Terrorism Top Issue as 2016 Presidential Race Begins

As the economy has improved and concern about it declined, terrorist incidents and groups and states sponsoring it have moved up in public concern. Gallup reports terrorism is now a top national problem identified by Americans, having increased by 12 percentage points in the last year. The economy and the availability and cost of health care are also listed by more than half the electorate, but have declined in concern during the last year.

National problems tend to track media reports as interpreted and projected by the individual. Health care is likely affected by reports on the ACA. Social Security has not been in the news, but the huge Baby Boom generation is more focused on it as they move past retirement ages.

The size and power of the federal government and income and wealth inequality are among the key political divisions, which both parties express concerns about.