Ethics Edges Out Economy As Top Issue & Lots More: Rasmussen's latest poll findings

At RasmussenReports.com

For nearly two years, economic issues have held the top spot in terms of importance among voters.

But the latest national telephone survey shows that 83% now view government ethics and corruption as very important, placing it just ahead of the economy on a list of 10 key electoral issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. Eighty-two percent (82%) of voters see the economy as very important.

This is the first time since October 2007 that voters have rated ethics and corruption as more important than the economy. Voters viewed the two issues evenly in November and December 2007 before placing a higher priority on the economy starting in January 2008.

Last month, 86% of voters said economic issues were very important while 80% saw government ethics that way.
The new findings come at a time when 43% of voters say the president is doing a poor job addressing government ethics and reducing corruption, up five points from early September and the highest level measured since he took office. Forty percent (40%) now give the president good or excellent ratings on his handling of the issue.

While Republicans and voters not affiliated with either party rank ethics and corruption as the most important issue, Democrats put health care at the top of the list.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of all voters view health care as very important, up one point from last month and the highest level measured in over two years.

But just 41% of voters nationwide now favor the health care reform plan proposed by Obama and congressional Democrats, the lowest level of support measured so far.

Another shift this month came on national security and the War on Terror, an issue viewed as very important to 67% of voters. That’s a six-point jump from last month and puts the issue in fourth place on the list.

Americans are closely divided over whether the United States should send more troops to fight the war in Afghanistan.

Recent polling shows that just 30% of U.S. voters have at least some confidence in the ability of the United Nations to combat terrorism. At the same time, only 12% of voters believe the United States should be the world’s policeman.

The majority of voters (51%) say the president is not being aggressive enough in dealing with Iran's controversial nuclear program.

Social Security remains the fifth most important voter issue with 65% who view it as very important.

The issue of taxes fell two spots this month to sixth place on the list, with 62% of voters who see it as very important.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters say education is a very important issue, the highest level measured since April.

While only 49% of voters view the War in Iraq as a very important issue this month, that’s six points higher than the result found in August and is the highest level measured in nearly one year.

Another 49% see immigration as very important, but that’s down 10 points over the past month and the lowest level in nearly a year.

Forty-one percent (41%) view the issue of abortion as very important, down three points from last month.

The leaders of the world’s most powerful nations may have agreed late last week to work more closely together to control and protect the global economy, but Americans believe more than ever that the best solutions start at home.

Twenty-six percent (26%) of American workers now say their employers are laying people off. It’s the lowest number reporting layoffs since last November.