(Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Come discus news articles of the day with a bit of an NPR focus.

Moderators: AA Admin, AA Mod

Post Reply
User avatar
GuideToACrazyWorld
Posts: 8390
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2019 1:31 pm
Location: California
Has thanked: 792 times
Been thanked: 2316 times

(Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by GuideToACrazyWorld » Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:11 am


Both major political parties are facing crosswinds heading into the 2022 midterms, with Democrats and many independents motivated by the issue of abortion, while Republicans have the advantage on the economy, according to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.

President Biden is also seeing a marginal increase in his approval rating, going from 36% in July to 41% now, largely because of a 10-point jump with independents.

Democrats also have a marginal advantage when people were asked who they would vote for if the elections were held today – 48% said a Democrat, 44% said a Republican. But given that swing districts are in many right-leaning areas, Democrats usually need a fairly significant lead on the question.

The survey of 1,236 adults was conducted Aug. 29 through Sept. 1. It has a margin of error of +/- 4.1 percentage points, meaning results could be 4 points higher or lower than what is shown. There are 1,151 registered voters surveyed with a margin of error of +/- 4.3 percentage points.
Inflation is the top issue overall for voters

Top of mind for voters when thinking about November's elections overall is inflation, followed by abortion, according to the survey. That's not surprising considering the economic landscape and how the Democratic base responded after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Sign Up For The NPR Politics Newsletter

From the White House to your home — political news and analysis that matter, sent weekly.
E-mail address

By subscribing, you agree to NPR's terms of use and privacy policy. NPR may share your name and email address with your NPR station. See Details. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Overall, 30% identified inflation as their top issue, but that's down 7 points from the last time the question was asked in July. That was followed by abortion at 22%, up 4 points since July.

For Democrats, abortion was the clear top issue (35%), followed by the Jan. 6 committee hearings (22%), health care (16%) and inflation (13%).

For Republicans, inflation was by far the top issue (40%), followed by immigration (22%), and abortion (10%). Nothing else received double digits.

For independents, inflation was also tops (37%), but abortion was second (22%) and health care after that (12%).

Even though inflation was the top issue for independents, 58% of them also said that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe has made them more likely to vote.

So independents, who are so key in swing districts and purple states, are saying, yes, they are most concerned about inflation, but abortion rights are also a motivating issue. That makes for a tricky line for both parties to walk in how they try to appeal to the group.

Abortion continues to be a key motivator for Democrats, as three-quarters (77%) said the Supreme Court's decision makes them more likely to vote, about the same as it was in the immediate aftermath of the June Dobbs ruling.
Two-thirds of independents say they don't want Trump to run for president
Politics
Two-thirds of independents say they don't want Trump to run for president

Democrats are making abortion a key focus in their elections, running millions of dollars worth of advertising on the issue in an effort to get their voters out to the polls.

Republicans, meanwhile, continue to focus on inflation and the economy.

And with good reason:

They have a 39%-26% advantage over Democrats when people are asked who would be better at handling the economy. That includes a 40%-17% margin with independents.
57%, including 63% of independents, said Biden's policies have made the economy weaker, the worst mark of his presidency on the question; and
62% said they think the country is in a recession.



User avatar
GuideToACrazyWorld
Posts: 8390
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2019 1:31 pm
Location: California
Has thanked: 792 times
Been thanked: 2316 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by GuideToACrazyWorld » Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:14 am

62% said they think the country is in a recession.
So at least 38% of people surveyed don't know what a recession is, and it's safe to assume that some who got it right also don't understand the concept, and just got lucky.

User avatar
Tarmaque
Posts: 6611
Joined: Wed Aug 28, 2019 11:41 am
Location: Vancouver, USA
Has thanked: 1265 times
Been thanked: 2743 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by Tarmaque » Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:54 am

GuideToACrazyWorld wrote:
Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:14 am
62% said they think the country is in a recession.
So at least 38% of people surveyed don't know what a recession is, and it's safe to assume that some who got it right also don't understand the concept, and just got lucky.
Since there is no worldwide or economic theory wide definition of a recession, that's hardly surprising. What's happening right now is so weird nobody really knows what to call it, except that it's the other guy's fault.

User avatar
Mysterious Cat
Posts: 365
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2019 1:13 pm
Has thanked: 33 times
Been thanked: 97 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by Mysterious Cat » Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:03 pm

Hopefully this collision will result in the terms "abflation" and "inbortion."

