Should the government ban surcharges tacked onto concert tickets, cable bills, banking services, hotel bookings and other purchases? Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images In an otherwise treacherous political environment, Democrats see an . Should sanctuary cities receive federal funding? The landmark decision was one of the top political stories of 2022. The military removed civilian leaders in October 2021, and the resulting political uncertainty could destabilize peace efforts with armed groups. Here are just some of the top political stories of 2022, in no particular rank or order: It's going to be divided federal government come the new year. But Reeves has said he will veto legislation in its current form because it allows too large of a quantity of marijuana to be disbursed to individuals. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Trust in Media. Should the redrawing of Congressional districts be controlled by an independent, non-partisan commission? The survey also found that the overall public sees the court as more ideologically conservative than two years ago, and that view is particularly true of Democrats. Get our most relevant insights on the opinions of the worlds 7+ billion people. Political, economic, and climate crises wracked Pakistan in 2022. The 9 biggest political questions of 2022. Republicans are, on average, about 25 points more likely than Democrats to say each of these issues should be at the top of the national policy agenda. Should working illegal immigrants be given temporary amnesty? A plurality of Democrats (29%) say threats to democracy was the most important issue facing the country, while 17% of independents and 17% of Republicans agree. Should cities open drug safe havens where people who are addicted to illegal drugs can use them under the supervision of medical professionals? Americans satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S. has tumbled nine percentage points, to 18%, from last years average. Do you support increasing taxes for the rich in order to reduce interest rates for student loans? The conservative majority on the Supreme Court made its mark in 2022, stunning the country by overturning the right to an abortion in the U.S. Should politicians over 75 years of age have required to pass a mental competency test? Among those items that rank near the bottom on the 18-item priorities list today are addressing issues around race (37% top priority), strengthening the military (also 37%), dealing with global trade (35%) and dealing with drug addiction (31%). Black adults (66%) are more likely than either White (27%) or Hispanic adults (47%) to say that addressing issues around race should be a top priority. Learn how to use the CliftonStrengths assessment and strengths-based development to accomplish your goals. Copyright 2023 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. All the while, there has been no movement on a comprehensive federal immigration overhaul in almost a decade in a country that has millions of immigrants living in the U.S. after crossing the border illegally and massive backlogs in immigration courts due to understaffing and underfunding. Should the NSA (National Security Agency) be allowed to collect basic metadata of citizens phone calls such as numbers, timestamps, and call durations? On average, Republicans are more likely than Democrats and independents to name the government as the most pressing issue in 2022. Should illegal immigrants have access to government-subsidized healthcare? hide caption. Should companies be allowed to require mandatory diversity training for employees? The speech comes as the country approaches the third year of the coronavirus pandemic, and amid rising concerns about the economy and challenges from abroad. In a separate January 2022 survey, 55% of Americans said the cost of health care is worse now than it was a year ago, and a larger share of Americans said they agreed with the Democratic Partys health care policies than with the Republican Partys (42% vs. 26%). In 2022, teacher strikes took place in Los Angeles, Denver, and Chicago, to name a few cities, and there could be even bigger protests to come in the future. and just the fourth time since 1979 that annual satisfaction has been below 20%. Dealing with global climate change was among the most politically divisive issues on the January survey: Roughly two-thirds of Democrats (65%) say this should be a top priority for Biden and Congress this year, compared with just 11% of Republicans. But her appointment did not change its ideological balance, which now tips decidedly in conservatives' favor. Gas prices and food costs soared, and with Democrats in control of Congress and the White House, it put them on their heels in this year's midterms. hide caption. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates multiple times throughout 2022, squeezing borrowing in hopes of stemming inflation. Should hate speech be protected by the first amendment? A spring 2021 survey found that 84% of Hispanic adults said there should be a way for undocumented immigrants to stay in the country legally if certain requirements were met, compared with 69% of U.S. adults overall. Only 7% considered Russia a partner of the U.S. Sudan enters 2022 facing multiple challenges. The latest news and how to stay informed. