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A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 9 July 2022

Inflation, expenses rise sharply as priorities: AP-NORC poll

Continued from Front emerge: Now just 4% men- Indiana, said. “I just spend
tion it, down from 37% in less or try to not go out the
Forty percent of U.S. adults December 2021 and 53% in house anymore.”
specifically name inflation December 2020. But Green identified other
in an open-ended question Republicans are more likely issues that concern her
as one of up to five priorities than Democrats to men- more. Abortion has long
for the government to work tion inflation or personal been on her mind as a
on in the next year, ac- finances as top issues, but priority, and it “feels real
cording to a June poll from the sharp changes since now” that the Supreme
The Associated Press-NORC December are bipartisan. Court overturned Roe v.
Center for Public Affairs Daniel Collier, a 39-year- Wade. She also identified
Research. That’s a sharp old construction worker in racism in the U.S. as an im-
rise from 14% in December Waynesville, Missouri, thinks portant problem. Mentions
and less than 1% the year lowering gas prices should of abortion or women’s
prior. In all, 77% mention the be a priority. rights increased sharply to
economy in any way, up A woman supporting abortion-rights holds a sign outside the “It’s hurt me financially,” he 22% from just 8% in Decem-
from 68% in December. But South Carolina Statehouse on July 7, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. said. “I worry about being ber following the Supreme
just 10% specifically men- Associated Press able to pay the rent, pay Court’s decision to strike
tion jobs or unemployment, ting more attention this up and we’re noticing that utilities.” down Roe v. Wade. The
as U.S. employers continue year. Many also prioritize is- it’s definitely going down He blames Biden for infla- poll shows 12% of U.S. adults
to hire despite high infla- sues that are core to Biden fast because we don’t tion and “poor” economic mention racial issues, similar
tion and weak economic and Democrats’ agenda, make enough money to conditions, saying he thinks to December 2021, but a
growth. including abortion, wom- cover how much the cost the president is “incompe- notable decline from 24%
Now, too, Americans in- en’s rights and gun policy, of everything has risen,” the tent.” The poll shows 69% of in 2020.
creasingly call their person- which could help Demo- 43-year-old quality control Americans disapprove of “I have these two com-
al finances a major issue: crats as they try to pad — coordinator in Bristol, Con- how Biden is handling the pounding identities be-
44% mention it, up from 24% or at least protect — their necticut, said. economy, including 93% ing Black and a woman,”
in December and 12% the razor-thin majority. Rodriguez and her husband of Republicans and 43% of Green said, adding that it’s
year before. That includes In a troubling sign for both and son have had to get to Democrats. In May, facing very concerning that Black
more mentioning gas or parties, the poll finds many their workplaces and run an inflation rate at a 40- women experience higher
energy prices (33% now Americans say they think errands using one car over year high, most Americans maternal mortality rates
vs. 10% in December) and neither side of the aisle is the last couple of months said in an AP-NORC poll than white women. “It’s just
food costs (9% vs. less than better at focusing on the because of her husband’s that they worried about the so overwhelming right now
1%). issues important to them or broken-down truck. impact of higher than usual in America.”
Those shifts may be advan- getting things done. “We just haven’t had the prices on their finances. Mentions of gun issues also
tageous to Republicans Sara Rodriguez said she’s money to get it back on For 22-year-old Jakyra ticked up to 30% from 24%
as they campaign to win concerned about the im- the road,” she said. Green, rising prices have in December 2021 — both
control of Congress in this pact of rising prices of The rise in concerns about been prohibitive. significantly higher com-
year’s midterms; the econ- goods, gas and oil on her the economy is paired “It’s become very hard to pared with 5% in Decem-
omy has increasingly been household’s finances, es- with a steep decline in the even pay for anything, like ber 2020. The 2021 poll
a sore subject for President pecially because her in- percentage naming CO- rent, gas, and none of our was conducted just after a
Joe Biden. Still, the econo- come isn’t keeping up. VID-19 as a top issue, even wages are going up,” the deadly shooting at a Michi-
my isn’t the only issue get- “We’ve had a savings built as new variants continue to college student in Goshen, gan high school.q

Wildfire grows near famed Yosemite grove of sequoia trees

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, The cause of the fire was over the past two years
Calif. (AP) — The largest under investigation and the have killed up to a fifth of
grove of giant sequoias in rest of the park remained all sequoias, which are the
Yosemite National Park was open as nearly 300 fire- largest trees by volume.
closed Friday as a wildfire fighters tried to control the There was no obvious nat-
burning through dense for- flames with the help of two ural spark for the fire that
est became the latest in re- water-dropping helicopters broke out Thursday next to
cent years to threaten the and an air tanker dump- the park’s Washburn Trail,
world’s largest trees. ing flame retardant, Phillipe Phillipe said. Smoke was re-
A team was being sent said. ported by visitors walking in
to the Mariposa Grove to The giant sequoias, native the grove that reopened
wrap some of the massive only to the western slope in 2018 after a $40 million
trunks in fire-resistant foil to of California’s Sierra Ne- renovation that took three
protect them as the blaze vada range, were once years.
burned out of control, said considered impervious to The fire more than tripled
Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite flames but have become overnight in size to 166 In this image provided by the National Park Service, a firefighter
fire information spokesper- increasingly vulnerable as acres (67 hectares) by Fri- walks near the Mariposa Grove as the Washburn Fire burns in
son. wildfires fueled by a build- day, Phillipe said. Fire of- Yosemite National Park, Calif., Thursday, July 7, 2022.
More than 500 mature se- up of undergrowth from a ficials had previously esti- Associated Press
quoias were threatened century of fire suppression mated that 250 acres (101 700 people were staying and residents were encour-
but there were no reports and drought exacerbated hectares) burned but it was in a campground, cabins aged to be ready to leave.
of severe damage to any by climate change have revised after a closer as- and an historic hotel, was “Our priorities are certainly
named trees, such as the become more intense and sessment. under an evacuation advi- the giant sequoias and the
3,000-year-old Grizzly Gi- destructive. The nearby village of Wa- sory. A community meeting community of Wawona,”
ant. Lightning-sparked wildfires wona, where about 600 to was planned and visitors Phillipe said.q