Top US Problems - Not Education

*Alternative Title:  I've Got 99 Problems But Education Ain't One

A new Gallup Poll came out last week asking what the "most important problem" in the U.S. is. 

Here are the results in a nutshell:

1. Economy in General - 23%
2. Unemployment/Jobs - 19%
3. Healthcare - 11%
4. Government/Congressmen/Politicians - 10%
5. Federal Deficit -8%
6. Ethics/Moral/Religious/Family Decline; Dishonesty - 7%
7. Poor Leadership/The President/Corruption/Abuse of Power -6%
8. Immigration - 6%
9. Education - 5%

Here are the results broken down by demographic group:

Education is dead last?  Woo hoo!  Right?

My feelings are mixed on the results of this poll.  While it is good that education is not perceived as a "major problem," I feel that education relates to all of the other concerns on the list.  At the very least education has a direct impact on the top two concerns - the economy and unemployment/jobs.

I'm glad education is not seen as our biggest problem.  However, if the country gave education more attention and placed a greater emphasis on its importance, then maybe we can help those other categories become less of an issue.

Off my soapbox...