Terrorism rivals economy as top priority for Americans — the first time in five years

Amid overseas tumult and signs of an improving economy, the American public, for the first time in five years, said defending against terrorism is as high a policy priority as strengthening the economy, according to a recent survey.

Seventy-six percent of Americans rated terrorism as a top priority for President Obama and the Congress this year, compared to 75 percent who said the economy and 67 percent who said jobs, the Pew survey said.

Since Mr. Obama began his second term in January 2013, the economy has declined 11 points as a top priority and improving the jobs situation has declined 12 points as the percentage of people saying defending against terrorism has remained relatively constant, increasing 5 points since then.

There is a significant disparity in household income, however, among those who say jobs and the economy are a top priority.

Among those who have a family income of $75,000 or more, the percentage rating the job situation as a top priority has dropped 21 points — 78 percent to 57 percent — since 2013, and the percentage rating the economy as a top priority has dropped 15 points, from 88 percent to 73 percent.

Among those with household incomes less than $30,000, jobs have fallen just 3 points — 79 percent to 76 percent — and the economy has dropped 7 points, from 83 percent to 76 percent.

Strengthening the U.S. military has also increased as a top priority, from 41 percent in January 2013 to 52 percent, and dealing with immigration has increased from 40 percent in January 2014 to 52 percent.

Other priorities are also seen as more important; dealing with the nation’s “moral breakdown” has risen to a top priority for 48 percent, up from 40 percent in January 2013. Improving the country’s infrastructure has risen 12 points since 2013 to 42 percent, and dealing with global waring has risen 10 points to 38 percent.

The analysis is based on interviews conducted Jan. 7-11 among a sample of 1,504 adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.