Economy, not Syria, weighs heaviest on minds of Americans

    With diplomacy replacing sabre-rattling regarding Syria, we find out what’s on the minds of Americans with Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll.

    Up this week:

    Public opinion regarding the situation in Syria.
    Americans’ confidence in their government to handle international affairs has reached an all-time low, going back to the 1970s.
    A new update on the “most important problem” facing the nation, from the perspective of the American people, shows that Syria is No. 5 on the list — behind the economy, jobs, dysfunctional government, and healthcare.
    Much news about the “birth dearth” in the United States in recent years, with a dropping fertility rate (although that may have stabilized now). But new data show that there has been almost no change since 1990 in Americans’ desire to have children. Only 5 percent of Americans don’t want children or are glad that they didn’t have children, almost identical to 1990 and 2003.

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal