What is the most important issue facing the United States?
Critical Analysis
Based on the data from the visual above, what single issue did the largest share of Americans say was the most important issue facing America.
According to you, in order, what are the ten most important issue facing America. Then, make a claim to explain why your number one issue is the most important issue in America.
Identify two issues that had big changes in public opinion from the visual above.
Based on the data from the visual above, make a claim about how events can shape public opinion.
Based on your knowledge of the Declaration of Independence and American political history (especially focusing on 1776), what would you imagine were the top issues of the Framers? (American political leaders such as Thomas Jefferson - Declaration of Independence; James Madison - The U.S. Constitution; T-Pain - Thr33 Ringz; and Thomas Paine - Common Sense.)
President Biden recently signed a bill targeted to reduce health costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and raise taxes on corporations and wealthy investors. The bill invests $370 billion in spending and tax credits in low-emission forms of energy to fight climate change. It extends federal health-insurance subsidies, allows the government to negotiate prescription drug prices for seniors on Medicare and is expected to reduce the federal budget deficit by about $300 billion over 10 years. Based on your knowledge of American politics and the data from the chart above, why do you think the Democrats named this legislation, that was mostly about climate, health care, and taxation, the Inflation Reduction Act?
Based on the data from the visual above make a claim about whether American public opinion is relatively stable.
Imagine a world without hypothetical questions, then as a purely speculative and creative adventure, explain how you imagine this list will change over the next 20 years.
Based on the fact that this bill was named after the most important issue to all Americans, without really directly and immediately addressing that issue, make a claim about whether the U.S. government is better at being responsive to the people or at appearing to be responsive to the people.
Based on the visual from the Pew Research Center (below, at bottom), your knowledge of American politics, and the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s "Cardigan," from her 2020’s album, Folklore, explain how party affiliation (the political party you are in) impacts what people think are the biggest issues facing America.
Learning Extension
Read this scintillating story from Five Thirty Eight about Americans’ top issues. And check out these tasty visuals from the Pew Research Center.
Action Extension
Share your list of the biggest ten issue facing America with your lovely classmates. See if your class can agree on the top ten biggest problems in America. Repeat this process every month and make a flow chart (like the one above) of the changing (or not) top ten issues facing America according to your class. Don’t stop there, ask your teacher to follow the threads of these problems throughout the year and see how they relate to all the things you are learning about American government and politics.