The economy barely beats out government ethics and corruption as the issue of number one importance to most voters this month. Health care and taxes are a little more on voters’ minds, too.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 81% of voters consider the issue of the economy as very important, topping a list of 10 key electoral issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. But 79% say the same of government ethics and corruption.

In October, for the first time in two years, voters rated government ethics and corruption as more important than the economy. Voters viewed the two issues evenly in November and December 2007 before placing a higher priority on the economy starting in January 2008. Last month, however, the economy bounced back into the lead.

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In third place this month is health care, rated very important by 75% of voters, up from 66% in November.

It’s interesting to note, however, that just 40% of voters nationwide now favor the health care plan working its way through Congress, while 55% oppose it. This is the sixth straight week with support for the legislation between 38% and 41%. But still 67% now expect Congress to pass the plan by the end of the year.

As they have all year, voters say cutting the federal deficit in half by the end of his first term is President Obama’s number one budget priority, with health care reform coming in second. Democrats put the emphasis on health care reform, while Republicans and voters not affiliated with either party think deficit cutting is more essential.

Taxes are next in terms of issue importance, moving up from sixth place in the previous survey to fourth now. Sixty-five percent (65%) of voters rate taxes as a very important issue, up from 60% a month ago, perhaps because a solid majority of voters think taxes on the middle class will go up if the health care plan is passed.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of voters prefer a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes over a more active government with more services and higher taxes.

National security and the war on terror are down one position this month to fifth place, although the survey was taken prior to Christmas Day when a radical Islamic terrorist attempted to blow up a landing airliner in Detroit. Sixty-three percent (63%) say national security is a very important issue.

Following the Christmas Day incident, 79% of voters now think it is likely there will be another terrorist attack in the United States in the next year. That’s a 30-point jump from the end of August when just 49% of Americans felt that way.

For 61%, Social Security is a very important issue, a jump of eight points over the last month.

Fifty-six percent (56%) feel education is a very important issue, followed by 53% who say the same of immigration. Forty-eight percent (48%) rate the ongoing war in Iraq as very important, while 41% believe that to be true of abortion.

Immigration and abortion are sticking points in the current congressional health care debate.

Voters remain more confident in Republicans than in Democrats on virtually all the key electoral issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. That helps explain why Republican candidates have led Democrats for several months in the Generic Congressional Ballot.

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