Government, economy top two problems listed in Gallup poll

PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 15 (UPI) -- The government and the economy are the top problems Americans listed in the first Gallup survey on what concerns Americans in 2014, the pollster said Wednesday.

Twenty-one percent of Americans said the government was the top problem facing the country, followed by the economy, at 18 percent, results indicated.

Tied for third were unemployment-jobs and healthcare, with 16 percent each. No other issue was mentioned by as much as 10 percent of the public, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.

When comparing results from January 2013, mentions of government were up slightly in the latest poll, Gallup said, while mentions of healthcare soared from 4 percent in January 2013 to 16 percent in the latest poll.

References to the federal deficit or debt dropped from 20 percent last January to 8 percent now, while mentions of the economy in general dipped from 21 percent to 18 percent, Gallup said. Mentions of unemployment/jobs were the same.

Government was the top concern among all three major-party groups, although Republicans and independents were more likely than Democrats to cite it, Gallup said. Mentions of healthcare as a problem were higher for Republicans than for independents and Democrats.

The economy in general was cited by nearly equal percentages among Democrats, Republicans and independents, Gallup said.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,018 adults conducted Jan. 5-8. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.