WASHINGTON, March 27 – The US economy remains Americans’ top concern in 2013 with 68 percent worrying about the economy “a great deal”, a poll has found.
Economy has been ranked by the annual Gallup poll as the top public concern for Americans since 2008, with healthcare previously being the top concern, Xinhua news agency reported. Economy is followed by federal spending/deficit (61 percent), healthcare (59 percent) and gas prices (55 percent) as other major concerns for Americans.
Unemployment has slid for the third year in a row with a 5-point drop this year to 50 percent. Equally 50 percent of Americans worry a lot about social security. Other major concerns include the size and power of the federal government (49 percent), crime and violence (47 percent), hunger and homelessness (43 percent), and illegal immigration (37 percent).
The biggest shift this year is the number of Americans concerned about energy availability and affordability from 48 percent to 35 percent. The percentage of Americans who worry about gas prices declined by 10 points from 65 percent last year to 55 percent in 2013. Concern about drug use dipped 6 points this year to 36 percent — the lowest record in the poll since 2001.
BERNAMA
