‘What Do You Think Is the Most Important
Problem Facing This Country Today?’
By GREGOR AISCH and ALICIA PARLAPIANO FEB. 27, 2017
Since the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Gallup polling organization has asked Americans an open-ended question: “What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?”
As Donald J. Trump prepares for his first major address to the nation on Tuesday, he has a unique set of issues to tackle. But there is not one singular issue that is dominating the American consciousness.
February 2017➤➤
The biggest problems cited by Americans this month:
BudgetEconomy in generalUnemploymentPovertyInequalityWagesDissatisfaction with governmentUnifying the countryReligious and moral declineHealth careImmigrationCivil rights and race relationsOther domestic issuesEducationEnvironmentJudicial systemCrimeMediaNational securityTerrorismOther foreign issuesForeign relationsFear of warOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
With the economy humming along and United States troops withdrawn from major wars, Americans cited a variety of domestic problems as the most important. The top response was dissatisfaction with government, a sentiment Mr. Trump harnessed during his populist campaign.
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth.”
Donald J. Trump in his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2017
January 2013➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentLack of moneyCost of livingEnergyInequalityPovertyWagesDissatisfaction with governmentBig governmentCorruptionReligious and moral declineChildrenUnifying the countryViolenceHealth careOther domestic issuesGunsImmigrationCrimeEducationJudicial systemS.S./MedicareAbortionCivilrightsEnvironmentIraqFear of warForeign aidNational securityTerrorismOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Barack Obama entered his second term after a major budget showdown with Congress and with another fiscal deadline, the federal debt ceiling, approaching. Mr. Obama regularly criticized Republicans for using the debt limit as a bargaining chip to cut spending.
“So while I’m willing to compromise and find common ground over how to reduce our deficits, America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they’ve already racked up.”
Barack Obama in a news conference on Jan. 14, 2013
February 2009➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentLack of moneyCost of livingDissatisfaction with governmentCorruptionReligious and moral declineHealth careAbortionImmigrationFear of warIraq WarForeign aidNational securityTerrorismOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Mr. Obama entered his first term during the heart of the Great Recession. During his first major speech before Congress, he promoted the just-passed stimulus package and the need for the government to further intervene in the financial system.
“But while the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater, for it could result in an economy that sputters along for not months or years, but perhaps a decade.”
Barack Obama in his first address to Congress on Feb. 24, 2009
January 2005➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentPovertyLack of moneyCost of livingEnergyInequalityTradeWagesHealth careReligious and moral declineUnifying the countryDissatisfaction with governmentBig governmentSocial Security/MedicareEducationOther domestic issuesCrimeDrugsImmigrationJudicial systemAbortionCivilrightsEnvironmentIraq WarTerrorismForeign aidNational securityOther foreign issuesOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
George W. Bush began his second term two years into the war in Iraq. While he did not mention the country by name in his second inaugural address, he focused heavily on the importance of securing America by spreading freedom and democracy.
“Our country has accepted obligations that are difficult to fulfill, and would be dishonorable to abandon. Yet because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom.”
George W. Bush in his second inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2005
January 2001➤➤
TaxesBudgetEconomy in generalEnergyPovertyUnemploymentCost of livingInequalityWagesReligious and moral declineChildrenUnifying the countryDissatisfaction with governmentBig govt.ElectionsHealth careEducationCrimeDrugsSocial Security/MedicareCivil rights and race relationsEnvironmentOther domestic issuesImmigrationAbortionGunsJudicial systemMediaOther foreign issuesNational securityOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Like the start of Mr. Trump’s presidency, the beginning of Mr. Bush’s first term lacked a major war or economic crisis, and Americans cited a variety of important problems. At the top of the list was moral decline in society, which had increasingly become a concern during the scandals of the presidency of Bill Clinton.
“Our public interest depends on private character, on civic duty and family bonds and basic fairness, on uncounted, unhonored acts of decency, which give direction to our freedom.”
George W. Bush in his first inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2001
January 1997➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentPovertyCost of livingTradeDissatisfaction with governmentBig governmentReligious and moral declineHealth careCrimeDrugsOther domestic issuesEducationCivil rights and race relationsSocial Security/MedicareEnvironmentImmigrationOther foreign issuesForeign aidOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Crime was front and center in Americans’ minds during the debate over the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which Bill Clinton signed in 1994. It was still the most-cited problem by the start of Mr. Clinton’s second term in 1997, though its share had decreased.
