Are they being shrewd in playing down a divisive concern that is not at the front of voters’ minds, or are they missing an opportunity? The right answer is: Both.
A new study by the Center for American Progress (CAP) finds that when Americans look at the world, they think primarily about how their government can keep them safe and bolster their economic opportunities. “At the most basic level, voters want U.S. foreign policy and national security policies to focus on two concrete goals: protecting the U.S. homeland and its people from external threats — particularly terrorist attacks — and protecting jobs for American workers,” the report finds.