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. For Democrats, abortion was the clear top issue (35%), followed by the Jan. 6 committee hearings (22%), health care (16%) and inflation (13%). Do you support the use of nuclear energy? Should members of Congress be allowed to trade stocks while serving in office? Comparable shares in both parties also say taking steps to make the Social Security system financially sound (58% of Republicans, 56% of Democrats) and dealing with drug addiction (32% of Democrats, 27% of Republicans) should be top priorities. Should children of illegal immigrants be granted legal citizenship? President Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to sit on the high court. Hispanic Americans express views closer to Black adults on dealing with poverty (55% of Hispanic adults say it should be top priority), but their views are closer to those of White adults on criminal justice reform (48%). Only about half of Americans view improving the job situation as a top priority (52%), compared with 67% last year. Do you support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources? Another huge topic of discussion is book bans taking place at schools, libraries, and learning centers across the country. Would you favor an increased sales tax in order to reduce property taxes? Gallup World Headquarters, 901 F Street, Washington, D.C., 20001, U.S.A Concern about the economy hasn't . The landmark decision was one of the top political stories of 2022. A March 2021 survey of Latino adults found that nearly four-in-ten Latinos (39%) said they worry that they, a family member, or someone close to them could be deported. Black Democrats (71%) also are almost twice as like as White Democrats (38%) to say that addressing the criminal justice system should be a top priority; 53% of Hispanic Democrats see this as a major priority. The year also saw political violence with Pelosi's husband, Paul, attacked in their California home and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh targeted, which led to stepped up security for the justices. Should the Federal Government suspend the gasoline tax? Dealing with climate change is the only issue which White Democrats (68%) are more likely than Black Democrats (58%) to view as a top priority. Other mentions: Some other big events included Nancy Pelosi stepping down as House Democratic leader after two decades, making room for Hakeem Jeffries of New York and a new generation of party leaders. Adults under 30 are the only age group in which a majority (54%) say global climate change should be a top priority. Should there be fewer or more restrictions on current welfare benefits? (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. Should social media companies ban political advertising? Subscribe to the NPR Nation RSS feed. as the top U.S. problem. Should the military be allowed to use enhanced interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding, to gain information from suspected terrorists? Should producers be required to label genetically engineered foods (GMOs)? (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main Heres a look at public opinion on some of the key issues facing the country, drawn from recent Pew Research Center surveys. Satisfaction at Lowest Point Since 2011, Americans satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S. has tumbled nine percentage points, to 18%, from last years average. Across racial and ethnic lines, strengthening the economy ranks near the top of the policy agenda. It was the most significant gun legislation signed in decades, but that only shows how difficult it is to get sweeping changes passed federally, like raising the age of who can purchase certain firearms or whether the country could ever return to an assault-style weapons ban. Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images About half of adults ages 50 and older (52%) say that strengthening the military should be a top priority. Should foreign lobbyists be allowed to raise money for American elections? Should the federal government increase funding of health care for low income individuals (Medicaid)? Should universities provide trigger warnings and safe spaces for students? Republicans satisfaction, already a low 8% in 2021 after President Joe Biden took office, is down to 4% in 2022. CNN . However, Republicans ages 65 and older are somewhat more likely to rate dealing with the coronavirus as a top goal than Republicans under 65 (44% vs. 32%). Should the government add or increase tariffs on products imported into the country? Jan 9, 2023. Should the U.S. conduct military strikes against North Korea in order to destroy their long-range missile and nuclear weapons capabilities? He is the president of Eurasia Group, a. political differences in top issues for voters in 2022 u.s. mid-term elections . Older adults in each party are generally more likely to prioritize the coronavirus than younger ones. [Randomize]" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." Discover courses and other experiences that bring out whats best in you, the people around you and your entire organization. But her appointment did not change its ideological balance, which now tips decidedly in conservatives' favor. Based in Washington, D.C., his work appears on air and online delivering analysis of the political climate in Washington and campaigns. Republicans are more likely to rate dealing with immigration and reducing the budget deficit as top priorities than did so last year, while there has been little change in views on the importance of these issues among Democrats. The survey found that about half of U.S. adults (49%) considered Russia a competitor of the U.S., while 41% said it is an enemy. In April, Prime Minister Imran Khan lost a no-confidence vote in parliament, continuing a streak in which no Pakistani prime. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 75% cellphone respondents and 25% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Should the government increase or decrease military spending? It was the most significant gun legislation signed in decades, but that only shows how difficult it is to get sweeping changes passed federally, like raising the age of who can purchase certain firearms or whether the country could ever return to an assault-style weapons ban. Notably, majorities rate all of these policy goals either as a top priority for the president and Congress or as an important but lower priority; for each, relatively small shares say they are not too important or should not be done. (For a closer look at the top policy priorities of partisan and demographic groups, see the detailed tables accompanying this report). Staff writer. By certain measures, the economy does not look good. But that was just the headliner. The year also saw political violence with Pelosi's husband, Paul, attacked in their California home and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh targeted, which led to stepped up security for the justices.