Poll: U.S. should 'mind its own business'

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Nearly half of Americans say Washington should "mind its own business internationally" and let other nations get along on their own, a poll indicated Thursday.

The 49 percent figure marks a four-decade high for isolationism, the Pew survey said.

Those people agreed with the statement, "The U.S. should mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along the best they can on their own," Pew said. Forty-four percent said they disagree with the statement.

Forty-four percent also say Washington should go its "own way" in international matters and not worry about whether other countries agree, the poll said.

And 76 percent say America should "concentrate more on our own national problems and building up our strength and prosperity here at home" rather than think in international terms, Pew said.

Forty-four percent say China, not the United States, is now the world's leading economic power, the poll found. Just 27 percent name the United States.

Last year 41 percent said the United States was the top economic power, while 30 percent said China.

The telephone poll of 2,000 continental U.S. adults age 18 or older, surveyed Oct. 28 to Nov. 8, has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.