| Summary: | Scholars studying opinion representation often rely on a survey question that asks about the "most important problem" (MIP) facing the nation. While we know that MIP responses do reflect public priorities, less is known about their connection to policy preferences. This paper directly addresses the issue. First, it conceptualizes policy preferences and MIP responses, specifically considering the possibility that the latter may be either policy- or outcome-based. Second, using aggregate-level data from the US and the UK, it then examines the correspondence between public spending preferences and MIP responses over time. Results indicate that MIP responses and spending preferences tap very different things and that using MIP responses substantially understates the representational relationship between public opinion and policy.
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