“Serious crime has dropped five years in a row. The key has been community policing. We must finish the job of putting 100,000 community police on the streets of the United States.”
Bill Clinton in his State of the Union address on Feb. 4, 1997
January 1993➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentPovertyTradeHealth careAIDSReligious and moral declineDissatisfaction with governmentCrimeDrugsEducationEnvironmentSocial SecurityMiddle EastOther foreign issuesSomaliaOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Mr. Clinton came into office in 1993 in the midst of a recession, with the unemployment rate above 7 percent. But a financial boom soon followed, and by the end of his presidency, very few people still listed the economy as the key problem.
“Our immediate priority must be to create jobs, create jobs now. Some people say, ‘Well, we’re in a recovery, and we don't have to do that.’ Well, we all hope we’re in a recovery, but we’re sure not creating new jobs.”
Bill Clinton in his first address to Congress on Feb. 17, 1993
May 1989➤➤
BudgetEconomy in generalPovertyUnemploymentCost of livingTradeReligious and moral declineDissatisfaction with governmentAIDSDrugsOther domestic issuesCrimeEnvironmentEducationForeign aidFear of warOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
In his first address to a joint session of Congress, George Bush described his plans to wage a war on drugs “on all fronts.” Drugs were cited in more than a quarter of responses in May of 1989 and then in two-thirds of responses later that year.
“The scourge of drugs must be stopped. And I am asking tonight for an increase of almost a billion dollars in budget outlays to escalate the war against drugs.”
George Bush in his first address to Congress on Feb. 9, 1989
January 1985➤➤
BudgetUnemploymentCost of living, taxesEconomy in generalPovertyReligious and moral declineCrimeDrugsSocial Security/MedicareFear of warOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
After years of military buildup and an arms race with the Soviet Union, Ronald Reagan entered his second term pushing for an anti-ballistic missile defense system that he said would “render nuclear weapons obsolete.”
“I have approved a research program to find, if we can, a security shield that would destroy nuclear missiles before they reach their target. It wouldn't kill people, it would destroy weapons. It wouldn't militarize space, it would help demilitarize the arsenals of Earth.”
Ronald Reagan in his second inaugural address on Jan. 21, 1985
January 1981➤➤
Inflation, cost of livingUnemploymentEnergyDissatisfaction with governmentBig govt.Religious and moral declineUnrestCrimeDrugsOther foreign issuesWarNational securityOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Mr. Reagan began his first term in office in the midst of a recession, with the inflation rate at a whopping 11.4 percent (it had come down slightly from 13.6 percent in June of 1979) and unemployment at 7.5 percent.
“We don't have an option of living with inflation and its attendant tragedy, millions of productive people willing and able to work but unable to find a buyer for their work in the job market. We have an alternative, and that is the program for economic recovery.”
Ronald Reagan in his first address to Congress on Feb. 18, 1981
March 1977➤➤
BudgetInflation, cost of livingUnemploymentEnergyLabor problemsPovertyReligious and moral declineApathyUnrestFamilyDissatisfaction with governmentCorruptionBig govt.Food shortageHealth careCrimeEnvironmentCivil rights and race relationsDrugsJudicial systemS.S./MedicareEducationUrbandecayOther foreign issuesWarNational securityMiddle EastOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Concerns about energy – high prices and depletion of resources – bubbled up several times during Jimmy Carter's presidency. About a third of responses cited the problem during the oil crisis of 1979.
“We simply must balance our demand for energy with our rapidly shrinking resources. By acting now, we can control our future instead of letting the future control us.”
Jimmy Carter in a speech proposing a new energy policy on April 18, 1977
August 1974➤➤
Cost of livingUnemploymentEnergyLabor problemsPovertyDissatisfaction with governmentCorruptionBig governmentReligious and moral declineApathyUnrestCrimeDrugsS.S./MedicareCivilrightsEducationOther foreign affairsWarOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
When Gerald Ford assumed the presidency in August 1974, the nation was in the midst of a recession, and the inflation rate was rising rapidly. An early attempt to address the problem, a public campaign called “Whip Inflation Now,” did not last for long.
