ELECTION 2016: Most Important Issues

From several surveys and data sources, these are the biggest issues Americans are concerned about in the 2016 Election:

The Economy

This area is detailed below.

  • Joblessness (has fallen)
  • Employment (remains depressed)
  • Economic Output (has rebounded)
  • Household Income (has fallen)
  • Inflation (tame, flat)
  • Home Prices (growing, but not back to previous highs)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, St. Louis Federal Reserve,
Current Population Survey

Environment & Science

  • Climate Change
  • Energy Policy
  • Science Budget/R&D

Criminal Justice

  • Shootings
  • Prisons
  • Police Killings
  • 2nd Amendment Rights/Gun Control

Health Care

  • Affordable Care Act/Obamacare (repeal, expand)
  • Pharmaceutical Costs (on new and generic drugs)
  • Medicare (spending and restructuring)
  • Medicaid (expansion, reduction, privatization)

Privacy & Data Security

  • Federal Surveillance of Data
  • Patriotic Act/Metadata Gathering
  • Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act
  • FCC Neutrality Rules

Education

Only 4% of Americans surveyed consider education the nation’s most important issue which is likely why you do not see much on education from candidates. What has been presented by candidates is:

  • College Affordability
  • Eliminating Tuition
  • Accrediting Nontraditional Education
  • Common Core Curriculum Standards (by state)
  • Standardized Testing

Religion & Social Issues

The 2016 election will likely not be dominated by faith issues after Planned Parenthood stopped selling fetal tissue, and the Supreme Court settled same-sex marriage. Although candidates continue to have faith-based platforms.

  • Abortion Access
  • Planned Parenthood Funding
  • Addition of the Equality Act to Civil Rights Act of 1964

From a 2015 Gallup Poll, this is how respondents ranked issues important to them. Clearly, the economy remains the highest consistent issue among all Americans. This makes sense because falling under the umbrella of “the economy” are things that are up close and personal to people and affect their daily lives.

For example, there are less jobs available. Not good news to the many unemployed. Although new jobs continue to be added every month, the unemployment rate has remained flat for ten years. In March of 2006, the rate was 4.7%. In March of 2016 the rate is 5%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Due to joblessness, household income has fallen. Home prices are still high and the American dream of home ownership is far beyond their reach.

It’s very easy to understand how this trickle down effect has made Americans loo for candidates that they believe have a “fix” for these major economic issues. Although an easy fix is highly unlikely. It will take years to set programs into motion to budge these figures into a positive zone.

Before you make the important decision on who you believe is the best choice for the most powerful position in the land–know and understand the issues that are important to you. Make sure your candidate is closely aligned with your ideological beliefs in the areas outlined above.

The more you know.

DISCLAIMER:
Feminine Collective’s writers may offer general information on election, voting processes, and issues on the Election 2016. Feminine Collective does not endorse any candidate or political party. The words written by our writers are entirely their own opinion.

 

Dori Owen

Dori Owen blogs on ArizonaGirlDiary.tumblr.com, is a columnist on FeminineCollective.com, a contributor/editor for The Lithium Chronicles, created the Facebook page Diary of an Arizona Girl, is an author on AskABipolar, was featured in the books FeminineCollective RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I and StigmaFighters Vol II, and is a zealous tweeter as @doriowen. She's a former LA wild child who settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. Dori spent her adult years in Southern California, with a brief stay in Reno, and has now returned to where she ran away from in Arizona. She is a shown artist, writer, and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture she finds from thrift stores. She lives with her beloved rescued terrier, Olivia Twist, and the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son in Portland, Oregon who very much resents being introduced after her pets. But she she does love him the most.

Written by 

Dori Owen is a storyteller, writing from small town Arizona, after living a few decades in California as an LA Wild Child, with a brief stop in Reno. She settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. She is a shown artist and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture and decor she finds from thrift stores. She lives with the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her essays and poems have been published in RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I, StigmaFighters Vol 2, and Love Notes From Humanity. Her blogs have been featured on The Lithium Chronicles, Open Thought Vortex, Sudden Denouement, and The Mighty.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *