Poll: Voters most concerned about US fiscal health

Voters are most concerned about the nation’s fiscal health amid a spirited campaign for the White House, according to a new monthly poll released Tuesday. 

The April fiscal confidence index is at 49 — levels below 100 reflect negative sentiment — showing that voters want Democratic and Republican presidential candidates to offer plans that address the nation’s long-term fiscal challenges, according to data released by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

{mosads}”As candidates make their case to voters nationwide, it’s clear that Americans want a plan to secure our fiscal and economic future,” said Michael Peterson, president and CEO of the Peterson Foundation.

“Voters expect candidates to put forth fiscal solutions and demonstrate how they will put the nation on a sustainable long-term path,” Peterson said.

As the presidential primaries continue, the national debt remains an issue of growing concern to voters across the country.

Overall, voters say they are deeply concerned about the debt and the direction of long-term fiscal policy and that elected leaders need to make addressing the long-term debt a high priority.

About 68 percent of voters say their level of concern about the issue has increased during the past few years, including majorities of Democrats (53 percent), independents (69 percent) and Republicans (84 percent).

Consistent with this growing concern, an overwhelming majority of voters (85 percent) believe the president and Congress should be spending more time addressing the national debt.

The nationwide poll included 1,001 U.S. registered voters, surveyed by telephone between April 18 and 21, with a margin of error of 3.1 percentage percent.