They’re Not Thinking About Our Problems

The May Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll is out today and you will be reading stories in the press about the detailed views of the public on various state issues including the state budget and state governance problems.

Obviously, the budget and governance are very important to UC. But hidden in the poll is an important message. Take a look at the table below.

What is obvious is that the public, including voters, are not losing sleep over the issues that pollsters ask about except one: “jobs/economy.” Yes, if pressed, respondents will answer questions about other issues. But those are really issues of perceived importance to policy wonks and politicos. How people will actually vote on issues relating to the state budget or other matters that affect UC is really much more fluid than the polls suggest. That is good news if you don’t like what respondents tell pollsters because it means minds can be changed in actual election campaigns. And it is bad news if you like what respondents say, because – again – minds can be changed.

In the meantime, there is only one top concern among the electorate: