Despite close competition from other pressing issues, the economy is still the top concern for voters, according to a new Cheddar/SurveyUSA poll.
The poll, conducted October 1-4, 2020, showed that 15 percent of respondents named the economy as the most important issue for them when marking their presidential ballot.
This perennial election issue squeaked in ahead of "defeating Donald Trump" at 14 percent, compared to "re-electing Donald Trump" at 9 percent. Replacing the president got a two-point boost, however, after his COVID-19 diagnosis, with the economy losing ground as well.
There was also a significant spread in which demographic groups pinpointed the economy as the top issue, with 19 percent of Hispanics, 15 percent of whites, and just 7 percent of Blacks choosing the issue.
Amid nationwide protests and counterprotests, respondents were neatly split on issues of social justice and law and order. Black Lives Matter, social justice, and law and order each received 3 percent while All Lives Matter received 5 percent.
Other top concerns include COVID-19 at 12 percent, healthcare at 9 percent, and "preserving the democracy" at 6 percent.
On the Affordable Care Act — which reemerged as an election-year issue with the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — 54 percent of respondents said the Court should leave it as the law of the land, while 31 percent said it should be declared unconstitutional.
This matches closely with the 56 percent who said they felt either favorably or very favorably toward Obamacare and the 38 percent who felt unfavorably or very unfavorably toward it.
Younger and lower-income voters also had a better impression of the healthcare law — though those who were most concerned with the economy were less likely to be in favor. After Trump's COVID diagnosis, favorable impressions got a boost as well.
Finally, the poll showed significant doubts about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Just 28 percent said the country will know the outcome on election day, while 42 percent said: "maybe a week after." A sizable 21 percent predicted we'd know sometime before Thanksgiving.
Again, Trump's hospital visit shifted the numbers, with slightly more believing the election would be over and done with on Election Day.
Almost a decade after facing a parent's worst nightmare, the families of the young students killed in the Sandy Hook School shooting reached a settlement with gun manufacturer Remington, makers of the Bushmaster AR-15 used in the crime. David Pucino, deputy chief counsel, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence joined Cheddar News to discuss the families' case and how its strategy brought about the legal settlement. "They built a really great case showing the way that Bushmaster developed its advertising to drive sales using those toxic messages.
A new analysis reveals that for more than two decades, the West has been the driest it has ever been since 800 A.D. The drought which began in 2000 has brought more devastating wildfires and draining water reserves well below healthy levels. Climate Scientists and Adjunct Associate Research Scientist at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University,Benjamin Cook, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Inflation remains hot as the January PPI has increased by 1 percent, twice what analysts had been expecting with a jump of 9.7 over the year. Beth Ann Bovino, the U.S. chief economist, for S&P Global Ratings, joined Cheddar News to discuss the rapid pace of inflation alongside higher wages, predicting the Federal Reserve will act quickly and forcefully this year. "They haven't changed their forecast, yet, that's gonna come out soon. But we expect that a March rate hike is basically pretty much baked in the cake," she said. "We think six rate hikes in total for 2022."
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
A newly declassified letter by senators Ron Wyden and Martin Heinrich claimed the CIA. has been conducting a Secret Surveillance Program which has been collecting a bulk of data from American citizens. The letter which was written in April of 2021 urges the CIA to come clean about the kind of data it collects and how many Americans have been impacted. According to these two senators, the program did not have the safeguards of congressional oversight.
Art Hogan, Chief Market Strategist at National Securities, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he says investors are taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to the situation between Russia and the Ukraine and elaborates on the impact higher oil prices stemming from the conflict would have on the market.
Last week, Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote a a letter airing concerns that the CIA is collecting the data of American citizens without their consent. The lawmakers fear that the program might be exploiting private data. Morgan Wright, the chief security advisor at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, joined Cheddar News to discuss the ramifications of the letter. "We don't have all the dots in one place to connect them," said Wright, cautioning against jumping to conclusions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that diplomacy is still possible, while U.S. officials warn that an attack on Ukraine is imminent. Cheddar News speaks with James Astill, Washington bureau chief of The Economist on the latest developments in Eastern Europe.
