity, commercial, rate, and USA.

This dataset covers ballots 273-76, and 278-79, spanning January, March, May, July, September, and November 1959. The dataset contains the data resulting from these polls in ASCII. The ballots are as follows: 273 - January This Gallup poll seeks to obtain the opinions of Canadians on several topics of interest to Canadians. The major subjects of the survey are politics, current events, labour, unions and strikes. Respondents were also asked questions so that they could be grouped according to social, geographic and demographic variables. Topics of interest include: the 4 day work week; the Canadian National Anthem; car ownership; Community Chest not meeting its objectives; Conservative party; federal election; home improvements; housework help; Liberal party; opinion of government; opposition party; whether respondents received a pay increase within the last year; public utilities strikes; religiousness of different generations; the state of the human race; whether titles should be given for outstanding service to Canada; Unemployment Insurance benefits; union membership; and voting behaviour. Basic demographics variables are also included. 274 - March This Gallup poll seeks the opinions of Canadians on a variety of topics. Some of the major subjects of discussion for this survey are religion and Christianity, politics and government, current events, and international relations. The respondents were also asked questions so that they could be grouped according to geographic, demographic and social variables. Topics of interest include: Canadian defence policy; car ownership; Christian groups uniting; curfews; defence funding; dew line military bases; discipline of children, federal elections; feelings towards people from other countries; reactions to a gold rush; John Diefenbaker's performance as Prime Minister; military power; the Pope's world conference for unity; preferred makes of cameras; preferred political parties; price predictions for six months from now; purchasing foreign goods; relations with Russia; spring fever symptoms; union membership; and voting behaviour. Basic demographics variables are also included. 275 - May This Gallup poll seeks to collect the opinions of Canadians on several issues of importance to the country as a whole. Included in this survey are discussions on religion, and several questions on foreign trade, including opinion and awareness questions. The specific countries discussed with respect to foreign trade and goods were Germany, Japan, France and Italy. Respondents were also asked questions so that they could be grouped according to geographic, demographic, and social variables. Topics of interest include: American investment in Canada; Canada supporting distressed countries; Canadian businesses; car ownership; Catholic principles which are hard to accept; church attendance; diseases which are most often thought about; diseases which kill the most people; federal elections; buying German goods; the government's overall performance; income tax levels; buying Italian goods; buying Japanese goods; purchasing and opinions of foreign goods; recognition of China's communist government; preferred political parties; Protestant principles which are hard to accept; provincial elections; union membership; voting behaviour; whether women are better looking now than in the past; and whether women should be able to work in the Ministry. Basic demographics variables are also included. 276 - July This Gallup poll aims to collect the opinions of Canadians on issues mostly of a political nature, of interest to the country and government. Included are questions about preferred political parties and leaders, the national budget, and voting habits and standards of living. Respondents were also asked questions so that they could be grouped according to geographic, demographic, and social variables. Topics of interest include: British Royalty; budget cutbacks; the budget deficit; the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC); car ownership; federal elections; immigration; a lottery to raise money for healthcare and welfare; major problems facing the government; the national budget; political party word association; preferred political parties; standard of living changes; union membership; opinions towards the United States; voting behaviour; and what it means to be Canadian. Basic demographics variables are also included. 278 - September This Gallup poll aims to seek the opinions of Canadians on a wide variety of topics, with the subjects ranging from compact cars and space exploration to mercy killing, Canadian titles for British Royalty, and the reading habits of Canadians. There are also multiple sections involving labour unions. The respondents were also asked questions so that they could be grouped according to geographic, demographic, and social variables. The topics of interest include: car ownership; Canadian and European compact cars; federal elections; fines for jay walking; grocery stamps; Khrushchev visiting America with good intentions; living in the scientific age; mercy killing; power of labour unions; preferred political parties; whether the Queen's baby should receive a Canadian title at the age of 21; railroad workers wage increase; reading books; space exploration; strike of railroad workers; union membership; voting behaviour; and world war predictions. Basic demographics variables are also included. 279 - November This Gallup poll aims to collect the views and opinions of the past decade (1950-1959), and the opinions and predictions for the future, of Canadians. The issues discussed focus mainly on current events both in Canada and around the world. The respondents were also asked questions so that they could be grouped according to geographic, demographic, and social variables. Topics of interest include: Canadians' improving attitudes; car ownership; family issues; the federal election; how happy the respondents' marriages are; peace with Russia; predictions for the future; union membership; the United Nations; urgent problems facing government; voting behaviour; and wishes for the next decade. Basic demographics variables are also included.The codebook for this dataset is available through the UBC Library catalogue, with call number HN110.Z9 P84.