While gun laws and immigration reform have attracted a lot of attention on Capitol Hill in recent months, the results of a new Gallup poll suggest that the American people want lawmakers to focus more on creating jobs and growing the economy.
The poll showed reducing gun violence and reforming immigration at the bottom of a list of twelve priorities for Congress and the president to address.
Fifty-five percent of Americans said reducing gun violence should be a top or high priority for Congress and the president, while just 50 percent said the same about reforming immigration.
On the other hand, 86 percent said both creating more jobs and helping the economy grow should be top or high priorities for Congress and the president.
Gallup Editor in Chief Frank Newport said, "'Creating jobs' and 'helping the economy grow' are of course broad and diffuse goals that do not easily translate into specific legislation."
"And even though there is significant consensus across party lines that these two issues should be given high priority, there are fundamental party disagreements on the broad approach that can be taken to achieve these goals," he added.
The poll found that making government work more efficiently, improving the quality of education, and addressing the financial problems with Social Security and Medicare also receive above average ratings.
Gallup noted that reforming the tax code and reducing poverty and inequality are at the other end of the spectrum along with gun laws and immigration reform.
While Republicans and Democrats give similar priority ratings to the top issues, including creating jobs and growing the economy, the poll found that Democrats are far more likely to say improving access to healthcare and reducing gun violence should be top or high priorities.
Democrats also give higher priority ratings to reducing poverty and inequality, reducing the costs of healthcare, and improving education, while Republicans are more likely to prioritize reducing the budget deficit and reforming immigration.
The Gallup survey of 1,021 adults was conducted May 4th and 5th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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