Social (In)Security

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

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Welcome to Front Page, where we break down Gallup's latest insights on our constantly evolving world. Here are the five insights you shouldn't miss this week:

1. Social (In)Security

Line Chart: 61% of Americans would rather raise Social Security taxes than curb benefits.

In a recent update on Americans' confidence in their Social Security benefits, we find that nearly half of adults don't expect the system to be able to pay out the benefits they are due. But there's a brighter side to the story, as Americans are more upbeat today about getting their benefits than they have been in two decades. The least optimistic are those aged 30 to 49. Meanwhile, Americans are more likely than ever to want higher Social Security taxes rather than benefit cuts to keep the system solvent.
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2. Elections in a Crisis

Line Chart: 78% of residents in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could not afford food in the past 12 months.

With most global news focused on the Middle East conflict and Ukraine, fewer have been paying attention to the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With an election slated for tomorrow, the nation is currently clocking record-level vulnerability on basic needs. At the same time, the percentage of those saying health problems prevent them from doing the things people their age can normally do is at a new high. These realities highlight the massive challenges the election winner will face in leading the country forward.
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3. Police Encounters and Wellbeing

Bar Chart: Negative police encounters for Americans correlate with lower wellbeing.

It's likely not a surprise to readers of this newsletter that Black Americans report less positive experiences with police than White Americans do. Our latest insights out of the Gallup Center on Black Voices highlight Black Americans' experiences with police, as well as how negative interactions with police impact the overall wellbeing of all Americans.
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4. When Sanctions Miss the Mark

Line Chart: Despite sanctions, 56% of Russians say their local economy is getting better.

Sanctions aimed at key portions of, and actors in, Russia's economy have been cornerstones of the West's policies during the war in Ukraine. But Russians' perceptions about their own standard of living reveal that the intended outcome from Washington and others hasn't quite hit the mark. Today, Russians are more optimistic about their economic lot than they have ever been in our trend dating back to 2006.
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5. The STEM Gender Gap

Bar Chart: Gen Z women are less interested overall than Gen Z men in STEM careers in 2023.

In our latest work with the Walton Family Foundation, we find a troubling gender gap between Gen Z men and women in their interest in pursuing careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). With all of the recent focus on the importance of topics such as AI and epigenetics, and their critical role in our future, it's particularly troubling to note just how much of a gender divide there is in viewing STEM as a pathway for a young person's future in the U.S.
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And that's Front Page!

Mohamed Younis
Editor-in-Chief
Gallup

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