If we take stock of Americans’ news interests, we can start to see the picture of what’s on people’s minds. Polling shows 59% of Americans are checking coronavirus news daily, 54% are reading up on the 2020 election, and 40% are tracking headlines about racial justice and unrest.
These issues are important crossroads for our country, and each one has a ripple effect on Americans’ daily lives. It makes sense that Americans care about what’s at stake. Still, this trend is worth a closer look: What else is driving Americans’ investment in these news topics?
The latest results from Heart+Mind Strategies’ coronavirus poll, conducted on October 14-15, lend more insight to Americans’ news consumption habits. We are tracking the headlines because these problems encompass a host of other issues affecting Americans’ well-being and peace of mind: health concerns, financial worries, school and work disruptions, and uncertainty over how changes in government will impact the next day’s plans, let alone the next month or year.
The top three factors determining Americans’ votes
Since March, healthcare and the economy have been the top two issues for Americans. Polling conducted on October 14-15, 2020, shows these issues remain strong factors in Americans’ voting choices, with the economy just slightly edging out healthcare.
Time to strike a balance?
More people agree that we should balance public health concerns with economic concerns (44%) than those who think we should focus solely on public health and deal with the economy later (41%).
At the beginning of the pandemic, that split was 38% to 51%. The difference started narrowing in April, and since the beginning of September, the majority has favored a balanced approach.
The economy has people worried
Sixty-eight percent of Americans think the virus’s impact on the economy will last seven months or more.
This impact has been deeply personal, affecting people’s day-to-day spending and savings. Forty-five percent of Americans have received government or private aid, 44% have delayed or reduced spending, and 30% have taken money out of or stopped putting money in savings.
Fewer people think the economy is in crisis now versus in May. Our polling data in May indicated 55% considered the US economy poor or in crisis. Last week, that number was 38%. Despite this improvement, Americans remain cautiously optimistic: 25% think the economy is just fair, and 37% say it’s excellent or good. Only 16% say it’s in crisis.
The good news: Americans are open to market-oriented solutions
We saw good news out of the latest polling that encourages state think tanks to make the case for state-based, free-market policy solutions. As several other issues have come to the forefront for Americans, Heart+Mind Strategies asked Americans about several ideology-based proposals, and market-oriented solutions often resonated best with how Americans feel.
Jobs and the economy
- 40% of Americans agree that we should focus on regulatory reform and eliminating crony capitalism. In that environment, the free market is the best way to grow our economy and create good jobs for Americans.
- 34% are in favor of establishing a federal jobs corps that focuses employment through public works projects, expanded collective bargaining, and racial equity.
- 26% agree we should have a guaranteed job with benefits for every American making millions of Americans employees of the federal government.
Healthcare
Americans clearly want changes or replacement of the Affordable Care Act.
- 40% believe we need to protect the ACA and build on it to make healthcare more affordable and less complex.
- 38% say we need to replace the Affordable Care Act with a system that prioritizes transparency, freedom of choice, and cost-efficient care.
- 22% want to see a universal single-payer government healthcare for all Americans.
Taxes
- 38% say recent changes to the tax code were smart and we should extend those provisions that will otherwise expire in 2022.
- 36% believe we should raise the top marginal tax rate to 70% and institute a wealth tax on Americans with high net worth.
- 26% think we should undo the recent tax cuts, raising taxes on individuals, reinstating the Alternative Minimum Tax and bringing our corporate tax rate to the highest levels in the world.
About this polling
State Policy Network is working with Heart + Mind Strategies to track the American public’s opinions through this time of upheaval and change. This data was collected by Heart+Mind Strategies through an online survey conducted October 14-15, 2020 (n=1,002). It represents Wave 21 of the tracking survey, which began on March 18-19, 2020.
