Poll: More Americans think foreign policy should be US priority

In these times of conflicts abroad, more Americans think that foreign policy should be a major focus of the American government in 2024, according to a new survey showing that international issues and immigration are taking on greater importance for the public.

About 4 out of 10 adult Americans cited foreign policy issues when asked to express on up to five issues the government should work on next year, according to a December survey by the Associated Press news agency and the Centre for the Study of Public Affairs, NORC.

This is about twice as many as mentioned in the survey conducted last year by the Associated Press and NORC.

Concerns over the economy still overshadow other issues. But new survey findings show growing concern about the United States' involvement in affairs abroad 20 percent expressed this concern in the survey, versus 5 percent a year ago.

The data also shows that the Israeli-Haams war is promoting public anxiety. The conflict was mentioned by 5 percent of respondents, although almost no one mentioned it a year ago. The issue has dominated geopoliticalism since Israel declared war on Hamas in Gaza following this group's attack on October 7th on Israeli territory.

Four percent of American adults cited the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as the issue in which their government should focus this year.

Foreign policy has gained prominence among respondents from both sides. Some 46 percent of Republicans mentioned it, up from 23 percent last year. And 34 percent of Democrats list foreign policy as a key point, compared to 16 percent a year ago.

Migration is also a growing two-party concern.

The survey generally found that concerns about immigration increased by 35 percent from 27 percent last year. Most Republicans, 55 percent, say the government should focus on immigration in 2024, while 22 percent of the Democrats ranked it a priority.

Although immigration and foreign policy arose as a matter, concern remains the economy. Inflation has declined, unemployment is low and the United States has consistently rejected forecasts of economic downturn, yet respondents have a grim outlook on the economy.

About 76 percent of American adults said this time that they want the government to focus on economic issues in 2024, almost the same as 75 percent expressed in 2022.

Some 85 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of Democrats view the economy as a major issue.

A quarter of American adults say 2024 will be better than 2023 for them personally, and 24 percent expect to be a worse year. / VOA