Our weekly e-mail service brings you the latest in public opinion and public policy research.
Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, Vol. 6:
Energy, Economy New Focal Points for Anxiety Over U.S. Foreign Policy
Scott Bittle and Jonathan Rochkind with Jared Bosk
The Spring 2008 edition of the Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index shows rising fears about the health of the U.S. economy are spilling over into the public’s thinking about foreign policy issues, and their concerns about the nation's dependence on others to satisfy its energy needs are particularly pronounced. Six out of ten Americans (60 percent) say reducing energy dependence would strengthen our nation’s security “a great deal,” the highest percentage since the Index’s inception and now the most highly rated of 12 basic strategies to improve national security explored in the survey. The Spring 2008 Anxiety Indicator stands at 132, well above the neutral mid-point of 100 and a small 4-point drop from October 2007. Produced with support from the Ford Foundation and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in cooperation with Foreign Affairs.
