Americans' interest in Social Security and Medicare is new to their 2000 campaign agenda. Americans are also less interested in hearing candidates talk about cutting taxes than they were three years ago. Improving education and shoring up Medicare and Social Security are close behind, with almost equal numbers placing these issues at the top of their list of national priorities. The same number place protecting the environment, regulating health maintenance organizations, and reducing middle class taxes at the top of the national agenda. Many of the issues emphasized by various elected officials draw only tepid endorsements from the public.
Women place a higher priority on most issues than do men.
Fewer young Americans give top priority to bolstering the Social Security system than do older people. While solid majorities of Democrats, Republicans and Independents agree about how much emphasis to place on reducing crime, this consensus breaks down across other issues. For example, Republicans place a somewhat lower priority on dealing with the problems of the poor and needy, regulating HMOs, strengthening gun control laws, and working to reduce racial tensions than do Democrats. Democrats place a lower priority on dealing with moral breakdown and cutting the capital gains tax. Current Washington Issues Americans continue to prefer spending on specific programs rather than tax cuts when asked what to do with the federal budget surplus.