68% of Americans say they’d keep working if they won millions
Traders work as the New York Stock Exchange nears closing. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, file)
We check in with Frank Newport, editor in chief of Gallup, to get a read on American opinions. It’s a mixed bag this week with news on the economy, the Powerball, the most important school subjects and some new thinking on the War on Drugs.
We’re seeing a couple of good signs on the economy. Even though the stock market has been down this week and industrial production is flat, consumer confidence is up (but still low) and Americans appear to be spending more.
Lots of smiles down at the New Jersey shore this for winners of the multi-state Powerball lottery. What would you do if you won $10 million — keep working or quit your job on the spot? Most Americans, about 68 percent, say they would keep on working.
With school season nearly at hand, what do Americans say is the most important subject they studied in school? In order of importance, American adults place a premium on math, English, science, history, and business/accounting. These days, said Newport, with the emphasis on STEM courses, Americans are more likely to place a higher value on science than in years past.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder this week argued for sending fewer Americans to jail who were convicted on drug charges. One of the reasons may be that Americans just don’t see drugs, or crime for that matter, as the top problem facing the nation.
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