“But I say to you with all sincerity that our inflation, our Public Enemy No. 1, will, unless whipped, destroy our country, our homes, our liberties, our property, and finally our national pride, as surely as any well-armed wartime enemy.”
Gerald Ford in an address to Congress on inflation on Oct. 8, 1974
May 1973➤➤
Inflation, cost of livingUnemploymentEnergyPovertyGovernment corruptionBig governmentReligious and moral declineApathyTeenage problemsDrugsCrimeEnvironmentCivil rights and race relationsSoutheast AsiaWarOther foreign issuesOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
As the Watergate scandal intensified, President Richard Nixon gave his first address to the nation on the topic in April of his second term, after two of his top aides resigned over the cover-up.
“We must maintain the integrity of the White House, and that integrity must be real, not transparent, There can be no whitewash at the White House.”
Richard Nixon in a speech about Watergate on April 30, 1973
January 1969➤➤
Inflation, cost of livingPovertyUnemploymentReligious and moral declineUnrestApathyTeenage problemsBig govt.CorruptionDissatisfactionw/govt.Civil rights and race relationsCrimeYouth protestsEducationInternalcommun-ismUrbandecayVietnam WarPeace, war, nuclear warOther foreign issuesCommunismForeign aidOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Mr. Nixon won his first presidential election in 1968, the year that American troops in Vietnam peaked at more than 500,000. In his speech accepting the Republican nomination that year, he promised to bring the war to an end.
“And I pledge to you tonight that the first priority foreign policy objective of our next administration will be to bring an honorable end to the war in Vietnam. We shall not stop there — we need a policy to prevent more Vietnams.”
Richard Nixon in his Republican convention speech on Aug. 8, 1968
March 1965➤➤
Cost of livingUnemploymentPovertyReligious and moral declineApathyBig governmentCivil rights and race relationsCrimeEducationInternal communismJudicial systemS.S./MedicareVietnam WarOther WarCommunismOther foreign issuesForeign aidSoviet UnionOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Nearly a year after Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and just two months into his first full term, civil rights activists held a march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., bringing voting rights to the forefront of Americans’ minds.
“There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem. And we are met here tonight as Americans — not as Democrats or Republicans — we are met here as Americans to solve that problem.”
Lyndon B. Johnson in a speech to Congress on voting rights on March 15, 1965
February 1961➤➤
UnemploymentEconomy in generalInflationLabor problemsReligious declineCivil rights and race relationsAgricultureS.S./MedicareThreat of warCommunismSoviet UnionForeign relationsCongoMilitary strength and preparednessLoss of prestigeOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Foreign affairs dominating the list of most important problems when John F. Kennedy took office, primarily the threat of war with the Soviet Union and the threat of communism.
“Our greatest challenge is still the world that lies beyond the Cold War — but the first great obstacle is still our relations with the Soviet Union and Communist China. We must never be lulled into believing that either power has yielded its ambitions for world domination.”
John F. Kennedy in his first State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 1961
May 1957➤➤
BudgetTaxesInflation, cost of livingUnemploymentEconomy in generalLabor problemsReligious and moral declineCivil rights and race relationsCrimeAgricultureEducationImmigrationPeace and warForeign aidMiddle EastCommunismAtom bombMilitary preparedness, securitySoviet Union
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
At the start of his second term, Dwight D. Eisenhower also faced several problems abroad, including the growing influence of the Soviet Union in the Middle East. No polls are available from the beginning of his first term in 1953, though one from 1952 shows overwhelming concern about the Korean War.
“The Soviet Union has nothing whatsoever to fear from the United States in the Middle East, or anywhere else in the world, so long as its rulers do not themselves first resort to aggression.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower in a speech on a new Middle East doctrine on Jan. 5, 1957
January 1949➤➤
Inflation, cost of livingHousingLabor problemsEconomy in generalReligious and moral declineCivil rightsThreat of war, maintaining peaceCommunismOther foreign affairsOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Harry S. Truman began his first full term in office four years after the end of World War II and the formation of the United Nations. Americans were still concerned about the threat of war and keeping the peace.
