90 percent in new survey expect political conflict in US this year

A new survey found that nine in every 10 Americans say they expect to see political conflict this year.

The Gallup poll released Tuesday, which collects Americans’ predictions for the coming year, found that 90 percent say they expect to see political conflict in 2023, while only 9 percent say they expect to see political cooperation.

Americans also showed concern for other domestic issues, with 72 percent believing the crime rate in the U.S. will rise, and 56 percent predicting there will be many strikes by labor unions in 2023.

The results are among an overall dreary outlook on the upcoming year, with a majority of Americans also saying the economy may not look appealing in the year to come.

Gallup found that 79 percent of respondents believe the year will be economically difficult, while only 21 percent believe it will be a year of economic prosperity. Additionally, more than 80 percent expect higher taxes and 65 percent believe prices will rise at a high rate. 

Gallup began collecting predictions in 1960 and has continued intermittently since. Gallup analysis noted that historical data have generally shown that Americans’ forecasts for the coming year are largely dependent on their views of the domestic and international climates at the time. However, the latest poll underscores the U.S. residents’ gloomy outlook in their 2023 predictions on domestic issues.

The Gallup poll was conducted Dec. 5-19 among 1,803 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.