Poll: Pocketbook worries outweigh voters' concerns over war in Iraq

Pocketbook worries outweigh voters' concerns over war in Iraq
By JIM KUHNHENN and TREVOR TOMPSON, Associated Press Writers
http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-voter-worries

Voters began to worry more about their pocketbooks over the last month — even more than about the war in Iraq.

More than half the voters in an ongoing survey for The Associated Press and Yahoo! News now say the economy and health care are extremely important to them personally. They fear they will face unexpected medical expenses, their homes will lose value or mortgage and credit card payments will overwhelm them.

Events, however, can quickly change public opinion. Thursday's assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto could draw more attention to terrorism and national security, an issue that still ranked highly with the public and which 45 percent of those polled considered extremely important.

(snip)
In the new results, men and women approaching retirement were especially attentive to the economy and health care, with six out of 10 ranking both issues extremely important. Politically, the attention to such domestic issues hangs darkly over Republicans. Voters say they are far more likely to trust Democrats to handle the economy and health care.

Health Care, Economy Up in Importance
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7182994,00.html

I'm really sick to death hearing about how we have to give up our freedom (and everything else) so we can fight terrorism.

We're going to throw ourselves right over the cliff with obsessive paranoia. :(