DARLENE SUPERVILLE
AP
Sunday, December 31, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Another terrorist attack, a warmer planet, death
and destruction from a natural disaster. These are among Americans'
grim predictions for the United States in 2007.
Only a minority of people think the U.S. will go to war with
Iran or North Korea over those countries' nuclear ambitions. An
overwhelming majority of those surveyed think Congress will raise
the federal minimum wage. One-third see hope for a cure to cancer.
These are among the findings of an Associated Press-AOL News
poll that asked people in the U.S. to contemplate what 2007 holds
for the country.
Six in 10 people think the U.S. will be the victim of a terrorist
attack. An identical percentage thinks it likely that a biological
or nuclear weapon will be unleashed somewhere else in the world.
Seventy percent of people in the U.S. predict a major natural
disaster in the country and an equal percentage expects worsening
global warming. Also, 29 percent think it likely that the U.S.
will withdraw its troops from Iraq.
Among other predictions for the U.S. in 2007:
* 35 percent predict the military draft will be reinstated.
* 35 percent predict a cure for cancer will be found.
* 25 percent anticipate the second coming of Jesus Christ.
* 19 percent think scientists are likely to find evidence of
extraterrestrial life.
With Democrats poised to take control of Congress this week,
eight in 10 people predict lawmakers will raise the $5.15-an-hour
federal minimum wage. It would be the first increase since 1997.
Democratic leaders have proposed raising it in stages to $7.25
an hour. President Bush has said he supports the idea, with some
protections for small businesses.
Fewer than half the public think it likely the U.S. will go to
war with Iran or North Korea. Should it come down to that, 40
percent think the battle will be with Iran while 26 percent said
North Korea.
Higher gas prices, legalized gay marriage and the possible arrival
of bird flu also are seen as being in the cards.
More than 90 percent of people think higher gas prices are likely.
A gallon of self-serve regular gasoline averaged $2.29 last week,
compared with $3 over the summer.
Also, 57 percent said it is likely that another state will legalize
gay marriage. Same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts; four
other states offer civil unions or domestic partnerships.
People were split on whether 2007 will bring the U.S. its first
bird flu case. More than 150 people worldwide have died from the
disease. Health officials fear a pandemic if the virus mutates
into a form easily passed from person to person.
Women generally were more likely than men to expect some of the
more dire predictions to come true, such as a worldwide terrorist
attack and war with Iran or North Korea. Democrats and people
under 35 were more likely than Republicans and older people to
say global warming will worsen in 2007.
The telephone poll of 1,000 adults was conducted Dec. 12-14 by
Ipsos, an international polling firm. The margin of sampling error
was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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