“We are supporting a world organization to keep peace and a world economic policy to create prosperity for mankind. Our guiding star is the principle of international cooperation.”
Harry S. Truman in his State of the Union address on Jan. 5, 1949
November 1941➤
Labor problemsCost of livingUnemploymentWar, keeping out of warDefenseKeeping peaceOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
The United States officially entered World War II in December of 1941, nearly a year into Franklin D. Roosevelt’s third term. A poll the month before reflected Americans’ concerns about the nation’s defenses and involvement in the war.
“The need of the moment is that our actions and our policy should be devoted primarily — almost exclusively — to meeting this foreign peril. For all our domestic problems are now a part of the great emergency.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt in his State of the Union address on Jan. 6, 1941
September 1935➤➤
BudgetTaxesUnemploymentEconomy in generalLabor problemsRedistributionDemocracyDissatisfaction with governmentBig governmentOther GovernmentPolitical honestyReligious and moral declineOld age pensions, Social SecurityAgricultureLiquor controlSoldiers' bonusKeeping out of warDefenseOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Gallup began asking the “most important problem” question in 1935, in the midst of the Great Depression and two and a half years into Mr. Roosevelt’s 12-year presidency. The Works Progress Administration, which created millions of jobs in public works projects, was established earlier that year.
“We must preserve not only the bodies of the unemployed from destitution but also their self-respect, their self-reliance and courage and determination.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt in his State of the Union address on Jan. 4, 1935
Gallup conducted its surveys using in-person interviews until the late 1980s, when it transitioned to telephone surveys. More recent polls are based on a mix of cellphone and landline interviews. In some cases, respondents have been allowed multiple answers.
In its early days, Gallup used “quota sampling” to ensure that it surveyed respondents who were representative of the population as a whole, according to an interview with Alec Gallup, a former chairman of the poll. Today the organization uses random sampling and weights the data based on United States demographics.
Source: Gallup data via the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
Correction: February 28, 2017
An earlier version of this article misstated the year that Bill Clinton began his presidency. He entered office in 1993, not 1991.
Problem Facing This Country Today?’
By GREGOR AISCH and ALICIA PARLAPIANO FEB. 27, 2017
Since the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Gallup polling organization has asked Americans an open-ended question: “What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?”
As Donald J. Trump prepares for his first major address to the nation on Tuesday, he has a unique set of issues to tackle. But there is not one singular issue that is dominating the American consciousness.
February 2017➤➤
The biggest problems cited by Americans this month:
BudgetEconomy in generalUnemploymentPovertyInequalityWagesDissatisfaction with governmentUnifying the countryReligious and moral declineHealth careImmigrationCivil rights and race relationsOther domestic issuesEducationEnvironmentJudicial systemCrimeMediaNational securityTerrorismOther foreign issuesForeign relationsFear of warOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
With the economy humming along and United States troops withdrawn from major wars, Americans cited a variety of domestic problems as the most important. The top response was dissatisfaction with government, a sentiment Mr. Trump harnessed during his populist campaign.
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth.”
Donald J. Trump in his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2017
January 2013➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentLack of moneyCost of livingEnergyInequalityPovertyWagesDissatisfaction with governmentBig governmentCorruptionReligious and moral declineChildrenUnifying the countryViolenceHealth careOther domestic issuesGunsImmigrationCrimeEducationJudicial systemS.S./MedicareAbortionCivilrightsEnvironmentIraqFear of warForeign aidNational securityTerrorismOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Barack Obama entered his second term after a major budget showdown with Congress and with another fiscal deadline, the federal debt ceiling, approaching. Mr. Obama regularly criticized Republicans for using the debt limit as a bargaining chip to cut spending.
“So while I’m willing to compromise and find common ground over how to reduce our deficits, America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they’ve already racked up.”
Barack Obama in a news conference on Jan. 14, 2013
February 2009➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentLack of moneyCost of livingDissatisfaction with governmentCorruptionReligious and moral declineHealth careAbortionImmigrationFear of warIraq WarForeign aidNational securityTerrorismOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Mr. Obama entered his first term during the heart of the Great Recession. During his first major speech before Congress, he promoted the just-passed stimulus package and the need for the government to further intervene in the financial system.