User avatar
GuideToACrazyWorld
Posts: 8390
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2019 1:31 pm
Location: California
Has thanked: 792 times
Been thanked: 2316 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by GuideToACrazyWorld » Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:39 pm

Tarmaque wrote:
Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:54 am
hat's happening right now is so weird nobody really knows what to call it, except that it's the other guy's fault.
In political speak "Recession" just means the other party in in control. :lol:

Senor Natural
Posts: 2647
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 1:58 am
Has thanked: 270 times
Been thanked: 279 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by Senor Natural » Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:50 pm

Recession is defined in specific terminology and by specific economic numbers.
In a more accurate way, it is personal, because that terminology and those numbers may or may not apply to all individuals.
Recessions are great investment opportunities, great 'Buy Low' times where you get great investments for cheap, far below their actual value.
Boom times are great profit opportunities, 'Sell High' times where you cash in on the investments you bought cheaply during recessions.
Put it into interest bearing investments, and spend some for yourself and your family, whatever you need and want, negotiate better prices for them by using cash, and let the rest earn more in interest so you can take advantage of cheaper prices when the next recession occurs.
Economics are cyclical, and fairly frequent, so you will get lots of great investment and profit taking opportunities in your lifetime.

Senor Natural
Posts: 2647
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 1:58 am
Has thanked: 270 times
Been thanked: 279 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by Senor Natural » Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:00 pm

Abortion is a sticky wicket, been around forever and will continue forever.
There is no established law, and there never will be concerning it.
For those who absolutely do not want children nor to be involved in pregnancy: for women - tubal ligation, for men - vasectomy.
If at some time you want children but not at the present there are several ways to prevent it - abstinence is most effective and reliable for preventing pregnancy.
If abstinence is not possible, both the male and the female partners should use birth control if vaginal penetration by the penis is involved.
There are a variety of birth control preventions available for both. They are inexpensive and readily available.
Using them is a no brainer . . .
Or, you can use several alternative methods of sexual intercourse that do not involve vaginal penetration by the penis.

User avatar
GuideToACrazyWorld
Posts: 8390
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2019 1:31 pm
Location: California
Has thanked: 792 times
Been thanked: 2316 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by GuideToACrazyWorld » Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:03 pm

Mysterious Cat wrote:
Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:03 pm
Hopefully this collision will result in the terms "abflation" and "inbortion."
That one took me a minute. :lol:

User avatar
Tarmaque
Posts: 6611
Joined: Wed Aug 28, 2019 11:41 am
Location: Vancouver, USA
Has thanked: 1265 times
Been thanked: 2743 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by Tarmaque » Fri Sep 09, 2022 6:51 pm

GuideToACrazyWorld wrote:
Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:39 pm
In political speak "Recession" just means the other party in in control.
Interestingly enough, historically recessions happen either during the end of a Republican administration or in the beginning of a Democratic administration. Recoveries happen during a Democratic administration or at the very beginning of a Republican administration. There are exceptions of course, but this is a safe bet. We can argue about the underlying causes, but this is an interesting observation.

User avatar
GuideToACrazyWorld
Posts: 8390
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2019 1:31 pm
Location: California
Has thanked: 792 times
Been thanked: 2316 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by GuideToACrazyWorld » Sat Sep 10, 2022 12:41 am

Tarmaque wrote:
Fri Sep 09, 2022 6:51 pm
Interestingly enough, historically recessions happen either during the end of a Republican administration or in the beginning of a Democratic administration. Recoveries happen during a Democratic administration or at the very beginning of a Republican administration. There are exceptions of course, but this is a safe bet. We can argue about the underlying causes, but this is an interesting observation.
I think it has more to do with the general cycle of economics. For a long time we've basically been trading 8 year terms between the two. Had Trump not been such a disaster the pattern would hold

User avatar
Tarmaque
Posts: 6611
Joined: Wed Aug 28, 2019 11:41 am
Location: Vancouver, USA
Has thanked: 1265 times
Been thanked: 2743 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by Tarmaque » Sat Sep 10, 2022 1:15 am

GuideToACrazyWorld wrote:
Sat Sep 10, 2022 12:41 am
I think it has more to do with the general cycle of economics. For a long time we've basically been trading 8 year terms between the two. Had Trump not been such a disaster the pattern would hold
The pattern did hold. Trump tried to take credit for inheriting a good economy, and this bad economy happened directly after his administration. Even though it was only a single term. Besides, the pattern actually goes back nearly a hundred years.

User avatar
GuideToACrazyWorld
Posts: 8390
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2019 1:31 pm
Location: California
Has thanked: 792 times
Been thanked: 2316 times

Re: (Friday PO) Poll: Abortion and inflation collide as top issues in midterm elections

Post by GuideToACrazyWorld » Sat Sep 10, 2022 2:07 am

Tarmaque wrote:
Sat Sep 10, 2022 1:15 am
The pattern did hold. Trump tried to take credit for inheriting a good economy, and this bad economy happened directly after his administration. Even though it was only a single term. Besides, the pattern actually goes back nearly a hundred years.
We were near the midterms before the economy really faltered. I guess I don't really see that as near his administration.

Post Reply