One thing that really distorts our politics is the disproportionate amount that people freak out about terrorism. It's really crazy, not just because statistically terrorism has an extremely small chance of directly harming any of us, but also because being scared about terrorism is exactly what the terrorists want (that's why it is called "terrorism") so in that sense, freaking out about terrorism is giving in to terrorists.
Still it's clear that the new burst of freak out is what is going on. So while these Gallup results don't surprise me, I don't see how any rational person could think that terrorism is the country's biggest problem, even if the #1 place holder only gets 16% of the public, and even considering that the survey is so stupid that "government" is a potential answer ("government" is the holder of second place at 13%).
Still it's clear that the new burst of freak out is what is going on. So while these Gallup results don't surprise me, I don't see how any rational person could think that terrorism is the country's biggest problem, even if the #1 place holder only gets 16% of the public, and even considering that the survey is so stupid that "government" is a potential answer ("government" is the holder of second place at 13%).