“But while the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater, for it could result in an economy that sputters along for not months or years, but perhaps a decade.”
Barack Obama in his first address to Congress on Feb. 24, 2009
January 2005➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentPovertyLack of moneyCost of livingEnergyInequalityTradeWagesHealth careReligious and moral declineUnifying the countryDissatisfaction with governmentBig governmentSocial Security/MedicareEducationOther domestic issuesCrimeDrugsImmigrationJudicial systemAbortionCivilrightsEnvironmentIraq WarTerrorismForeign aidNational securityOther foreign issuesOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
George W. Bush began his second term two years into the war in Iraq. While he did not mention the country by name in his second inaugural address, he focused heavily on the importance of securing America by spreading freedom and democracy.
“Our country has accepted obligations that are difficult to fulfill, and would be dishonorable to abandon. Yet because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom.”
George W. Bush in his second inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2005
January 2001➤➤
TaxesBudgetEconomy in generalEnergyPovertyUnemploymentCost of livingInequalityWagesReligious and moral declineChildrenUnifying the countryDissatisfaction with governmentBig govt.ElectionsHealth careEducationCrimeDrugsSocial Security/MedicareCivil rights and race relationsEnvironmentOther domestic issuesImmigrationAbortionGunsJudicial systemMediaOther foreign issuesNational securityOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Like the start of Mr. Trump’s presidency, the beginning of Mr. Bush’s first term lacked a major war or economic crisis, and Americans cited a variety of important problems. At the top of the list was moral decline in society, which had increasingly become a concern during the scandals of the presidency of Bill Clinton.
“Our public interest depends on private character, on civic duty and family bonds and basic fairness, on uncounted, unhonored acts of decency, which give direction to our freedom.”
George W. Bush in his first inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2001
January 1997➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentPovertyCost of livingTradeDissatisfaction with governmentBig governmentReligious and moral declineHealth careCrimeDrugsOther domestic issuesEducationCivil rights and race relationsSocial Security/MedicareEnvironmentImmigrationOther foreign issuesForeign aidOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Crime was front and center in Americans’ minds during the debate over the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which Bill Clinton signed in 1994. It was still the most-cited problem by the start of Mr. Clinton’s second term in 1997, though its share had decreased.
“Serious crime has dropped five years in a row. The key has been community policing. We must finish the job of putting 100,000 community police on the streets of the United States.”
Bill Clinton in his State of the Union address on Feb. 4, 1997
January 1993➤➤
BudgetTaxesEconomy in generalUnemploymentPovertyTradeHealth careAIDSReligious and moral declineDissatisfaction with governmentCrimeDrugsEducationEnvironmentSocial SecurityMiddle EastOther foreign issuesSomaliaOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Mr. Clinton came into office in 1993 in the midst of a recession, with the unemployment rate above 7 percent. But a financial boom soon followed, and by the end of his presidency, very few people still listed the economy as the key problem.
“Our immediate priority must be to create jobs, create jobs now. Some people say, ‘Well, we’re in a recovery, and we don't have to do that.’ Well, we all hope we’re in a recovery, but we’re sure not creating new jobs.”
Bill Clinton in his first address to Congress on Feb. 17, 1993
May 1989➤➤
BudgetEconomy in generalPovertyUnemploymentCost of livingTradeReligious and moral declineDissatisfaction with governmentAIDSDrugsOther domestic issuesCrimeEnvironmentEducationForeign aidFear of warOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
In his first address to a joint session of Congress, George Bush described his plans to wage a war on drugs “on all fronts.” Drugs were cited in more than a quarter of responses in May of 1989 and then in two-thirds of responses later that year.
“The scourge of drugs must be stopped. And I am asking tonight for an increase of almost a billion dollars in budget outlays to escalate the war against drugs.”
George Bush in his first address to Congress on Feb. 9, 1989
January 1985➤➤
BudgetUnemploymentCost of living, taxesEconomy in generalPovertyReligious and moral declineCrimeDrugsSocial Security/MedicareFear of warOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
After years of military buildup and an arms race with the Soviet Union, Ronald Reagan entered his second term pushing for an anti-ballistic missile defense system that he said would “render nuclear weapons obsolete.”
