皮尤-经济与COVID-19成为2021年公共政策议程的首位（英文）-2021.1-22页_438kb

Summary of "Economy and COVID-19 Top the Public's Policy Agenda for 2021"

Core Content

This report from the Pew Research Center, released on January 28, 2021, highlights the key policy priorities of U.S. adults for the year 2021. The survey included 5,360 participants from the American Trends Panel (ATP), a nationally representative online survey panel. The findings indicate that economic recovery and addressing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic are the top concerns for the public, with significant partisan and demographic differences in other policy areas.

Main Policy Priorities

• Strengthening the economy (80%) and dealing with the coronavirus outbreak (78%) are the most prioritized issues.
• Improving the job situation is also a top priority, with 67% of respondents supporting it.
• Other priorities include:
  • Defending the country from future terrorist attacks (63%)
  • Improving the political system (62%)
  • Reducing health care costs (58%)

Lower Priority Issues

• Dealing with global trade (32%)
• Improving transportation (32%)
• Dealing with drug addiction (28%)

Partisan Gaps

• Economic concerns and coronavirus are top priorities for both Democrats and Republicans, though with varying levels of support.
• Addressing racial issues and global climate change show significant partisan divides:
  • 72% of Democrats vs. 24% of Republicans want to address racial issues.
  • 59% of Democrats vs. 14% of Republicans prioritize climate change.
• Reducing the budget deficit is a higher priority for Republicans (54%) than for Democrats (29%).
• Strengthening the military and reducing crime are more favored by Republicans (51% and 55%, respectively) than Democrats (28% and 39%).

Racial and Ethnic Differences

• Black adults (83%) are more likely than White adults (40%) to prioritize racial issues.
• Hispanic adults (68%) also show strong support for addressing racial issues.
• Black adults (77%) are more likely than White (46%) and Hispanic (64%) adults to prioritize dealing with poverty.
• There are no significant differences between racial and ethnic groups on issues like global trade, the economy, or reducing the budget deficit.

Gender Differences

• Women prioritize issues such as race, criminal justice, and health care more than men.
• Key differences include:
  • 56% of women vs. 41% of men want to address racial issues.
  • 52% of women vs. 40% of men support addressing the criminal justice system.
  • 63% of women vs. 52% of men want to reduce health care costs.
  • 59% of women vs. 48% of men prioritize improving education.

Age Differences

• Older adults (50+ years) are more likely to prioritize national defense and military issues.
• Younger adults (18–29 years) show less interest in these areas.
• Older adults also prioritize Social Security, the economy, and reducing crime more than younger adults.

Educational Differences

• Those with less education (HS or less) are more likely to support:
  • Securing Social Security (68%)
  • Reducing crime (57%)
  • Strengthening the military (48%)
• Postgraduate degree holders are more likely to prioritize:
  • Dealing with global climate change (49%)
  • Addressing racial issues (57%)
  • Dealing with the coronavirus (84%)

Methodology

• The survey was conducted from January 8 to 12, 2021, with a response rate of 88%.
• The ATP is a stratified random sample and is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by factors such as age, gender, education, race/ethnicity, and party affiliation.
• The margin of error for the full sample is ±1.9 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Key Takeaways

• Economic recovery and the coronavirus remain the top priorities for the public.
• Partisan divides are most pronounced on issues related to race and climate change.
• Black, Hispanic, and White adults differ significantly in their views on various policy goals.
• Women place higher importance on social issues like race, criminal justice, and education.
• Older adults are more likely to support military and defense-related priorities.
• Education level influences views on Social Security, crime, and climate change.

Conclusion

The Pew Research Center survey highlights that while economic and health-related issues dominate the public's policy agenda, there are significant variations in priorities based on partisan affiliation, race/ethnicity, gender, and age. These findings underscore the need for policymakers to consider these diverse perspectives when shaping legislation and public initiatives.