The AARP Bulletin commissioned a nationwide survey in November 2012 to examine the post-election expectations for Congress and the president in the new year. The purpose of this survey was to determine which issues were of greatest importance to Americans.  This survey also gauged Americans’ perceptions of the likelihood that these issues would be addressed in the next Congress.  

Key findings included:

• More overall respondents, as well as respondents in each of two age groups, say it is very important for the president and Congress to work on helping more Americans find jobs.
  
• The second- and third-ranked issues for the overall sample—improving education and fighting terrorism— have 77% of sample respondents regarding it as very important for the president and Congress to work on in 2013.  
  
  

This survey was conducted for AARP by Woelfel Research.  Interviews were conducted between November 17-27, 2012, among a nationally representative sample of 1,001 adults age 18 and older. Data are weighted to provide nationally representative estimates of the population 18 years of age and older.      For more information, contact Gerard Rainville at grainville@aarp.org.