“I have approved a research program to find, if we can, a security shield that would destroy nuclear missiles before they reach their target. It wouldn't kill people, it would destroy weapons. It wouldn't militarize space, it would help demilitarize the arsenals of Earth.”
Ronald Reagan in his second inaugural address on Jan. 21, 1985
January 1981➤➤
Inflation, cost of livingUnemploymentEnergyDissatisfaction with governmentBig govt.Religious and moral declineUnrestCrimeDrugsOther foreign issuesWarNational securityOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Mr. Reagan began his first term in office in the midst of a recession, with the inflation rate at a whopping 11.4 percent (it had come down slightly from 13.6 percent in June of 1979) and unemployment at 7.5 percent.
“We don't have an option of living with inflation and its attendant tragedy, millions of productive people willing and able to work but unable to find a buyer for their work in the job market. We have an alternative, and that is the program for economic recovery.”
Ronald Reagan in his first address to Congress on Feb. 18, 1981
March 1977➤➤
BudgetInflation, cost of livingUnemploymentEnergyLabor problemsPovertyReligious and moral declineApathyUnrestFamilyDissatisfaction with governmentCorruptionBig govt.Food shortageHealth careCrimeEnvironmentCivil rights and race relationsDrugsJudicial systemS.S./MedicareEducationUrbandecayOther foreign issuesWarNational securityMiddle EastOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Concerns about energy – high prices and depletion of resources – bubbled up several times during Jimmy Carter's presidency. About a third of responses cited the problem during the oil crisis of 1979.
“We simply must balance our demand for energy with our rapidly shrinking resources. By acting now, we can control our future instead of letting the future control us.”
Jimmy Carter in a speech proposing a new energy policy on April 18, 1977
August 1974➤➤
Cost of livingUnemploymentEnergyLabor problemsPovertyDissatisfaction with governmentCorruptionBig governmentReligious and moral declineApathyUnrestCrimeDrugsS.S./MedicareCivilrightsEducationOther foreign affairsWarOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
When Gerald Ford assumed the presidency in August 1974, the nation was in the midst of a recession, and the inflation rate was rising rapidly. An early attempt to address the problem, a public campaign called “Whip Inflation Now,” did not last for long.
“But I say to you with all sincerity that our inflation, our Public Enemy No. 1, will, unless whipped, destroy our country, our homes, our liberties, our property, and finally our national pride, as surely as any well-armed wartime enemy.”
Gerald Ford in an address to Congress on inflation on Oct. 8, 1974
May 1973➤➤
Inflation, cost of livingUnemploymentEnergyPovertyGovernment corruptionBig governmentReligious and moral declineApathyTeenage problemsDrugsCrimeEnvironmentCivil rights and race relationsSoutheast AsiaWarOther foreign issuesOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
As the Watergate scandal intensified, President Richard Nixon gave his first address to the nation on the topic in April of his second term, after two of his top aides resigned over the cover-up.
“We must maintain the integrity of the White House, and that integrity must be real, not transparent, There can be no whitewash at the White House.”
Richard Nixon in a speech about Watergate on April 30, 1973
January 1969➤➤
Inflation, cost of livingPovertyUnemploymentReligious and moral declineUnrestApathyTeenage problemsBig govt.CorruptionDissatisfactionw/govt.Civil rights and race relationsCrimeYouth protestsEducationInternalcommun-ismUrbandecayVietnam WarPeace, war, nuclear warOther foreign issuesCommunismForeign aidOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Mr. Nixon won his first presidential election in 1968, the year that American troops in Vietnam peaked at more than 500,000. In his speech accepting the Republican nomination that year, he promised to bring the war to an end.
“And I pledge to you tonight that the first priority foreign policy objective of our next administration will be to bring an honorable end to the war in Vietnam. We shall not stop there — we need a policy to prevent more Vietnams.”
Richard Nixon in his Republican convention speech on Aug. 8, 1968
March 1965➤➤
Cost of livingUnemploymentPovertyReligious and moral declineApathyBig governmentCivil rights and race relationsCrimeEducationInternal communismJudicial systemS.S./MedicareVietnam WarOther WarCommunismOther foreign issuesForeign aidSoviet UnionOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Nearly a year after Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and just two months into his first full term, civil rights activists held a march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., bringing voting rights to the forefront of Americans’ minds.
