A new poll released by CNN/Opinion Research Corp. has given some very interesting results. The results of the poll have solidified the stance that the issue of the economy is the number one topic on the minds of both Democratic and Republican voters. So far, this could put McCain’s candidacy in jeopardy if the results of the polling remain consistent from now until the general elections come November.
In the previous year, the War in Iraq was the top issue in 2007. But, now the state of the United States economy has overshadowed the issue of the Iraq War. Still, the issue of Iraq came in second. It comes at a very steep second. Almost half the people that took the poll felt that the economy was the top issue when voting for the next US president. Only 19 percent of those that took the poll felt that Iraq was the most important issue.
Iraq barely became more important than health care, terrorism, or immigration. The issue of immigration came in dead last. But, immigration was at eight percent, which is almost half the percentage of those that felt Iraq was the most important.
According to Keating Holland, the CNN Polling Director, while Iraq was the top issue back in 2007, the importance gradually decreased and balanced out in November. Then the following month, the issue of the economy grew to be more important. Now, the economy has taken more precedence than Iraq.
Most of those that cited the economy as the most important issue cited inflation as the main problem. The dilemma with the housing market came in at second place. But, this was deemed a steep second at nineteen percent. The stock market came in dead last. Also, most of those that felt the economy as the number one issue also said that the issue of gas prices concerned them more.
There have been talks about gas prices, food prices, and the use of bio-fuels. Scientists for the global network CGIAR that uses science to fight world hunger said that the increased use and production of bio-fuels such as ethanol contributes to the high food prices. The group had brought up the fighting world hunger vs. fighting high gas prices argument.
But, the farmers and ethanol producers said that the reason that food prices are high is because of the fuel prices. There is a major dispute over what actually causes the rise in food costs.
Those arguments can very well be tied into the economy.
The issue of Iraq has been the main platform of presumed GOP presidential nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona. He said that Iraq could make or break his candidacy. However, the issue of Iraq could be tied with the issue of the US economy.
Back in March, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz explained that the current cost of Iraq is at least $12 Billion a month. The total cost could be at least $3 trillion.
In that same month, two US senators had requested a congressional inquiry into Iraq’s oil revenues. This was to see if Iraq’s government can use its oil revenues to continue with the rest of its own reconstruction. So far, the cost of reconstruction has come from the pockets of US taxpayers.