While the COVID-19 pandemic is at least to some extent a concern of the past, Americans seem to be heading toward more turmoil this fall. The domino effect of the healthcare crisis made other crises either emerge or grow in prominence. In recent months, people in the US and abroad have witnessed a new war in Ukraine, surging inflation, a major energy crisis, and numerous environmental changes. Given these numerous issues, it can be hard to predict what America’s biggest problems are and how they can be solved in the near future.
According to a study conducted by Gallup in July, US adults cited “inflation” and “government/leadership” as their biggest concerns, followed closely by the “economy in general”. 17% of respondents said inflation is the most important issue facing the US right now, while an equal number cited leadership issues. However, there are numerous other issues that impact the future of the US, and, by extension, the future of the entire world. Although these new concerns were not mentioned in the survey, the good news is that US policymakers appear to be already working to solve them.
War and Other Geopolitical Issues
Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine has already disrupted the global balance and caused numerous geopolitical issues everywhere. President Joe Biden recently proclaimed October 24 as United Nations Day, and urged officials, policymakers, and the public to celebrate the new holiday “with appropriate ceremonies and activities.” In doing so, the President sent another strong message of support for the United Nations (UN) and its struggle to promote peace, protect the human rights of people everywhere, and foster harmony between nations.
High Fuel Prices
According to a recent Gallup survey, “inflation or the high cost of living continues to be the top economic concern of Americans in September,” followed closely by the state of the “economy in general”. However, 3% of respondents cited high “fuel or oil prices” as the most important economic issue affecting the US this fall. According to Reuters, fuel prices, which had been rising in early October, are now down as refinery outages on the West Coast have eased.
Poor Leadership and the Lack of Trust in the Government
A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center shows that Americans’ trust in the government remains low. Only two-in-ten US citizens say they trust their government to act rightly “almost always” (2%) or “most of the time” (19%). Trust in the government has slowly declined since 2021 when 24% of Americans stated they could trust the government more often than not. These findings seem to be confirmed by the Gallup survey results, which also list “the government or poor leadership” as America’s biggest concern.
Racism and Other Human Rights Concerns
Racism remains another major concern among Americans, according to the Gallup survey. Moreover, a UN expert has also expressed concerns about persistent racism and discrimination to the UN General Assembly. According to Tlaleng Mofokeng’s report, stopping racism and other disparities in health status is now a vital step toward strengthening the global efforts meant to advance the right to health and other human rights. “The health consequences of racism and discrimination are persistent,” she added.
Future Pandemics and Biological Threats
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed numerous weaknesses in almost all healthcare systems, and the American healthcare system is no exception. More action is needed to prepare for future pandemics. This is precisely why the Biden-Harris Administration has recently released a strategy meant to strengthen health security in the US and also prepare it for biological threats. According to the statement released by the White House, this strategy reflects the Administration’s determined plan to protect Americans from both future epidemics and other biological threats.
Poverty, Hunger, and Homelessness
Poverty, hunger, and homelessness are listed as the top concerns for 4% of Americans in September, according to the Gallup survey. These issues are also of major importance to the UN—according to the intergovernmental organization, ending poverty is the first of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, it is extremely important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic is known to have exacerbated global poverty, with the UN estimating it could ultimately increase global poverty by half a billion people worldwide.
Rising Costs for American Families
With inflation and the high cost of living cited as major concerns by 17% of the American adults surveyed by Gallup, it isn’t surprising that President Biden has already taken decisive action to reduce costs for American families. The President believes the government must continue its work to lower costs for children, seniors, and their families. The Inflation Reduction Act is “one of the most significant laws in history when it comes to helping families,” President Biden said.
Building a Better Future
Building a better future starts with solving the today’s problems. While many of the most critical issues facing the US this fall are also global concerns, such as war, high fuel prices, and racism, the US will undoubtedly play a key role in solving them.