“There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem. And we are met here tonight as Americans — not as Democrats or Republicans — we are met here as Americans to solve that problem.”
Lyndon B. Johnson in a speech to Congress on voting rights on March 15, 1965
February 1961➤➤
UnemploymentEconomy in generalInflationLabor problemsReligious declineCivil rights and race relationsAgricultureS.S./MedicareThreat of warCommunismSoviet UnionForeign relationsCongoMilitary strength and preparednessLoss of prestigeOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Foreign affairs dominating the list of most important problems when John F. Kennedy took office, primarily the threat of war with the Soviet Union and the threat of communism.
“Our greatest challenge is still the world that lies beyond the Cold War — but the first great obstacle is still our relations with the Soviet Union and Communist China. We must never be lulled into believing that either power has yielded its ambitions for world domination.”
John F. Kennedy in his first State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 1961
May 1957➤➤
BudgetTaxesInflation, cost of livingUnemploymentEconomy in generalLabor problemsReligious and moral declineCivil rights and race relationsCrimeAgricultureEducationImmigrationPeace and warForeign aidMiddle EastCommunismAtom bombMilitary preparedness, securitySoviet Union
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
At the start of his second term, Dwight D. Eisenhower also faced several problems abroad, including the growing influence of the Soviet Union in the Middle East. No polls are available from the beginning of his first term in 1953, though one from 1952 shows overwhelming concern about the Korean War.
“The Soviet Union has nothing whatsoever to fear from the United States in the Middle East, or anywhere else in the world, so long as its rulers do not themselves first resort to aggression.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower in a speech on a new Middle East doctrine on Jan. 5, 1957
January 1949➤➤
Inflation, cost of livingHousingLabor problemsEconomy in generalReligious and moral declineCivil rightsThreat of war, maintaining peaceCommunismOther foreign affairsOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Harry S. Truman began his first full term in office four years after the end of World War II and the formation of the United Nations. Americans were still concerned about the threat of war and keeping the peace.
“We are supporting a world organization to keep peace and a world economic policy to create prosperity for mankind. Our guiding star is the principle of international cooperation.”
Harry S. Truman in his State of the Union address on Jan. 5, 1949
November 1941➤
Labor problemsCost of livingUnemploymentWar, keeping out of warDefenseKeeping peaceOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
The United States officially entered World War II in December of 1941, nearly a year into Franklin D. Roosevelt’s third term. A poll the month before reflected Americans’ concerns about the nation’s defenses and involvement in the war.
“The need of the moment is that our actions and our policy should be devoted primarily — almost exclusively — to meeting this foreign peril. For all our domestic problems are now a part of the great emergency.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt in his State of the Union address on Jan. 6, 1941
September 1935➤➤
BudgetTaxesUnemploymentEconomy in generalLabor problemsRedistributionDemocracyDissatisfaction with governmentBig governmentOther GovernmentPolitical honestyReligious and moral declineOld age pensions, Social SecurityAgricultureLiquor controlSoldiers' bonusKeeping out of warDefenseOther/No answer
Economy
Domestic issues
International issues
Gallup began asking the “most important problem” question in 1935, in the midst of the Great Depression and two and a half years into Mr. Roosevelt’s 12-year presidency. The Works Progress Administration, which created millions of jobs in public works projects, was established earlier that year.
“We must preserve not only the bodies of the unemployed from destitution but also their self-respect, their self-reliance and courage and determination.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt in his State of the Union address on Jan. 4, 1935
Gallup conducted its surveys using in-person interviews until the late 1980s, when it transitioned to telephone surveys. More recent polls are based on a mix of cellphone and landline interviews. In some cases, respondents have been allowed multiple answers.
In its early days, Gallup used “quota sampling” to ensure that it surveyed respondents who were representative of the population as a whole, according to an interview with Alec Gallup, a former chairman of the poll. Today the organization uses random sampling and weights the data based on United States demographics.
Source: Gallup data via the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
Correction: February 28, 2017
An earlier version of this article misstated the year that Bill Clinton began his presidency. He entered office in 1993, not 1991.
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