Ravi Agrawal
There’s little doubt that the standoff between the United States and Iran imposes economic costs on Americans. The price at the pump is up by more than a third since the start of the war and economists project inflation rising and growth slowing. According to a recent poll by Ipsos, six out of 10 Americans disapprove of the conflict, and a majority believe U.S. military action in Iran will have a negative impact on their personal financial situations. (Only 1 percent believe the war will have a positive impact on personal finances, and less than a quarter of Americans surveyed think the conflict has been worth it.) Why, then, aren’t Americans expressing more anger about the war in the form of protests?
There are several potential answers. The same Ipsos poll finds that 44 percent of Americans have heard only “a little” about the conflict and 7 percent have heard “nothing at all,” suggesting either a lack of interest in global affairs or limited personal and financial impact. Another recent poll, by Gallup, found that Americans are more worried about health care than the economy. The United States also entered the war with historic advantages: It has become the planet’s largest producer of both oil and natural gas, its stock market is enjoying an AI-driven boom, and its imports are benefiting from a strong dollar.
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